On Field Colonization, Intersections and Marginalized Game (extended abstract)

Abstract

This presentation highlights the ontological tension of marginalized communities framed as specific types of game studies. The advent and definition of research domains such as Queer Game Studies, Indigenous Game Studies, Black Game Studies et al. both makes space for such work and, arguably, subjugates or others it. In much the way foreign or exoticized cultural elements are made apparent with qualifiers, framing these game studies areas as a specific type of game studies might also be narrowing who is encouraged to research it and further isolating such work from the milieux of games studies. While conforming to an historical precedent of identifying, deconstructing, and identifying narrower and narrower game studies domains, this discussion aims to question the appropriateness of such patterns for an inclusive game studies future.