Often Discouraged, Never Refused? How Character Creator Interfaces Afford Non-Binary Gender Expression

For many trans and non-binary (NB) people video games present an important space for gender expression and exploration. Character creator interfaces (CCIs) promise one such outlet, but current theoretical vocabulary is insufficient at capturing the particular features and conditions which make NB gender expression plausible or difficult. We leverage Davis’ mechanisms and conditions framework (MCF) — an extension of affordance theory attentive to socio-technical assemblages — to analyze the ways CCIs accommodate and stymie NB gender expression. Analyzing 19 games, we find that CCIs with gender-neutral options often discourage NB gender expression, as well as reproducing cisnormative and essentialist views on gender. Yet it is also possible to find gender euphoric experiences in games with no explicit gender allowances. Based on our findings, we highlight opportunities for leveraging MCF for game design and analysis. We also outline design implications for encouraging gender play for all.