Ben Breen, a Game Master who is Blind - Facts

Story:

There is a 19 year old blind teenager from the UK named Ben Breen, who is a game master and can beat most of his sighted friends at video games.

Other Versions

Ben Breen, 19, is a blind teenager who plays video games by sound and can beat most of his sighted friends.

Analysis:

The messages talk about a special ability of a Blind teenager named Ben Breen who supposedly has mastered playing video games by sound and can even beat most of his sighted friends. Yes, it is a fact. As reported by mail Online (dailymail.co.uk), despite his blindness, Ben Breen uses his ‘muscle memory’ to conquer tough games, and can even beat sighted friends at Mortal Kombat and Rock Band games.

About Ben Breen

Ben Breen is a 19-year-old teenager from Meopham in Kent, UK and was born four months early, because of which he was left blind from birth. Despite his complete blindness, Ben achieved strong GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) from Dartford Grammar school and an International Baccalaureate degree. However, Ben said it was his introduction to video games that really changed his life. He simply enjoyed the sound of music at first, and a few years later, he discovered he could actually play certain games, along with simple sound-oriented games specifically meant for blind gamers. Ben said he learnt to use a computer with screen-reading software and practiced playing games like tennis.

Ben mastered his gaming skills with intense concentration, combining muscle memory with incredible timing to make up for his lack of visual cues. Same way he was also able to play some of the hardest songs in the Rock Band game, including Dream Theatre’s Panic Attack.

Ben Breen’s favorite game is Mortal Kombat-Deception, and he says he can beat many of his sighted friends simply by recognizing the sounds the characters and moves produce in the game. Ben jokes that the key to his high score is the fact that he cannot be distracted by the games’ flashy and catchy graphics, and instead, he focuses his mind on the sounds and the mission of the game. Talking about his inspiration, Ben points to couple of other blind gamers, one Clement Chou, his own friend, and another expert by name Aaron.

Picture of Ben Breen, a Game Master who is Blind — Ben Breen, a Game Master who is Blind

Other Achievements of Ben Breen

Apart from being a good gamer, Ben Breen has a passion for music and is also good at playing guitar and piano. Ben Breen was also one of the Olympic Torch Carriers ahead of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Coca-Cola, the corporate partner of the Olympic Games, appreciated Ben Breen’s ability to play the guitar and piano despite being completely blind. They also mentioned his winning medals in athletics events, taking part in cricket matches and travelling abroad to places like Barbados and Jamaica as part of a visually impaired development squad. Ben ran with the Olympic Flame in Borough Green.

In the video above, Ben Breen speaks about his interest in cricket and what it means to him. Although he is visually impaired, Ben Breen managed to do many things that must be appreciated! This reminds us of another Boy named Ben Underwood, who ‘Saw’ without eyes.