Keywords

queer studies, video games, fan studies, boyfriend dungeon, rhetoric

Abstract

On August 11, 2021, the hack and slash video game and queer dating simulator, Boyfriend Dungeon, was released to play on PC and various gaming consoles by indie developer, Kitfox Games. Quickly upon its release, the development team was met with fan outrage regarding a misleading content warning and themes that were not mentioned during the game's fundraising stage. This culminated in an online harassment campaign against Kitfox Games, with many fans targeting the voice actor of the game's main villain.

The following study attempts to analyze some of the core elements of what is now known to online gaming fans as the Boyfriend Dungeon controversy. It starts by looking at the way Boyfriend Dungeon relied on fanancing to fund the game, while setting expectations that weren't completely reflected in the final product. Lastly, it analyzes the discourse that occurred between progressive Boyfriend Dungeon fans and Kitfox Games, and the aftermath of the tension that arose from their confrontation.

The result of the controversy and the discourse that occurred in the queer indie gaming community reflects how the tension between progressive gaming fans and the gaming industry contributes to games such as Boyfriend Dungeon being held to higher standards as both a queer and indie-developed game. The controversy's influence on queer indie projects shows a concern regarding the harm these fan behaviors and expectations can cause to marginalized creators, while also highlighting how these developers can simultaneously exploit queer fans' affect.

Completion Date

2024

Semester

Spring

Committee Chair

Brenckle, Martha

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Graduate Studies

Department

English

Degree Program

Rhetoric & Composition

Format

application/pdf

Language

English

Rights

In copyright

Release Date

November 2024

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

Accessibility Status

Meets minimum standards for ETDs/HUTs

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