culture
Queer Game Enthusiasts Show Off Their Pride
Screenshot from Katamari Damacy showing the King of All Cosmos. And cows. And rainbows.
On a weekday afternoon in early June, four organizers of the Toronto GayGamers group—Jean-Guy Spencer, James Phillips, Samson Romero, and Hardy (no last name, like Kylie or Ke$ha)—sat down to discuss their upcoming social. Conversation quickly turned to deciding which games containing queer content would be played at the event. While most of the meet-ups focused more on popular new releases, the one in June would be Pride-themed—which led to the question: what exactly makes a game queer? Was it the ability to have same-sex relations, as with a gay Elf in role-playing game Dragon Age? Or was it a sensibility, like the nonsensical whimsy found in the Katamari series, drenched in rainbows and featuring a campy character named the King of All Cosmos?
Very few games feature out-and-out (so to speak) queer characters and even fewer are fit for a multi-player get-together. When we suggest Project Justice, a lighthearted fighting game, the group howls with laughter in recognition: one of the characters is a swimmer, and fights clad in a swimming cap, flippers, and speedo with a special attack that involves synchronized swimming. (We tried to find video of it for you, but unfortunately failed.) There’s little indication that the character Nagare likes other men, but because he sends up how women are traditionally costumed in fighting games, is outlandishly muscular, and has flat-out silly and irreverent fighting moves, he’ll find a way into the queer player’s umbrella.
This is traditional battle gear, right? Nagare is a character from the video game Rival Schools.
The group started in 2007, when Toronto visitors to the game website GayGamer.net decided to meet-up in person at Toronto Island. Eventually, the group evolved into a meet-up to play video games but, while the name may suggest otherwise, it isn’t only for queer game enthusiasts. Rather, the emphasis is on providing a queer-positive safe space, and gamers from all backgrounds are welcome.
The monthly events take place on the upper floor of the restaurant O’Grady’s in the heart of the Church-Wellesley Village. The group transforms the top floor into a makeshift arcade using the three television sets available—and, sometimes, also additionally bring in their own monitors, notes Phillips—to hook up game consoles; in addition, many people bring their own portable systems like the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP. The event starts early, at 3 p.m., to accommodate younger attendees—something Romero thinks is important given the wide age range games appeal to—but often run late into the evening.
Attendance for the events tend to hover between 20 to 30 people. The organizers are pleased with the turnout and believe having consistent monthly events has helped build momentum. Word-of-mouth is clearly spreading, with membership for the Facebook group steadily growing even without much promotion from the organizers aside from posts on the GayGamer.net forum.
The Toronto GayGamers group will see its greatest visibility soon as they march as part of the Youth Contingent in the annual Pride Parade; already, members are wondering what game-related apparel to sport for the festivities. Based on the discussion in selecting games for Saturday’s meet-up, one can expect rainbows and Elven wear. And, if someone appears in flip-flops and a Speedo, you’ll know exactly to which reporter the credit will belong to.
Toronto Gay Gamers will meet tomorrow, June 18, from 3–10 p.m.