Kathryn Fedchun
PhD candidate in Communication @ Carleton University 🇨🇦
RoCCET Lab fellow 💥
Queer affect scholar lookin' at the queer indie video games scene(s) on itch.io 👾
kathrynfedchun.itch.io
Raccoon image from Lily Seika Jones 🎨
- Reposted by Kathryn Fedchunhello we're having a one day comics festival in Ottawa this April and I'm never going to shut up about it tell your friends!!! ottawacomicsfestival.com
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunScott Adams dying at 68 rather than 69 is the perfect capstone to a life of being almost — but not quite — funny
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunThat might be a collection of images, but a “visual narrative” it ain’t.
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunAh, age-based social media bans. The abstinence education of digital literacy.
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunFriday, 12/12 at 7pm Eastern—it’s official! CSSN will be a part of “Convention Policy Demon Hunters,” a collaborative panel with RoCCET Lab (Carleton University) about what we’ve learned from evaluating convention harassment policies over the years. CasaCon is FREE! Join here: discord.gg/QBtxV8gGmA
- Watching old @dimension20.bsky.social shows--I can tell roughly how old a show is based on Ally Beardsley's green hair 💅🏻
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunThis itch.io creator day, Parfum Nostalgique is on sale for FREE, which is 100% off the original price of FREE or PWYT (pay with your tears). If you haven't played yet, this is your sign from the angels. Or the demons. Or the therapist-by-day dom-by-night vampires. priro.itch.io/parfum-nosta...
- Reposted by Kathryn Fedchunone of the coolest things about ChatGPT is how you can actually just never use it. you can fill your whole entire life with simply not once using it. it's incredible.
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunMy free 43-page guide to bridging the gap between digital games and physical spaces has been released. Great for devs who want to bring indie games to local markets, shops, or spaces, and for organizers and business space owners to better understand indie devs! priro.itch.io/digital-game...
- Reposted by Kathryn Fedchunhire all the fired political teen vogue writers and make a new magazine call teen rogue. we’ll all subscribe en masse
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunCanadian members of the Academic Hivemind: I've signed. And, I hope you'll consider doing likewise docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunOnly 4 pitchers have recorded a Pitcher’s Cycle — striking out every batter in the opposing lineup — in the World Series: Trey Yesavage, 2025 G5 Randy Johnson, 2001 G2 Bob Gibson, 1968 G1 Jesse Barnes, 1921 G6
- I don't even really *like* baseball ⚾️💤
- Reposted by Kathryn Fedchun
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunNight in the Woods
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunIncidentally, we usually use the term “EDI” in Canada, as if there were any question about whose homework Poilievre is copying for this political slop.
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunThank you Patricia & Polygon for covering this story when so many others have dropped it. Shout out also to TheGamer, RPS, PC Gamer, Automaton, 80 Level www.polygon.com/steam-adult-...
- Reposted by Kathryn Fedchunthis is the most pollen ive ever seen on a single bug, shes having the time of her life
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunIn 2014 I wrote for @newyorker.com about @kurtjmac.bsky.social, a YouTuber who began walking in Minecraft and never stopped. His quest was to reach the Far Lands, a place at the limits of the algorithmic world, where the landscape breaks apart. On Saturday, after fourteen years, he arrived:
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunIntroducing our VGSSIG grad student rep for this year, @kathrynfedchun.bsky.social! A PhD candidate at Carleton University, she is researching the queer indie game scene(s), game bundles, and queer survival on itch. She's played 1700+ hours (yikes) of League of Legends. Indie fave: Sword & Sworcery.
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunPhoto of @qgcon.bsky.social out of context
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunWe are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunAnyway it was an honor to talk in a panel with @kathrynfedchun.bsky.social and @princerosalium.bsky.social on Spite, Survival, and Joy. QGCon is a testament to the tenacity of queer people and I am definitely invigorated by my time there.
- Still thinking about how lovely @lackingceremony.bsky.social was on Friday @qgcon.bsky.social when I showed up at the presenters dinner feeling super shy and not knowing anyone. Then I got to see her talk on TTRPG "loose, touchable design for leaky, excitable creatures" which was so fucking good!!!
- Catch me tomorrow afternoon talking about part of my dissertation work on the @queergamesbundle.bsky.social !!! ✨
- Resharing to add the Sunday #QGCon schedule of events as well!
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunAs I was saying…
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunIf you’re 18 or older, and have purchased makeup or beauty products based on your fandom (e.g licensed tie-ins or fan-run brands, small businesses, etc), my friend and colleague, Suzanne Scott is looking for you to answer a short survey with an opt-in for a follow up interview.
- Reposted by Kathryn Fedchun🚨 We've passed $85,000 with 18 HOURS LEFT. Today only, get 600 radical, heartfelt games and projects by 300 queer artists for $60 (or $10+), less than the price of one AAA game. itch.io/b/3062
- Went to my first physiotherapist appointment for my wrists yesterday, but also asked for a full body scan. Left with exercises for my ankles that literally do not have any stretch in them and my upper back that is so tight she thinks it's impacting my wrists 💀
- Me looking out from my cave at all the new graduate students 🦝
- Ok, tiny book shop is so good. You get to recommend people real books based on their prompts. It's like librarian role play. Soo good!! @tinybookshopgame.com
- Time to kick this dissertation into high gear 🦝
- Just got pulled over one block from our house (at the end of a six hour drive 💀) because our license plates have covers on them?? The license plate covers that have been on our car since 2011??? That were put on by the dealership????? I'm baffled.
- Reposted by Kathryn Fedchunthings were better when the computer lived in its own specific room and you only went in there sometimes
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunIt’s beans all the way down.
- Earthsea is just so good 🥹 @ursulakleguin.com
- Scholars in Cinema and Media Studies for Palestine has issued a call to boycott SCMS 2026. While I had an amazing time at SCMS 2025, I can't ignore what I've heard since from SCMSSP. I will not be submitting to SCMS 2026 or attending the conference this year.
- Will you join me? Click the link to join the boycott.
- 🙌🏻
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunI still can't believe my game, Boxed, is in this bundle. The inclusion has been massive for the views on it! I really hope people are playing and enjoying it 🥰 🏳️⚧️ #QueerGamesBundle
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunQGB also embodies the idea that there's no reason to separate "adult content" from "wholesome content" when it comes to advocacy for queer content. As @cyborgurl.bsky.social has argued recently, adult content is the trailblazer into new media a LOT of the time.
- Reposted by Kathryn Fedchun"PhD-level experts in your back pocket" is a completely nonsensical description of AI but a pretty good description of social media if you follow the right people
- Ritoooo come on.
- Camping for the weekend in Killarney ⛺ Ontario is so beautiful!!!
- Defending my dissertation proposal today ✨ so excited to dive into this project!!
- Officially ABD!!!! 🤓
- Click the link below to see a list organized by the Canadian Game Studies Association of amazing researchers (including me 👋🏻)! We are all ready to chat with journalists about the current itch.io / Steam situation.
- The Canadian Game Studies Association @cgsaacej.bsky.social is an org made up of game researchers, educators, and practitioners with expertise in a wide array of topics. We've published a list of experts related to Steam/itch to help journalists connect with members. gamestudies.ca/media-inquir...
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunThe Canadian Game Studies Association @cgsaacej.bsky.social is an org made up of game researchers, educators, and practitioners with expertise in a wide array of topics. We've published a list of experts related to Steam/itch to help journalists connect with members. gamestudies.ca/media-inquir...
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunAlong with affected developers, I spoke to @jonore.bsky.social at CBC about the delisting of NSFW games on Steam and itch.
- Sometimes I'm just a goat wanting a cup of coffee and a bail of hay, you know what I mean?
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunA bundle of over 600 games, software, and zines from 271 queer artists across itch.io. itch.io/b/3062/queer...
- Reposted by Kathryn Fedchun🍀 We've passed $13,000 for queer artists! For $60 (or $10+), less than one AAA game, you get hundreds of queer stories in games, TTRPGs, comics, zines, and books. itch.io/b/3062
- There was a bat in our house this evening and we don't know whether it flew out the open back door or not so I just might not sleep tonight 🦇
- Update: we actually had *two* bats in our house and @colinzarzour.bsky.social safely and humanely caught both of them and released them outside.
- No clue how these bats got in or how many more there are. They are such important creatures but damn are they spooky. Hoping this is the end of the bat saga 🤞🏻
- We should have stopped at SmarterChild.
- Reposted by Kathryn Fedchun✨ It's finally time. The fifth Queer Games Bundle is live now. For $60 (or $10+), get over 600 games, TTRPGs, zines, and more. Support over 300 queer artists for their survival and future art. itch.io/b/3062/
- Reposted by Kathryn Fedchunyou're gonna wanna make sure your game is as friendly to payment processors as possible, something like an online casino that connects 10 year olds to 45 year old roleplaying partners
- SO excited to be going to my first ever @qgcon.bsky.social in Montreal from September 26-September 28, 2025. I'll be pulling from my dissertation, talking about the @queergamesbundle.bsky.social as a repository of feelings that reveal truths about queer history and imagine alternative queer futures.
- A lot has happened since I applied to this conference in April... With queer games being delisted or removed in the past few weeks, censorship from payment processors threatens to dismantle the archive of the @queergamesbundle.bsky.social, but this has also strengthened my resolve to do this work.
- Queer indie games and game makers are under attack. The most recent 2025 @queergamesbundle.bsky.social was not even released this year during Pride. Hundreds of games from previous queer games bundles have been delisted. This work is more important than ever and I can't wait to share it!
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunHistoriographies of Game Studies: What It Has Been, What It Could Be, Edited by Alisha Karabinus, Carly A. Kocurek, Cody Mejeur, Emma Vossen... punctumbooks.com/titles/histo...
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunGood morning. Did you call your local censorious payment processor and let them know you’re upset with their bullying of Steam and itchio? No time better than the present yellat.money
- Went to join the official itch.io discord server just now but seemingly they aren't accepting new members...
- I'm defending my dissertation proposal about the Queer Games Bundles on itch.io and the larger queer indie game scene in two weeks... I always believed in the importance of this project but now?? With the news that thousands of games have been delisted or removed on itch.io?
- I wanted so badly to believe that itch.io was a safe haven for queer indie game makers. And it was! But the 2025 Queer Games Bundle still hasn't come out (even though it is supposed to come out during pride month in June), and now a ton of projects from the bundles are disappearing.
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunHFTGOOM/ He Fucked The Girl Out of Me has been deindexed by itch. I am worried it could be erased. Please considering downloading an offline copy to help preserve the game here: archive.org/details/HFTG... If you know any rom sharing sites please consider uploading a copy to help preserve it.
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunWhat a week to be getting back to work/research. I caught up last night on Ana Valens’ great reporting on the sexual censorship on Steam .... archive.ph/x5cGQ#select... archive.ph/USxe6#select...
- Reposted by Kathryn Fedchunthis is hot on the heels of itchio giving the organizers of the queer games bundle 55 days of radio silence with no explanation
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunImportant info for everyone attending SDCC or any large event in the US right now to know! Good on the Beat for making it central to their coverage of this year's con! www.comicsbeat.com/sdcc-25-what...
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunIn 2021 I warned itchio could one day face payment processor censorship. Many people thought I was creating drama by “attacking” the company Four years later, here we are. I was right, unfortunately archive.is/nxbzh
- Reposted by Kathryn Fedchunreally sad to see the backlash directed towards the itch team. the power imbalance here is fuckin palpable, I simply dont think it was feasible for them not to comply without the website crumbling completely. collective shout and the payment processors are the enemy here.
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunACLU petition to sign with regards to the recent itch news: action.aclu.org/petition/mas...
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunMan if you're putting the bulk of your energy into going after itch (literally just some people keeping the whole videogame field afloat with a side project), you are focused on the wrong target.
- Reposted by Kathryn FedchunIf because of itch.io, you're looking to understand how obscenity law in the US came to be functionally obsolete in favor of payment card standards, may I recommend the piece I wrote about this a couple of years ago? yjolt.org/imagine-comm...
- Reposted by Kathryn Fedchun
- Reposted by Kathryn Fedchun📢 ISO of Devs Affected by Itch 📢 If your game got: • Deindexed • Removed • Payouts turned off Especially if you make Adult &/or LGBTQ+ #IndieGame or #VisualNovel, I want to talk to you. 🗣️ Please reply below with how you were affected. This is for a #Journalism piece. 🔁 RTs Appreciated 🔁
- Reposted by Kathryn Fedchungod, itch.io being silent on so many issues with the platform is such a bummer. there really isn't another platform like it :(
