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Queer Game Studies |
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The roots of queer game studies can be traced back to the emergence of [[Video game|video games]] as a cultural medium. From the early days of [[Arcade game|arcade games]] to contemporary [[Virtual reality game|virtual reality]] experiences, [[Video game|video games]] have offered players opportunities to engage with queer themes and concepts. However, it was not until the late 20th and early 21st centuries that scholars began to systematically explore the relationship between [[Queer|queerness]] and [[Video game|video games]].<ref name=":3" />
The field
==== Key Concepts and Themes ====
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# '''Queer Play''': The practice of engaging with [[Video game|video games]] in ways that challenge normative assumptions about [[gender]], [[Human sexuality|sexuality]], and [[Identity formation|identity]]. Queer play involves subverting game mechanics, exploring alternative narratives, and resisting [[Heteronormativity|heteronormative]] structures within games.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sundén |first=Jenny |date=2009 |title=Play as transgression: An ethnographic approach to queer game cultures |url=https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=5261df66d49cb8f68b29e2836016e55bc5ae2ed1 |journal=DiGRA Conference |volume=7}}</ref>
# '''Queer Representation''': Beyond the inclusion of [[LGBT|LGBTQ]] characters, queer game studies examines how [[Video game|video games]] depict and explore [[queer]] experiences, desires, and relationships. This includes both explicit representations of [[queer]] content and more subtle forms of queerness embedded within game worlds.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Phillips |first=Bonnie Ruberg, Amanda |date=December 2018
# '''Queer Design''': The creation of [[Video game|video games]] that prioritise [[queer]] experiences and perspectives. Queer designers employ diverse [[storytelling]] techniques, character customisation options, and world-building strategies to create inclusive and affirming gaming experiences.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />
# '''Queer Theory''': A theoretical framework prevalent in queer game studies. Drawing on queer theory, scholars analyse video games through perspectives such as performativity, affect, and intersectionality, shedding light on the methodologies in which [[Video game|video games]] construct and challenge notions of [[gender]] and [[Human sexuality|sexuality]].<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />
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In understanding the intersection of video games and queer theory, it is imperative to establish a understanding of the term "[[Queer|queerness]]" alongside the definition of "[[Video game|video games]]."
The term "[[queer]]" has undergone a transformative journey from its origins as a [[pejorative]] to its contemporary usage as a reclaimed term of pride. It serves both as an [[umbrella term]] encompassing diverse gender and [[Sexual identity|sexual identities]] beyond mainstream norms and as a conceptual framework for resisting [[Hegemonic masculinity|hegemonic]] norms. [[Queer|Queerness]] challenges dominant beliefs about pleasure, power, and societal acceptance, embodying a desire to live outside normative boundaries and to reimagine the world.<ref name=":3" />
'''Video Games'''
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The definition of "[[Video game|video games]]" encompasses not only the game object itself but also implicit beliefs about what constitutes a legitimate gaming experience. [[Video game|Video games]] are designed, [[Interactivity|interactive]] experiences primarily mediated through digital interfaces, encompassing a diverse range of genres, platforms, and production theories. This inclusivity extends to [[Arcade game|arcade games]], [[Console game|home console games]], [[PC game|computer games]], [[Social game|social games]], and [[Mobile game|mobile games]].
The ongoing debate within game studies regarding the definition of [[Video game|video games]] underscores the changeability nature of their boundaries. Scholars have challenged traditional distinctions between [[Video game|games]] and [[Non-game|non-games]], highlighting the changeability of gaming experiences and the blurring of in-game [[fiction]] with embodied experience. Moreover, discussions about what qualifies as a "real" game often reveal underlying social biases, particularly concerning works created by marginalised individuals or addressing diverse perspectives.<ref>{{Cite book |
==== Emergence of Queer Game Studies ====
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Queer game studies must address a multitude of issues at the intersection of [[Queer|queerness]] and [[Video game|video games]], including [[bisexuality]], [[asexuality]], [[Kink (sexuality)|kink]], and [[Non-binary gender|genderqueer]] [[Identity formation|identities]]. Intersectionality, encompassing [[Race (human categorization)|race]], [[ethnicity]], [[disability]], and other aspects of [[Identity formation|identity]], requires further exploration to develop a comprehensive perspective of [[Queer|queerness]] in gaming. <ref name=":3" />
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Despite its growth and recognition within academia, queer game studies encounter obstacles concerning representation, accessibility, and inclusivity. Numerous mainstream games continue to perpetuate [[Heteronormativity|heteronormative]] and [[Cisnormativity|cisnormative]] norms, marginalising [[queer]] players and creators. The rise of online harassment campaigns, exemplified by [[Gamergate (harassment campaign)|#GamerGate]], underscores a resistance to the diversification of gaming narratives and communities.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wingfield |first=Nick |date=2014-10-15 |title=Feminist Critics of Video Games Facing Threats in
Moving forward, scholars and practitioners in the field are working to address these challenges by advocating for greater [[Diversity, equity, and inclusion|diversity]] and [[Diversity, equity, and inclusion|inclusion]] in both [[Video game development|game development]] and academic research. By centring the lived experiences of [[LGBT|LGBTQ]] individuals and communities, queer game studies offer potential for transformative change, challenging traditional narratives and opening up new possibilities for expression and identity within digital spaces. <ref name=":3" />
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