AbleGamers and Runestone Partner to Put Adaptive Play at the Center of Competitive Esports

COLOGNE, Germany, September 2, 2026 The AbleGamers Charity, the nonprofit that has spent two decades using video games to break down social isolation for people with disabilities, and Runestone, the real-time data and engagement infrastructure company behind live esports broadcasts and competitive integrity monitoring, today announced a partnership to advance adaptive gaming in competitive esports.

The partnership made its public debut at gamescom 2026 (August 26-30, Koelnmesse), which drew 368,000 visitors from 131 countries. AbleGamers and Runestone shared Booth E.21 in Hall 10.1, where tens of thousands of attendees encountered adaptive gaming hardware and setups first-hand — and where AbleGamers introduced its newly launched game studio, Unbound Arena, with a playable title designed specifically for players who are blind. The game is intended to become a tool developers can build into their own titles, rather than a one-off demo.

"Adaptive gaming isn't a side conversation at a show like gamescom; it's the conversation about who gets to play at all. Runestone understands that the data behind competitive esports can carry that message further than we can carry it alone. That's why this partnership matters." Jordan Kough, Executive Director, The AbleGamers Charity.

Together, both parties will collaborate to elevate inclusive play across the industry, utilizing competitive and broadcast insights to engage the creators, operators, and communities driving the initiative forward. Rather than being defined by a single event, the partnership serves and is intended as a foundational effort towards a long-term partnership.

"Supporting how esports communities engage at every level will always be a part of how Runestone operates, and none has been more overlooked in competitive play than disabled players. We're proud to collaborate with Able Gamers, and excited to see how we can utilize our data and insights to drive the conversation and narrative around adaptive gaming and accessibility." - Michael Schwartz, Head of Partnerships at Runestone

More than 800 million people who play games worldwide have a disability. Yet accessibility in competitive play still lags well behind accessibility in consumer titles: adaptive hardware is often ruled out by tournament equipment policies, event venues are difficult to navigate, and broadcast production rarely accounts for disabled competitors or viewers. The AbleGamers–Runestone partnership is intended to address that gap at the level where it is decided — in how events themselves are operated and how the story of competitive play is told.

Additional details on joint programming will be announced in the coming months.

About The AbleGamers Charity
The AbleGamers Charity is a 501(c)(3) charity that wields the power of video games to break down the barriers of economic and social isolation for people with disabilities. Through received support and donations, AbleGamers provides disabled gamers with assistive technologies that allow those with limited real-world mobility to experience what it is like to walk, run, climb, drive and even fly — in a virtual world. AbleGamers additionally advises developers and publishers on how to best incorporate accessibility options so that their video game titles may reach and appeal to the widest and most diverse audience possible. Learn more at ablegamers.org.

About Runestone
Runestone is a data and engagement infrastructure company that transforms live esports into interactive, data-driven experiences. Using real-time in-game information sourced directly from tournament organizers and publishers, Runestone delivers fast, accurate overlays and analytics that elevate broadcasts, deepen fan engagement, and unlock meaningful operational insights. Committed to transparency and competitive integrity, Runestone also monitors matches for suspicious activity to protect fair play and strengthen trust across the esports ecosystem. Runestone is part of the Realms Group.

Media Contacts
AbleGamers Jordan Kough, Executive Director, jordan@ablegamers.org
Runestone Joakim Nissbrandt, Head of Marketing and Brand, joakim.nissbrandt@runestone.gg