Difficulty & Accessibility Settings That Still Allow Achievements

Most modern games let you change difficulty or turn on accessibility features without locking achievements, but a few still disable them. This article explains which settings are safe to use, which ones may block trophies, and how to check before you adjust anything.

Formula

The calculator above gives a rough “trophy risk score” based on two inputs: the difficulty level you plan to use (1–10) and the time you expect to spend (in minutes). The formula is:

Risk Score = (Difficulty × 2) + (Time in minutes ÷ 30)

Where:

• Difficulty – your chosen setting on a 1–10 scale (1 = easiest, 10 = hardest).
• Time – total playtime in minutes.
• Risk Score – a number from 2 to 20+. Higher scores suggest a higher chance that achievements may be disabled, but this is only a heuristic, not a rule.

Worked Example

Using the defaults: Difficulty = 5, Time = 60 minutes.

Risk Score = (5 × 2) + (60 ÷ 30) = 10 + 2 = 12.

That means moderate difficulty and a short session give a moderate risk score. If you crank difficulty to 10 and play for 300 minutes, the score jumps to 30, which often correlates with games that disable achievements on higher difficulties (though many don’t).

What Actually Disables Achievements

Three main categories affect trophy eligibility:

• Difficulty settings – Some games lock achievements to “Normal” or “Hard” only. Lowering to “Easy” may disable them.
• Custom modifiers – Sliders that reduce damage, increase health, or skip content (like “God Mode” or “No Fail”) often turn off achievements.
• Cheat codes / console commands – Using any cheat typically disables trophies for that save file or session.

Accessibility features, on the other hand, are usually safe. Subtitles, colorblind modes, remapped buttons, and even assist modes like “auto-aim” or “slow motion” rarely affect achievements unless they are explicitly labeled as “assist” and the game warns you.

How to Check Before You Change Anything

Before you tweak a setting, do this:

1. Open the game’s pause menu and look for a “Difficulty” or “Gameplay” section.
2. Read the description under each option. If it says “disables achievements” or “trophies will be disabled,” avoid it.
3. Check the game’s official FAQ or support page – many developers list which settings affect trophies.
4. If you’re on PlayStation, look for a small trophy icon next to the setting. Xbox and Steam often show a similar warning.

When in doubt, create a separate save file and test with one achievement. If it pops, you’re fine.

Common Misconceptions

“All accessibility options disable achievements.” False. The vast majority do not. Only those that significantly alter gameplay (like skipping puzzles or auto-completing levels) might.

“Lowering difficulty always locks trophies.” Not true. Many games allow achievements on any difficulty. Only a minority require a specific one.

“You can’t re-enable achievements after turning them off.” Sometimes true, sometimes not. Some games permanently disable them for that save file. Others re-enable if you revert the setting.

Platform Differences

Each platform handles this differently:

• PlayStation – No system-level restriction. It’s up to the developer. Look for the trophy icon in the settings menu.
• Xbox – Similar to PlayStation. Some games have “modded” achievements that are separate from the main list.
• Steam – Steam has no built-in achievement lock. Developers must code it themselves. Some games use “Steam Achievement Manager” to detect cheats, but that’s third-party.
• Nintendo Switch – No achievement system at all, so this is irrelevant.

For cross-platform games, the same setting usually behaves the same way on each platform, but not always. Check per platform if you care.

Examples of Games That Allow Accessibility (and Some That Don’t)

Many recent AAA titles have been praised for allowing achievements with accessibility features:

• God of War Ragnarök – Offers a wide range of accessibility options (like high contrast, reduced camera shake) and still lets you earn trophies.
• The Last of Us Part II – Includes numerous assist features (e.g., auto-targeting, enhanced listening mode) without disabling trophies.
• Celeste – Has an “Assist Mode” that slows the game or gives invincibility. Using it does not disable achievements.

However, some games do lock achievements on easier difficulties or with assist modes:

• Halo: The Master Chief Collection – Some achievements require a specific difficulty (e.g., “Legendary” for certain missions).
• Wolfenstein II – “Mein Leben” achievement requires permadeath on the hardest difficulty.
• Minecraft – Achievements are disabled if you enable cheats in a world.

Always check the specific game’s rules – there’s no universal standard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does turning on subtitles disable achievements?

No. Subtitles, captions, and audio cues are purely visual/audio aids and never affect trophies. They are considered accessibility features, not gameplay modifiers.

Can I get achievements if I use a “story mode” difficulty?

Usually yes, but not always. Many games allow achievements on any difficulty, including story mode. However, some games have difficulty-specific achievements (e.g., “Complete on Hard”) that you won’t get if you play on story mode. You can still earn other achievements.

If I turn on “no fail” in a rhythm game, do I lose trophies?

It depends on the game. Some rhythm games (like Rock Band) have a “no fail” mode that disables achievements because it makes gameplay easier. Others don’t. Check the description – if it says “disables achievements,” then yes.

Do accessibility options in PlayStation system settings affect trophies?

No. System-level accessibility (like zoom, contrast, button remapping) applies to the entire console and never affects trophies. Only in-game settings that alter gameplay could potentially do so.

Is there a way to re-enable achievements after disabling them?

Sometimes. If the game allows you to change the setting back, achievements may re-enable for future actions. But if the game permanently marks your save as “modified,” you may need to start a new game or delete the save. It varies by title.

Why do some games disable achievements for accessibility features?

It’s usually a design choice to preserve the “intended challenge.” Developers may worry that assist modes trivialize the game, so they lock trophies to keep the achievement list meaningful. However, this is increasingly criticized, and many modern games avoid it.

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in t | Time spent (minutes) | min | 60 | 0
in d | Difficulty level (1-10) | - | 5 | 1
out score | Trophy risk score | - | d * 2 + (t / 30) | 0