Summer is over, and winter is coming. Yeah, right. But whether that’s the case or not, there’s no stopping seasonal change, much like there’s no stopping the Queer Games Festival, which is getting ready for another glorious iteration. Oh, and the call for submissions has begun!
So, first things first: entry is free. There are no hidden fees. Just a form to fill out before August 23, 2024, with boxes to check and stuff to confirm. Paperwork. A necessary evil. As you can tell from the 8th thing in the form, participation can be online (anywhere) or in-person (Melbourne, Australia). That’s entirely up to you. In other words, the festival is open to developers anywhere on what we have come to know as Earth.
Well, developers with a game that “contains some combination of queer characters, queer visuals, queer worldview, queer gameplay or queer experiences at its core”. Not convinced that your creation is eligible? Don’t worry too much, as they’re “pretty broad on what this means”. Which brings me to another important bit: the game must have been made or substantially updated no earlier than January 1, 2023. Which I believe means no demos or otherwise unfinished games. Please keep that in mind.
To inform, entertain and challenge LGBTIQ players by reflecting their lives in games.
To bring the best of world queer culture to Melbourne and to connect international and Australian game developers.
Now, unlike huge events like PAX Aus, the Queer Games Festival is run entirely by a small team of volunteers with a love for queer games. Which might make this next bit somewhat surprising: courtesy of generous supporters, a cash prize of $500 USD will be awarded to one lucky developer this year. Anything else? Oh, you should probably join their mailing list to be notified when the festival starts.
All set? Got an eligible game? Then, by all means, submit it!
(Image source: Night Cascades)
