Here's some news that will make you feel better about the world. The San Diego team at Sony is currently hard at work polishing off "MLB 11: The Show," which is in stores on March 8. In a nod to the gamers of the world with disabilities they're including a unique way to play the game, dubbed "Association for Disabled Virtual Athletes" mode.
It's pretty simple really. A single button handles all bat swinging and ball hurling -- pitching and fielding -- while the game's AI handles the task of moving players into their proper positions. It's obviously not designed for all gamers with disabilities, but it's a commendable gesture which actually has its root in a letter written by one young man.
Hans Smith, a 25-year-old baseball superfan who has cerebral palsy, is the subject of a feature over at ESPN. Smith wrote Sony's San Diego studio a letter several years back to talk about his love of both the sport -- specifically, the St. Louis Cardinals -- and the "MLB" series. Touched by his letter, the team inserted Smith's virtual likeness into last year's game, "MLB 10: The Show."
Now they've gone a step further with this new mode, which is again a tribute to Smith, named after an organization he created. "It comes from the fact that I can't physically play baseball, a game I am fanatic about," Smith said in an interview. "So all of the adrenaline you feel by stepping out on the field and coming up to bat with two outs in the ninth inning, that's what I feel when I play the video game."
It's a touching story, one you should absolutely read the whole of over at ESPN.