In 2004, AbleGamers was founded as a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing accessibility in gaming and amplifying the voices of disabled individuals. Over the past two decades, AbleGamers has been a prominent figure at industry events, [ttpp]raising millions through annual charity events[ttpp], and serving as a vital resource for both developers and players. The organization's name has become synonymous with video game accessibility, earning recognition from reporters, developers, and the public as a leading force in the field.
Founded by Mark Barlet, AbleGamers has collaborated with major studios such as Xbox to develop the [ttpp]Xbox Adaptive Controller[ttpp], PlayStation for the [ttpp]Access Controller[ttpp], and even partnered with [ttpp]Bungie for exclusive merchandise[ttpp]. Additionally, AbleGamers has positioned itself as a consultant for developers, offering guidance on implementing accessibility features in games. While the organization previously distributed adaptive gaming equipment to disabled individuals, this initiative has been discontinued. As the accessibility movement has expanded, so too has AbleGamers' influence within the gaming industry.
However, recent reports from former employees and members of the accessibility community have surfaced, alleging issues such as abuse, financial mismanagement by leadership, and a board that failed to protect its employees.
Advocating Under Strenuous Conditions
Mark Barlet's vision for AbleGamers was to establish a charity that celebrated the inclusion of disabled individuals in gaming. According to the [ttpp]AbleGamers website[ttpp], Barlet led the organization to offer services such as peer counseling, community building for disabled individuals, and consulting services. Yet, behind the scenes, sources allege that the internal environment did not align with these mission goals.
A former employee, who wished to remain anonymous, recounted troubling experiences during their approximately 10-year tenure with the charity. They described instances of sexist and emotionally abusive comments directed at them by Barlet. "He kept telling me I was HR for the charity because I’m a woman," the source stated. "At that time, I was the only woman in the charity. He then sent me to work on an HR case that I now know was illegal for me to handle because I didn’t have the proper credentials."
The source also reported that Barlet made light of the HR case for several weeks, causing discomfort among other employees. They further described aggressive behavior towards themselves and others, including overhearing racist remarks, intervening in conflicts between Barlet and coworkers, and witnessing inappropriate comments such as, "We need to get the most f\*\*\*ed up disabled person to be on our marketing, the one with real multiple disabilities." The source noted that Barlet also made obscene gestures, mocking individuals with physical disabilities.
Barlet's alleged inappropriate behavior extended to sexually explicit remarks and comments about the source in front of others, particularly during staff meetings or in-person work sessions. "During an all-hands internal meeting, I was two months postpartum, and before the meeting, everyone was either in call or in the conference room physically, and he said my jugs had gotten so big that he wouldn’t know how to handle them," the source recounted. "About a week later, we were walking past each other, and he went up to me with his hands outstretched hovering over my [chest] and said, 'Haha, they’re so big, I wouldn’t know how to handle them because I’m gay.'"
The source noted that Barlet would initially support and befriend new employees, but as they advanced within the organization, his behavior towards them would turn hostile. When confronted about his actions, Barlet would deflect, claiming he was joking, and his hostility reportedly intensified each time he was challenged.
Toxicity Outside the Charity
Barlet's alleged hostile and inappropriate behavior was not confined to AbleGamers. The source reported that Barlet would frequently demean or insult other accessibility advocates. It appeared that Barlet wanted AbleGamers to be the sole resource for accessibility in the industry, and he would disparage or threaten others who gained prominence.
"Especially at [The Game Accessibility Conference], he said something about almost every speaker that came up," the source said. "Anyone that either spoke or was an advocate, he would call them idiots. One woman I know worked closely with Xbox Accessibility; he would claim she only got there because of her father and that she didn’t know what she was doing."
An anonymous accessibility advocate corroborated Barlet’s behavior at industry events. During a business meeting about major initiatives, the source noted that Barlet grew increasingly irate, frequently interrupting discussions on accessibility with comments like, "Shut up, shut up, you don’t know what you’re talking about," and speaking over them for the entire 30-minute presentation.
Another anonymous accessibility advocate confirmed Barlet's behavior, stating that upon learning of their interest in accessibility, Barlet said over a call, "You are a drop in the pond of accessibility. And I own the pond."
Yet another advocate reported that when discussing a potential collaboration, Barlet demanded they hand over all their work, insisting that AbleGamers would claim ownership. He allegedly threatened to sabotage the project through his "deep industry contacts" if they refused.
Financial Mismanagement
Barlet's negative impact extends beyond his interactions with employees and the accessibility community. As the founder and former Executive Director, he played a key role in creating new initiatives and programs for AbleGamers. While the charity received millions in donations from studios and players under the premise of benefiting disabled players, questions have arisen about the use of these funds. A former AbleGamers employee, who wished to remain anonymous, alleged that Barlet's spending was a source of tension within the organization.
"In the fourth quarter of 2023, senior leaders at the org had been discussing [finances] for quite some time," the source said. "We were really wanting to get a sense of how to develop our budgets as pillar leads. This came to light where a lot of the senior directors had knowledge about the finances, and that the revenues were not great, and that expenses were out of control."
The source reported that funds were often allocated for first-class tickets for certain leadership, hotel rooms before or after designated event dates, and expensive meals for office staff, despite the majority being remote employees. Employees frequently questioned the organization's financial decisions when non-essential expenditures were made. A notable example was Barlet's purchase of a van for AbleGamers services during the pandemic, which the source described as a sunk cost since it couldn't be used due to quarantine and work-from-home orders.
Both former employees mentioned the purchase of a Tesla vehicle charger for the headquarters. According to the original source, some leadership members urged their teams to be frugal due to funding concerns, yet "Mark paid to have a Tesla charger at the headquarters. None of us drove a Tesla except him." The second source noted that the independent board began reviewing financial statements and expressed frustration with Barlet's use of AbleGamers' funds to install the charger, which he claimed was for the organization's benefit.
Internally, there was also discrepancy regarding salaries. Leadership questioned why some members were paid more than those in higher positions, especially since Barlet controlled salary amounts. The source suggested that salaries reflected favoritism, with some employees earning more for less work.
"A lot of the directors, including senior directors, did not agree that Mark should be drawing that much of a salary; that was always a point of contention," the source said. "There were people that were not directors making more than directors. There were senior directors making less than directors. There were people doing next to nothing making almost the highest amount, minus [Barlet]. There was a lack of consistency with raises here and there."
Leadership Failures
In addition to financial mismanagement, the original source reported that AbleGamers' board hired a Certified Public Accountant as Chief Financial Officer, who raised concerns about the organization's finances for about two years. Despite these warnings, the board allegedly failed to act, and the CFO left at the end of last year but reportedly returned to the organization.
Both former employees noted that other leadership members, particularly the nonprofit's independent board, failed to protect employees and act promptly. The original source suggested that Barlet intentionally kept the board distant, limiting communication to himself. "He kept the board very off limits," the source said. "He could only communicate with them. I would ask [leadership] 'Can I talk to the board, this is getting ridiculous,' and they said, 'I don’t know who any of them are.' I would say 'You’re [top leadership], how do you not know who the board are?'"
The situation escalated in April 2024 when a former employee ordered an investigation through [ttpp]ADP[ttpp], a payroll and HR service. After several weeks, ADP allegedly advised the independent board to terminate Barlet "immediately" due to the severity of the allegations. However, the board reportedly ignored these findings.
In June 2024, an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaint was filed, followed by another months later, citing issues ranging from racism, ableism, sexual harassment, misogyny, and leadership's failure to protect employees. Shortly after ADP's findings, the independent board initiated an internal investigation, but the response was deemed untimely and insufficient by the sources.
"June 15 is when I submitted a written complaint," the source said. "On June 25, 10 days later, the board issued its first communication regarding the organization’s transition process. They did not even name that Mark was being investigated, throughout the whole [investigation]. They finally let staff know, on September 25, 2024, that the board issued communication that Mark was stepping down."
Throughout the process, staff were instructed to communicate with AbleGamers' chosen legal team but not the board. No guidance was provided on project pursuits, reporting structures, leadership roles, budget statuses, or the investigation process. For travel requests, staff were told to communicate with former Chief Operating Officer Steven Spohn, who did not hold the interim executive director position by title or power.
The first source also questioned the integrity of the internal investigation, noting it was conducted by a law firm with direct ties to AbleGamers. "AbleGamers was under contract with the law firm, as we were going to take over the building. I had been to that building and met those lawyers before when touring. When I found out that they were the ones leading the investigation, ones that [Barlet] had a direct working relationship with, I brought that up to one of the board members, saying 'Is this actually a fair investigation?' And they reassured me, saying 'Yes, they are acting in appropriate manners.’ But, I don’t believe that." The second source noted that the law firm was to be a tenant in the building, now owned by AbleGamers, for a period of "1 to 2 years, ending in 2025 or 2026, when they would move out."
The second source also attributed the board's slow response to Barlet's control over the charity, including access to social media, bank accounts, logins, and Google Workspace, which allowed him to potentially shut off everyone's email. Lack of transparency was a significant concern.
Barlet's removal from the organization was contentious. In a LinkedIn statement, he expressed confidence in the future leadership of AbleGamers. The board did not issue a statement, instead directing staff to refer others to Barlet’s post. The source also noted that Barlet received severance upon his departure, which caused conflict among employees. Following his exit, the board allegedly retaliated against several employees who had spoken out against Barlet's behavior, resulting in their termination in November and December 2024.
Even after the investigation and subsequent rebuilding efforts, former leadership continued to create obstacles. Steven Spohn, who acted as a mediator between Barlet and employees, allegedly used manipulative language to discourage former employees from speaking with IGN, citing concerns about damaging the charity's reputation and his own.
Barlet’s Comments
Mark Barlet, along with Cheryl Mitchell, the former Director of User Research at AbleGamers, founded [ttpp]AccessForge[ttpp], an accessibility consulting group that extends its services beyond gaming to sectors like transportation, faith-based organizations, hospitality, and more.
When addressing allegations of workplace abuse and harassment, Barlet stated, "After thoroughly being investigated by an independent third-party, it was determined that none of that was true." He also claimed that these allegations and the subsequent investigation occurred after he was advised to reduce AbleGamers' workforce. The investigation was conducted internally, and Barlet was asked to step down by the board. Sources questioned the integrity of the internal investigation due to its connection to Barlet and AbleGamers.
Regarding allegations of harassing members of the disability community, Barlet remarked, "I have had a 20-year career, going to countless events and meeting many, many people. Not everyone liked me. I think no one can say that everyone likes them."
On the topic of funding spent on in-office meals, Barlet explained that out of the 17 employees, seven reported to the office weekly, occasionally increasing to nine. He noted that due to the location of AbleGamers' headquarters, "expensive [meals] did not exist," comparing them to values similar to "Chipotle and Chick-fil-A." These meals were described as a "perk" for office visitors.
Concerning allegations of extended hotel stays, Barlet stated, "I would plan meetings before and after events. I stayed two days after the last GDC I went to. On day one, I met with a large gaming company, who then turned around and purchased $100,000 in training contracts. The next day, I had lunch with a high-value donor, who had already donated over the course of two years, $170,000. After I met with this donor, we discussed everything, and she agreed to donate another $75,000." Barlet did not specify the years or donors involved.
Regarding first-class flight purchases, Barlet claimed, "AbleGamers had a codified and board-approved travel policy. That travel policy stated that 'Directors and above, on flights of four hours or more, could upgrade to business class if that cost was not extravagant.'" He admitted to "often flying first class" due to his disability but did not share the travel policy with IGN.
However, an AbleGamers employee handbook provided to IGN by a source, specifically section 5-19, titled Business Expense Reimbursement, notes, "Employees will be reimbursed for reasonable approved expenses incurred in the course of business. These expenses must be approved by the employee's Supervisor, and may include air travel, hotels, motels, meals, cab fare, rental vehicles, or gas and car mileage for personal vehicles. All expenses incurred should be submitted to the Executive Director along with the receipt in a timely manner. Employees are expected to exercise restraint and good judgment when incurring expenses." Sources familiar with the finances disputed Barlet's claims, stating that he and other directors frequently used first-class travel, often costing thousands of dollars, while mocking or denying similar requests from other employees.
On employee salaries, Barlet stated, "Most of our employees were compensated based on their education, experience, and position." However, sources refuted this, explaining that employees with bachelor's degrees in computer science, master's degrees, and years of experience were often underpaid compared to those with similar titles or experience.
Barlet denied allegations regarding the purchase and installation of a Tesla charger, claiming it was just a plug, not a full charger unit. Sources noted that independent board members familiar with the device confirmed it was a charging unit, and the cost for the unit and installation was a point of contention.
Regarding claims that employees did not have access to the board, Barlet stated that all board members were available through Slack. However, sources clarified that while the internal board, consisting of Barlet, Spohn, and Mitchell, was accessible, the independent board, responsible for the investigation into Barlet's departure, was not within the company's Slack.
Throughout numerous email exchanges and an interview with IGN, Barlet provided no evidence to refute the allegations, relying solely on his word. When asked for documentation, he repeatedly denied, insisting information could only be shared off the record. He also failed to provide other sources to corroborate his claims, again only willing to do so off the record.
For many disabled players, AbleGamers was a beacon of hope and positivity. With limited representation in the gaming industry, the organization's commitment to uplifting disabled voices was a welcome initiative. However, behind the scenes, leadership allegedly failed to protect employees and the community they aimed to serve. For the first source, Barlet’s behavior shattered what was once a dream career.
"It definitely crushed me," the source said. "I cried a lot. I cried a lot to my family, friends, and therapist because that was my dream job. [Barlet] just burned it to the ground."
