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Over the past few years, we've seen a big push across the gaming industry to make games more accessible. From game developers to console makers, accessibility has become an increasingly important part of creating great experiences. Sadly, many of the tools around gaming have been slower to follow that same path.
Around three months ago, we began taking new steps to improve accessibility across Kinetic Hosting. This started with the new search and shortcut system we introduced in Kinetic Panel.
Today, we're excited to bring many of those improvements to our website too. We've added a new high-contrast mode, keyboard shortcuts, site-wide search, and improvements to colours, alt text, and overall keyboard navigation.
Designing for Everyone
Our goal is to bring these improvements to every part of Kinetic Hosting by the end of 2026, while continuing to build accessibility into everything we create beyond that.
That includes:
Full keyboard access for navigation and important controls.
Visible focus indicators that clearly show where you are on the page.
Text and interface colours chosen with accessibility and contrast in mind.
Clear labels, names, and page structure for screen readers.
Reduced reliance on colour alone to communicate information.
What Are We Working on Next?
Some areas of Kinetic are further along than others. Keyboard shortcuts are available on our website and Kinetic Panel, but not yet in our billing panel. Likewise, themes are available on our website, but not yet throughout all of our products.
Here's what we're working towards over the rest of the year.
More Themes for Kinetic Panel
We're developing additional panel themes to support different visual preferences and accessibility needs. And, of course, we'll also be creating a few more fun themes for those who like to customise their panel.
Billing Panel Accessibility
We're still working on our new billing panel. When it launches later this year, it will include keyboard shortcuts, themes, and a wide range of accessibility improvements from day one.
Better Screen Reader Support
We're continuing to improve compatibility with screen readers, making sure our website and services are easy to navigate and understand for everyone.
WCAG 2.2 Level AA
We're working towards meeting the WCAG 2.2 Level AA accessibility standard across Kinetic Hosting.
We continue to improve colour contrast, keyboard navigation, screen reader support, and the overall usability of our services as we move towards that goal.
Accessibility isn't a one-time project. As we build new features and redesign existing ones, we'll continue reviewing and improving them to ensure Kinetic Hosting remains accessible to as many people as possible.
Why Are We Doing This
We believe everyone should be able to enjoy running their own game servers. Whether you're using a keyboard, a screen reader, high-contrast colours, or simply prefer a more accessible interface, we're committed to making Kinetic Hosting easier for everyone to use.
Tell Us When Something Gets in Your Way
If you cannot access information or complete a task on our website, please let us know. Tell us which page or service you were using and what assistance you need.
Where reasonably possible, we'll provide the information in another format and use your feedback to continue improving the experience for everyone.
Part of a Bigger Goal
Accessibility is just one part of creating a better experience for everyone.
Earlier this month, we partnered with Safe In Our World as part of our commitment to supporting mental health within the gaming community. Improving accessibility is another step in that same direction, making sure more people can enjoy running and managing their servers, regardless of how they interact with technology.
While there's always more to do, we'll continue investing in improvements that make Kinetic Hosting more welcoming and easier for everyone to use.
