Gaming and Breaking Binaries in Immortals Fenyx Rising. A Feminist and Queer Analysis

Abstract

This report analyses Immortals Fenyx Rising (2020) as an example of queering video games to advocate for the representation of feminist and non-binary perspectives in the English-language AAA games industry. Through a close narratological and ludological analysis, with assistance from literature from gender studies, the public and private sphere, game studies, queer game studies and Greek mythology studies, I explore how Immortals Fenyx Rising is a modern, feminist interpretation of classic Greek mythology which disrupts binaries regarding gender by shedding light on what has been deemed too feminine, domestic or non-conforming in our current societies to be discussed, illustrating the possibility of queering video games to expand non-binary representation. In an industry saturated with games inspired by Greek mythology, Immortals Fenyx Rising not only represents a feminist perspective in the typically masculine action-adventure genre, but also respects the non-binary experiences in Greek myths that are usually hidden in the patriarchal society.