Gothic gaming, queer mash-ups and Gone Home

This chapter explores relationship between the Gothic, the queer and the videogame, focussing on the celebrated exploration game Gone Home as a case study. The extent to which digital games reproduce Gothic tropes in form and content is examined, in terms of games aesthetics, gameplay mechanics, and the uncanny aspects of the medium itself. Videogames’ incorporation of multiple media, texts and technologies are considered in the context of the Gothic mashup. Arguments that both the Gothic and the videogame constitute queer forms are explored. Finally, Gone Home, a spooky walking simulator, where players investigate the secrets contained within a deserted family home is discussed, as Gothic text, as mash-up, and as a queer videogame in both narrative focus and ludic structure.