Gaming in Color

As lovers of video games who are also gay, the interviewees here didn't feel fully at home in either world. The U.S. gaming industry is larger and arguably more influential than television or movies, but popular big-budget video games (designated as AAA games in the business) have lagged behind other cultural products in depicting LGBT points of view and are often downright hostile to that community. Online gaming forums are rife with sexist and homophobic comments that alienate "gaymers." In the past few years, conventions such as GaymerCon and GaymerX have emerged to create safe spaces for LGBT gaming enthusiasts and to promote the development of games that feature more diverse protagonists. This film consists of commentary from a handful of articulate gaymers and LGBT game developers addressing the role video games have played in their lives; explaining why diversifying game personas will lead to greater tolerance and empathy; and making a case for treating video games as a legitimate art form.