Hello

Hi. I’ve never mastered the art of introductions, just ask my friends, family, and partner. But I feel that now is the best time to start practicing.

My name is Grant Stoner. I’m an award-winning reporter covering accessibility and the disabled perspective in the gaming industry. My work ranges from reviews from the viewpoint of a physically disabled player, community stories that dig into the why and how of disabled individuals within gaming, and deep investigative reports that expose the darkness, harshness, and downright bizarre nature of the disability community. And now, after several years of writing for some of the best publications across the industry, I want to make something that’s uniquely and entirely mine. Welcome to Access Granted.

A New Newsletter

I understand I’m entering the proverbial lion’s den for journalists. I’m sharing space with hundreds, if not thousands of incredible writers, each choosing to leave their specific mark on the world. I’m a “drop in the pond” owned by many, and that’s admittedly daunting. Yet, for years, I’ve continuously asked myself why my coverage feels so lonely.

I am not the first accessibility reporter, nor am I the first accessibility journalist in the gaming industry. I grew up reading articles by other disabled writers in gaming. However, they were few and far between, with each sharing common themes like generalized accessibility reviews or personal stories of reflection. And for stories written by nondisabled authors highlighting disabled individuals, they always took an inspirational lens, taking the agency away from the person, instead framing their story to make nondisabled people feel better about themselves. This is why I became a disability journalist – to tell the stories I so desperately wanted to read as a child. I wanted to give disabled individuals a voice, free of narratives that infantilized us. I wanted to reclaim our agency.

And for the past six years, I’m proud to say I’ve done that. I was part of a stellar team at Can I Play That which helped to revolutionize and normalize accessibility and disability coverage in gaming. After my time as Mobility Editor came to an end, I hit the freelancing scene, honing my skills and transforming me into the reporter I am today. From an exclusive and breaking feature covering the announcement of the PlayStation Access Controller, to covering the creation and execution of a Mortal Kombat tournament exclusively for blind and low vision players, to the brutal and terrifying impact of layoffs for disabled game devs, I always make sure to put disabled voices front and center with my reporting.

Thus, Access Granted was born. I want a place where I can comfortably and confidently share the stories that I want to tell but also need to be told. What’s more, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to platform disability stories to an industry that still doesn’t understand their value and importance, let alone have the money to pay for said work. They really do try, and I am forever grateful and privileged to be able to continue writing the articles I do, but the consistency of disability and accessibility reporting is, for lack of a better term, lacking.

What Access Granted Delivers

This bimonthly newsletter will focus on accessibility reviews from a mobility perspective, community reporting, investigative work, and my general thoughts surrounding the newest accessibility news. And as I familiarize myself more with this venture of self-publishing, the newsletter may increase in frequency.

I want to show the industry that accessibility and disability reporting will always be relevant. Whether timely or evergreen, accessibility and disability journalism can and should coexist alongside traditional games coverage. I am of the belief that every game and every major industry event can be examined through a disability lens. From new games and systems, to mass layoffs, to studio acquisitions, every piece of news can relate to the disability community. And I’m not looking to reinvent the journalistic wheel. I just want disabled people to have a voice, and I want to tell the stories that I would like to read.

If you’ve followed my work before, I deeply appreciate it. And if you’re new, welcome! I hope you can learn something about the disabled experience from my stories. It’s an interesting time to be a journalist in gaming, especially as publications close and acquire new owners. I’m not sure what this adventure will look like, but I’m thankful to be doing it, and I’m thankful you’ll be coming alongside me.