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

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.