The Magic Circle and Consent in Gaming Practices

This chapter examines gameplay, consent, and sex in regard to Johan Huizinga’s 1944 definition of play and concept of the “magic circle”. The author applies Huizinga’s magic circle to both contemporary sex and gameplay practices including trash talk, role play, and in game rape. The author then outlines their own experiences with gameplay, games culture, and sex to demonstrate the ways in which the consent and boundaries of other players, especially women, are not respected in person or online. The chapter concludes that while trash talk may sometimes be consensual if other players don’t consent to this behavior then it is harassment. The author then encourages gamers to adopt a model of critical consent during gameplay to make gameplay safe and pleasurable for all involved.