News/Research

Mary Smith Reviews the Queer Games Avant-Garde

21 Apr, 2022

Mary Smith Reviews the Queer Games Avant-Garde

Bonnie Ruberg's The Queer Games Avant-Garde: How LGBTQ Game Makers Are Reimagining the Medium of Video Games is reviewed by Mary Smith in Communication Booknotes Quarterly.

From the review:

Although women, queer folk, and Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) have been playing and creating games for decades, mainstream gaming culture only recognizes cis-gender, White, heterosexual men as the “true” gamers, which results in misrepresentation and underrepresentation of anyone who does not fit this narrow description. Ruberg showcases game makers that are challenging what it means to be a gamer and what it means to play a video game, highlighting creators who craft games that are silly, sexual, somber, and that tell real, queer stories in uniquely queer ways. These game makers are consistently challenging, pushing, and playing with societal norms, both in the realm of identity and self-expression and what a game is supposed to be, thus, the future of games is open to the spontaneity of queer creators.

To read the full review, please click here!