Zinecraft

Zines as Companions to Games Research

Abstract

Zines are small-circulation magazines that creators make themselves, often through simple means. Zines and zine creation are linked to marginalized voices, and have historically amplified the voices and perspectives of these communities. Their very design is personal, reflective and beginner friendly. Zines have also been used as, and alongside, research, including interdisciplinary research and games criticism. Though intersections between zines and games have been identified, zines remain largely underutilized in games studies. In this paper, we apply our individual creative practice methods to argue that zines can be created as companions to games research and conferences. We argue that zine creation, as a companion to research, makes for more personal and relatable outputs, and helps the creator visualize, reflect and make previously unmade connections. Conference zines can be used to capture trends, record proceedings, and communicate personal experience. Games studies can benefit from embracing zines and their interdisciplinary potential.