Genre and Video Games - Romance

We are seeking short chapters of approximately 2500-2700 words for an edited collection on literary genres in video games. We invite submissions for the “romance” category of the collection. 

The collection fits into an ongoing genre studies series and will examine how literary genres function in video games, thereby bringing video games into the existing literary canon of genre studies. Each subsection will explore key themes in the existing canon while expanding on the interactive elements of video games that update and/or alter existing conversations about genre. The essays will be educational and accessible in nature with the aim of producing a comprehensive teaching companion for future courses in game studies, game development, or the digital humanities.

We invite proposals that explore a range of topics and games that investigate the function of the romance genre and how interactive gameworlds extend or change that function.

Chapters in the romance category might discuss:

• Player Character (PC) and Non-Playable Character (NPC) Agency
• Queer Romance Routes
• LGBTQ2IA+ Representation
• Digital Sex, Consent and AI Romance
• Romantic Subplots Across Genres

Games that might be considered (but are not limited to):

• Romance titles such as:

○     Obey Me

○     Nightshade

○     Mystic Messenger

• Non-romance titles with romantic subplots are also welcome, including:

○     Baldur’s Gate

○     Dragon Age

○     Stardew Valley

Particular interest will be paid to chapter proposals that foreground LGBTQ2S+ representations and relationships and divest of heteronormative modes of thinking. Please submit an abstract of 250-300 words alongside a brief (100 word) bio to genreandvideogames@gmail.com by the date below.

Abstract due by: August 31st 2024

Prospective draft due date: December 15th 2024