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Goblins for Slaughter: The Perpetuation of Racism and Classism in Baldur’s Gate 3
by Benjamin J.M. Horn Published January 2026 Download full pdf of article here. Abstract This article explores how Baldur’s Gate 3 perpetuates Victorian-era racism and classism through its Act One conflict and in particular the treatment of its goblins. Goblins occupy a curious position in fantasy digital games: ever-present as weak monsters for players to Continue reading
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A Contemporary Take on Victorian Lunacy: Representations of the Asylum in the Neo-Victorian Video Game Alice: Madness Returns
by Jéssica Iolanda Costa Bispo Published November 2025 Download full pdf of article here. Abstract The asylum, like the workhouse, the prison, the hospital, or the boarding school, was an institution of crucial importance in Victorian England. Initially conceived to support people afflicted by mental illness—promoting outdoor activities, work-based therapies, and physical exercise—these spaces soon Continue reading
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Investigating Development Crunch in Games and its Impact on Creative Expression
by Shaif Hemraj Published August 2025 Download full pdf of article here. Abstract This article presents a practice-based game design study that explores the topic of development crunch and how it can impact creative expression in the games industry. Drawing on the creation of a practical prototype developed under tight time constraints specifically for this Continue reading
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Black Sun in the Land of Shadow: DLCs and Textual Depletion in Shadow of the Erdtree (2024)
by Max Coombes Published April 2025 Download full pdf of article here. Abstract In this paper I discuss the relationship between downloadable content (DLC) and base games in producing lack and fantasy, using Shadow of the Erdtree (2024) as an example of a text that retroactively marks the base game (Elden Ring [2022]) as “lacking.” Continue reading
The Journal of Games Criticism is a non-profit, peer-reviewed game studies journal that strives to connect the conversations between traditional academics and popular game critics. The journal strives to be a producer of feed-forward approaches to video games criticism with a focus on influencing gamer culture, the design and writing of video games, and the social understanding video games and video game criticism.
ISSN: 2374-202X
Recent Articles
- A Contemporary Take on Victorian Lunacy: Representations of the Asylum in the Neo-Victorian Video Game Alice: Madness Returns
- Investigating Development Crunch in Games and its Impact on Creative Expression
- Character Affectivity in Newton and the Apple Tree
- Colonized Morality Mechanics: The Struggle to Be Good in Telltale’s The Walking Dead
- Videogame Distribution and Steam’s Imperialist Practices: Platform Coloniality in Game Distribution
Journal of Games Criticism 