research-article

Queerness and Modification in Mainstream and Indie Games: Examining Problems with Queer Representation in Video Games and Exploring Design Solutions

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Kenton Taylor HowardAuthors Info & Claims

HT '21: Proceedings of the 32nd ACM Conference on Hypertext and Social Media

Pages 101 - 109

https://doi.org/10.1145/3465336.3475114

Published: 29 August 2021 Publication History

Abstract

In this paper I address a problem related to video game culture with which modding has often engaged: the way queerness is portrayed in video games. I examine how mainstream games, indie games, and fan-created modifications relate to issues with queerness in video games. My goal is to analyze the ways in which modification can help players explore some of the problems surrounding portrayals of queerness in mainstream games. I also focus on the lessons that game designers and modders can learn from more positive portrayals of queerness in indie games. Overall, I suggest that considerations about a game's mainstream or indie status influence how both developers and players relate to queerness in games and argue that modding is a powerful way for players to engage with and explore issues with queerness found in mainstream games.

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Cited By

Zabala JZvelebilova JTo A(2024)Queer TTRPGs' Visibility, Safety, and Allegory as ResistanceProceedings of the 19th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games10.1145/3649921.3650022(1-10)Online publication date: 21-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3649921.3650022
Di Cesare DCraig SBrooks ADoll K(2023)Setting the Game Agenda: Reviewing the Emerging Literature on Video Gaming and Psychological Well-Being of Sexual and Gender Diverse YouthGames and Culture10.1177/15554120231178883(155541202311788)Online publication date: 8-Jun-2023
https://doi.org/10.1177/15554120231178883
Reisinho PRaposo RZagalo N(2023)The ethical dilemma of modding digital games: A literature review of the creation and distribution of modsConvergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies10.1177/1354856523122393330:2(860-881)Online publication date: 21-Dec-2023
https://doi.org/10.1177/13548565231223933
Show More Cited By

Index Terms

Queerness and Modification in Mainstream and Indie Games: Examining Problems with Queer Representation in Video Games and Exploring Design Solutions
1. Human-centered computing
2. Social and professional topics

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cover image ACM Conferences

HT '21: Proceedings of the 32nd ACM Conference on Hypertext and Social Media

August 2021

306 pages

ISBN:9781450385510

DOI:10.1145/3465336

General Chair:
Owen Conlan
Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
,
Program Chair:
Eelco Herder
Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, Netherlands

Copyright © 2021 ACM.

Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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Published: 29 August 2021

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HT '21: 32nd ACM Conference on Hypertext and Social Media

August 30 - September 2, 2021

Virtual Event, USA

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Overall Acceptance Rate 378 of 1,158 submissions, 33%

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35th ACM Conference on Hypertext and Social Media

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Cited By

Zabala JZvelebilova JTo A(2024)Queer TTRPGs' Visibility, Safety, and Allegory as ResistanceProceedings of the 19th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games10.1145/3649921.3650022(1-10)Online publication date: 21-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3649921.3650022
Di Cesare DCraig SBrooks ADoll K(2023)Setting the Game Agenda: Reviewing the Emerging Literature on Video Gaming and Psychological Well-Being of Sexual and Gender Diverse YouthGames and Culture10.1177/15554120231178883(155541202311788)Online publication date: 8-Jun-2023
https://doi.org/10.1177/15554120231178883
Reisinho PRaposo RZagalo N(2023)The ethical dilemma of modding digital games: A literature review of the creation and distribution of modsConvergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies10.1177/1354856523122393330:2(860-881)Online publication date: 21-Dec-2023
https://doi.org/10.1177/13548565231223933
Atzenbeck CHerder ERoßner D(2023)Breaking the routine: spatial hypertext concepts for active decision making in recommender systemsNew Review of Hypermedia and Multimedia10.1080/13614568.2023.217047429:1(1-35)Online publication date: 12-Feb-2023
https://doi.org/10.1080/13614568.2023.2170474

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