CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: 2026 NCA Extending Male Gaze in Video Game Scholarship

Katherine Macioce, macik25@wfu.eduMarch 19, 2026

What does the male gaze look like in contemporary video games—and how are players, critics, and scholars rethinking it?

I am organizing a panel for the 2026 National Communication Association Annual Convention that explores how feminine aesthetics, character design, and gameplay mechanics intersect and expand upon theories of the male gaze in contemporary video games. The male gaze has shaped discussions of visual media, yet, must be interpreted through the lens of contemporary video games. Including this medium introduces new questions about interactivity, player identification, embodiment, control, and agency.

I am seeking scholars interested in exploring topics such as:

The male gaze and visual design in video games

Feminine aesthetics, sexualization, and character embodiment

Reinterpretations of game mechanics and character design

Player reception, fandom debates, or online discourse surrounding female characters

Rhetorical/critical approaches to gendered representation in games

Case studies of games, franchises, or characters

This panel would likely be of interest to scholars working in rhetorical criticism, feminist media studies, digital rhetoric, game studies, visual rhetoric, fan studies, or cultural studies.

Graduate students and early-career scholars are especially encouraged to submit.

If you are interested in participating, please send:

Name and institutional affiliation

Working paper title

A short abstract (150–250 words)

Contact email

Please send materials or questions to:

Katherine Macioce

macik25@wfu.edu

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5847453&forum_id=2,#49755104)