University of Pretoria

Queer(ed) Avatars: Exploring Visual Identity Construction in Final Fantasy XIV Online Gaymers

This analysis examines how LGBTQ+ players, or "gaymers," utilize the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV Online to construct and articulate visual identities.

• Players in Final Fantasy XIV Online utilize avatar customization and virtual photography as tools for queer identity articulation, allowing them to experiment with gender and social expression within a traditionally heteronormative game space.
• Virtual photography serves as a critical practice for memorializing social connections and affirming queer experiences, with players using in-game captures to create narratives that challenge the game's original intended design.
• The use of graphical mods allows players to bypass standard game constraints, enabling resistant play and the creation of personalized aesthetic tokens that reflect individual or community-specific queer sensibilities.