The way games are designed can be used to explore various themes and subjects, including sex, sexuality, eroticism, and relationships. Queer game design is a term that refers to video games created by members of the LGBTQ+ community or allies who wish to highlight these topics.
Many video games still promote heterosexual normativity through their visual and narrative elements. Queer game designers often use aesthetic choices to critique heteronormativity without explicitly stating it. This essay will explain how queer game design challenges traditional gender roles and explores non-traditional relationships.
Games are usually divided into four categories: action, role-playing, adventure, and simulation. Action games involve fast-paced sequences where players control characters who must fight enemies or solve puzzles. Role-playing games allow players to create customizable avatars who gain experience and progress through quests. Adventure games have storylines where characters overcome obstacles while solving puzzles or interacting with other characters. Simulation games put players in scenarios resembling real life situations like managing businesses or controlling cities.
Queer games often fall under the adventure or simulation genres because they emphasize character development and interaction rather than combat. Many queer games follow protagonists as they discover themselves and their identities, either through exploration of their surroundings or dialogue with others.
'Liminal Space' follows a transgender woman named Aura who travels through an abandoned hospital to understand her past and identity. The game features surreal environments and dreamlike encounters with strange creatures to explore themes of identity and sexuality. 'The Last of Us Part II' is about Ellie, a lesbian teenager trying to find her place in a post-apocalyptic world where survival depends on trust and relationships. These games challenge traditional notions of masculinity by allowing female leads to be strong without violence or weaponry.
Another way that queer game designers critique heteronormativity is through character customization options. In 'Life Is Strange,' players can choose between two female main characters: Max Caulfield and Chloe Price. Both characters are attracted to each other but cannot act on it due to societal pressures regarding same-sex relationships. This choice allows players to see how gender roles affect romantic relationships. Similarly, 'Mass Effect' lets players choose whether their character will have male or female partners and has same-sex flirtation options. By allowing players to create non-traditional characters and relationships, these games challenge traditional ideas of love and intimacy.
Some queer games use aesthetic elements like lighting, color, and music to communicate subtextual messages about gender and sexuality. In 'Gone Home,' the player controls Kaitlin Greenbriar as she returns home from college and discovers secrets about her family's history. The dimly lit house creates a feeling of mystery, while ambient noises add tension. The game also features audio logs that reveal details about Kaitlin's parents, including one where her father talks about his affair with another man. The combination of these elements suggests themes of repressed desire and intimacy in a patriarchal society.
Queer game design is an effective tool for critiquing heteronormativity by emphasizing identity exploration, personal growth, and non-traditional relationships.
How do the aesthetics of queer game design communicate subtle cultural critiques about heteronormativity?
To begin with, it is important to note that "queer" as an identity category has become increasingly recognized within the mainstream society. Queerness can be defined as an umbrella term used for people who do not identify as heterosexual or cisgender, and this includes individuals from various sexual orientations such as gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, etc. , and gender identities such as trans, non-binary, agender, etc.