Cooperation, Collaboration, and Community in Horror and Suspense Games
Proposal Type
Panel
Location
Narratives & Worlds
Start Date
July 2026
End Date
July 2026
Abstract
Cooperation has been a staple in video and analog games since their inception. From couch co-op to social deduction games, there are few games that cannot be enjoyed cooperatively in some way. Even games that are not inherently cooperative can be played collaboratively, from single-player games enjoyed by multiple people in the same room to PvP games where players opt for teamwork despite explicitly competitive mechanics. In horror and suspense games, cooperation tends to form strong communicative bonds between players. The four papers in this panel examine how communities form in and around horror and suspense games, and how those communities can differ based on the mechanics, design, and emotional experience of the game, as well as the game developers’ original intentions.
The first paper examines the structure and formation of community as it is shaped through online cooperative games with a focus on Dead by Daylight (2018). This study focuses on the social norms and expectations that form over time to allow communication between players on both sides of the board. The second paper presents a case study, running counter to the first paper, that examines cooperation or the lack thereof in Dead by Daylight. This study finds that contradictory game mechanics, bizarre creative decisions, and hostile monetization strategies by BHVR Interactive pit Survivor players against one another rather than against their shared Killer opponent. The third paper presents a case study on cooperation in analog deduction game Blood on the Clocktower (2022). This study draws observations from Let’s Play videos on the lingo through which experienced players communicate and strategize with one another. The fourth paper examines the collaborative relationship between indie horror game developers and their players, particularly how communication structures during development affects the game’s design while building a supportive player base. This paper examines multiple recent indie horror games including Mouthwashing (2024), Look Outside (2025), Crow Country (2024), and Signalis (2022).
Examining cooperation through the angle of community and its formation illuminates the connections between gameplay, mechanics, and creative design, as well as how those connections affect the formation of cooperative communities. This panel studies a variety of horror game communities to understand how their formation and existence affects the experiences of both game developers and the player base.
Cooperation, Collaboration, and Community in Horror and Suspense Games
Narratives & Worlds
Cooperation has been a staple in video and analog games since their inception. From couch co-op to social deduction games, there are few games that cannot be enjoyed cooperatively in some way. Even games that are not inherently cooperative can be played collaboratively, from single-player games enjoyed by multiple people in the same room to PvP games where players opt for teamwork despite explicitly competitive mechanics. In horror and suspense games, cooperation tends to form strong communicative bonds between players. The four papers in this panel examine how communities form in and around horror and suspense games, and how those communities can differ based on the mechanics, design, and emotional experience of the game, as well as the game developers’ original intentions.
The first paper examines the structure and formation of community as it is shaped through online cooperative games with a focus on Dead by Daylight (2018). This study focuses on the social norms and expectations that form over time to allow communication between players on both sides of the board. The second paper presents a case study, running counter to the first paper, that examines cooperation or the lack thereof in Dead by Daylight. This study finds that contradictory game mechanics, bizarre creative decisions, and hostile monetization strategies by BHVR Interactive pit Survivor players against one another rather than against their shared Killer opponent. The third paper presents a case study on cooperation in analog deduction game Blood on the Clocktower (2022). This study draws observations from Let’s Play videos on the lingo through which experienced players communicate and strategize with one another. The fourth paper examines the collaborative relationship between indie horror game developers and their players, particularly how communication structures during development affects the game’s design while building a supportive player base. This paper examines multiple recent indie horror games including Mouthwashing (2024), Look Outside (2025), Crow Country (2024), and Signalis (2022).
Examining cooperation through the angle of community and its formation illuminates the connections between gameplay, mechanics, and creative design, as well as how those connections affect the formation of cooperative communities. This panel studies a variety of horror game communities to understand how their formation and existence affects the experiences of both game developers and the player base.
Bio
Rachel Kerr is a Masters of Fine Arts student in Game Design with a specialization in Interactive Fiction at the University of Texas at Dallas. Her research focuses on game studies; narrative systems; interactive fiction; and the current definition of transmedia and how it pertains to the medium of games.
Cameron Irby is an independent researcher with a Ph.D. in Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communications from the University of Texas at Dallas (2024). I currently teach game studies courses at UTD and the University of North Texas. My research currently centers on queering discourse around games and difficulty and explores how NSFW games can act as power(less) fantasies.
Cheri Tang is a Masters of Science student in Applied Cognition and Neuroscience with a specialization in Human-Computer Interaction at the University of Texas at Dallas. Her research interests include digital intimacies, emergent technologies, and socio-psychological phenomena
Monica Evans, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Game Design, Development, and Studies in the Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology at the University of Texas at Dallas. Her work sits at the intersection of game design, development, and production; critical game studies; narrative systems; serious and educational games; and science fiction studies. Dr. Evans directs the Narrative Systems Research Lab at UT Dallas.