New board game based on Welsh historian’s research to bring Victorian disability culture to life

A new board game based on research by a Welsh historian will bring disability culture during the Victorian period to life.

Legless in London allows players to experience the challenges and opportunities that Victorian London presented to lower-limb amputees.

Through the game, all players play as an amputee and attempt to achieve life goals such as buying property, finding love or fulfilling personal ambitions.

History

Players navigate the Victorian streets, the prosthetic limb market, the sickroom, and various locations that provide them with opportunities to achieve their aims.

The game is based on research by Dr Ryan Sweet, an expert in disability history at Swansea University who wrote the 2022 book – Prosthetic Body Parts in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture.

Many of the game’s characters, prosthetic limbs, locations, and scenarios are inspired by his research.

Inclusive

The game is produced by Focus Games in conjunction with Dr Sweet and Swansea University, with the news being announced to coincide with Disability History Month.

The team says they designed the game in an inclusive way, liaising closely with a focus group of members of the disabled community, including Disability Arts Cymru.

Accessibility is also at the heart of the design with features such as:

• • Easy Read rules.
  • Large accessible fonts and dual differentiation on game pieces.
  • Captioned video explainers and screen-reader-friendly digital versions of game assets available via QR codes and www.leglessinlondon.com.

Engaging

Dr Ryan Sweet of Swansea University, designer of Legless in London, said: “The game aims to give more positive and nuanced representations of disabled people and disability in tabletop gaming.

“Disability history has been virtually absent from tabletop gaming up to now and in the few games where disabled people are portrayed these are oftentimes problematic and stereotypical.

“The game will be a fun and engaging tool to help players experience life as an amputee and reflect on how disabled people were and are treated in society.

“We’ve now play-tested the game with over 80 users, and we’ve received unanimously positive feedback.”

Legless in London is released and is now on pre-sale with delivery in February 2025.

For more information about the characters and the game click here.

The game is subject to a commercialisation agreement between the University and Focus Games Ltd and has been supported by supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council