Consensual Play, 2025

I’m thrilled to announce that Consensual Play is now available online! ✨

This is my first time editing a collection, and it’s been a meaningful experience, especially as the volume centers on one of the most urgent (and often misunderstood) topics in game studies: consent.

In my editorial, I reflect on how the rhetoric of consent in games has evolved, especially in the wake of Gamergate and the rise of reactionary backlash to so-called "woke" politics. Drawing on post-2016 queer and feminist scholarship from a 2025 perspective, I explore how consent can be reimagined as not just a protective measure, but an ethos of care—knowable, actionable, and deeply relational. 

I'm grateful to the brilliant contributors whose essays expand this conversation in such vital ways, and to Melissa Kagen for her incredible support. If you’re curious about how consent can reshape our understanding of games, storytelling, and interaction, I’d love for you to take a look!