Queering Games Through Playing and Modding: An Ethnographic Study of LGBTQ+ Gamers Playing and Modifying Farming Simulation Roleplay Games
Summary
Video games and the video game industry have a well-established history of homophobia and transphobia both in their narratives and the underlying rules and structures of the game. However, LGBTQ2+ people have an equally long history of resisting this homophobia and transphobia. This is often done through challenging and dismantling the structures and norms within the games.
Farming Simulation Roleplay Games (FSRPGs) are a genre of games that combine farming with community and relationship building. These games have a long history of homophobia and transphobia and a large LGBTQ2+ audience. This makes them ideal for studying how LGBTQ2+ people challenge norms within the games.
This study, therefore, seeks to find out:
(a) why do LGBTQ2+ gamers play FSRPGs,
(b) how do LGBTQ2+ gamers play FSRPGs,
(c) how do LGBTQ2+ gamers challenge homophobia and transphobia in FSRPGs, and
(d) how and/or why do modders choose to modify FSRPGs to add queer content?
Eligibility
Eligible gender: Male, Female, Transgender, Other
Eligible ages: 18 to 100
Accepts healthy participants: Yes
Inclusion criteria:
To be eligible for the study, participants must:
1. Be aged 18 years or old.
2. Identify as part of the LGBTQ2+ community.
3. Have previously played a Farming Simulation Roleplay Game (e.g. Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon, Story of Seasons, My Time at Portia, etc.)
Participate
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Collection of personal information
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Additional information
Contact information
Sam Stockton Department of Communication, Media, and Film; University of Calgary skstockt@ucalgary.ca
Principal investigator:
Samantha Thrift
Clinical trial:
No
REB-ID:
REB21-0969