CFP: Rituals of Play 'Zine - Deadline Extended

Call for Contributions

We invite contributions to the inaugural Rituals of Play ‘Zine, to be published by the Manchester Game Centre and DVRK in December 2025.

Themes

We welcome work that explores:

  • Occulture as Method – using ritual, symbolic systems, and liminal experiences in game design and play.

  • Ethics and Responsibility – navigating appropriation, cultural respect, and emotional safety in occult and spiritual practices.

  • Gothic and Horror Aesthetics – how the uncanny, the abject, and the horrific shape player experience.

  • DIY, Indie, and Subcultural Practices – perspectives from outside the mainstream, sustaining alternative creative economies.

  • Speculative and Transformative Futures – ritual and play as tools to imagine different worlds.

Formats

Fragments and Reflections: academic, creative or hybrid forms of writing

Games and Rituals: prototypes, design documents, rule sets, or documentation of performance/immersive play.

Visual and Creative Works: illustrations, photography, collage, or experimental forms.

Interviews and Dialogues: conversations with creators, scholars, or gamers

Guidelines

  • Written submissions in an editable format (no more than 2k words)

  • Visual work: high-resolution files (300 dpi)

  • All contributors should include a 100-word bio.

Deadline

30th November, 2025.

Submission

Send your submission to: c.germaine@mmu.ac.uk

Contributors retain copyright of their work but grant the zine non-exclusive rights for publication (print and online).

Publication

The zine will be released in December 2025 in both digital and limited print editions.

Chloe Germaine