Dungeons and Drag Queens - Promotie

The queer-gamer community, mostly known as “gay” gamers have been asking for representation in the
community since 2006. As today we have gaming-oriented queer/gay/trans ​reddit groups​ and ​facebook
groups​ where queer people can find each other to play games or join in-game guilds. Combining all queer
gaming spaces adds up to around a total of ​1 million digital subscribers
“Queer gamers communities on the image board “Reddit”. Queer people can find other queer gamers to play their favorite
games together. R/Gaymers, 147 thousand subscribers”
The queer-gaming community has not yet been able to gather itself consistently in shared digital space. What
we think the community is missing is specific content that would help attract "gaymers" and create a shared
digital culture through shared practices of content production and consumption. There still is a pattern of
side-representation​ of queer content within the mainstream industry. This is done in a way to appeal the
queer community who still have to consume heteronormative content in games to access the little
representation they get. Queer gamers communities often do not have the means to produce content for
themselves, as “traditional high-budget game development” is still curated by​ heteronormative marketing
strategies ​that (subconsciously​) filter queer lifestyles ​out of their products, or relegate them to a secondary
role.
With ​DnDQ, ​we have the luxury of relatively low production costs while providing content such as live shows
and home sessions. This allows us to be independent, something that should not be taken for granted,
especially when working within a sphere that has not established itself yet.
Pictures of the Australian queer gaming conference, and popular drag queen Trixie Mattel, cosplaying as Princess Peach
from the Mario games.
Queer games and fantasy developers are facing some challenges in this day and age. Not that the existing
infrastructure is not welcoming our community but the production and consumption of content that visualizes
and affirms the unique perspective and culture of the subculture is at a very early stage.. Queer game
developers are constantly on an introspective quest to find out how these different cultures overlap and what
aligns their identity. Only through the consumption and production of content the queer-gamer community can
set itself free from both cultures and independently rise as the unique subculture it is.
Dungeons and Drag Queens ​takes Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition as the medium to express its queer
identity. Besides its rules for traveling and combat, the game gives us a blank canvas to come up with
scenarios and characters that we and our audience will relate to.
Just like many other D&D related projects, ​Dungeons and Drag Queens ​comes forth from ​Critical Role​, one of
the first successful D&D streamers. ​Critical Role​ is an online Twitch stream where 8 known voice actors of the
gaming/fantasy industry play Dungeons and Dragons. The phenomenon has now spread worldwide and their
loyal fans, named “critters” are incredibly active in the Netherlands.