Queer game design : What kind of game design practices are favored by queer players?

Abstract: The thesis aims to further the research revolving queer game design and explore and expand upon a taxonomy of queer game design (Alexandersson, 2022) to create a queer design framework. The background explores the complexity of queer stress and resilience and queer individual’s reliance on virtual spaces to find safe harbor. To iterate upon the taxonomy, two surveys with queer players and one co-design workshop with queer developers have been studied to establish what is important for queer players and to explore how queer developers work with game design. The study shows that inclusivity regarding gender, body image, pronouns and good, extensive representation are crucial for queer players seeking escapism, while queer developers might develop games in a more cathartic way to explore personal experiences of being queer.