👨‍🏫 From Mods to Memories: Teaching Game History and Culture through the Paratextual Archive. (forthcoming)

Abstract: This article proposes a novel method and accompanying theoretical framework for using paratextual game archives for teaching game studies courses centred around a single game. Drawing on critical archival studies, digital humanities, queer game studies, and feminist media archeology, it emphasizes the pedagogical value of paratextual materials—fan art, mods, Twitch streams, YouTube videos, prototypes, design talks, and process notes—in exploring game history and culture. Moving beyond formalist game analysis, this approach leverages the open-source digital archiving and exhibition tool CollectionBuilder to create accessible digital archives tailored for classroom use. Using the indie pixel-art platformer Celeste as a case study, the article demonstrates how a game’s paratexts can serve as a “living archive,” shaped by interactions between developers and fans. The game tells the story of a Canadian trans woman climbing a mountain to confront personal struggles, a narrative rooted in co-creator Maddy Thorson’s experiences with mental health and gender identity. These aspects of Celeste’s development have inspired a vibrant queer fan community and the ongoing creation of mods and open-source tools. The reflective articles and prototypes Thorson has made available on her website further document Celeste’s development, offering insights for aspiring developers. The project also examines archival snapshots of Thorson’s website from the last twenty years and the broader paratextual and rogue archives surrounding her practice. These materials illuminate how independent game development, fan archiving, and queer videogame culture have evolved in Canada over the last two decades. By analyzing these elements, the framework equips educators to create dynamic learning environments where students critically engage with videogames as cultural artifacts. By prioritizing marginalized voices and underrepresented materials, this approach positions paratextual game archives as essential tools for advancing inclusive and innovative game studies pedagogy.

Keywords: paratextual archives, game studies pedagogy, Celeste, queer game studies, indie development, fan culture, Maddy Thorson, digital humanities

Recommended citation: Bailey, A. (2026). “From Mods to Memories: Teaching Game History and Culture through the Paratextual Archive.” In “Teaching Video Games in the Humanities: New Media, New Pedagogies,” a special issue of Open Screens, guest edited by Iris Kleinecke-Bates and Marta F Suarez