Alienated Serendipity and Reflective Failure: Exploring Queer Game Mechanics and Queerness in Games via Queer Temporality

Abstract

Queerness can help redefine interactive technologies and re-conceptualize their design beyond cisheteronormativity. Recently, games have emerged as promising avenues for exploring queerness. In this research-through-design (RtD) effort, we advance queer explorations in games by leveraging queer temporality to evoke and explore feelings of alienation and isolation in a horror game called You're Going To Be Late. We further engage with queer individuals who playtest our game and participate in focus groups to discuss how queer they felt our game was and what they regard as queer game mechanics. Participants had varying experiences while playing our game, ranging from serendipity and wonder to alienation and confusion. The focus groups described queer game mechanics as queer modes of play and often tapped into gender representation. Finally, we show how including and amplifying queer voices in discursive efforts around interactive technology design has implications for transformative and critical reflections that can broadly benefit game design and HCI research.