Abstract: Studying video games most often means analyzing games themselves, but understanding the cultures and communities that surround games is equally important for those who are interested in how games relate to identity, diversity, and activism. Through a discussion of the Queerness and Games Conference, an annual event that brings together scholars and designers to explore the intersection of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer issues and video games, Bonnie Ruberg demonstrates how community is constructed at the margins of game culture, with an emphasis on the power as well as the pitfalls of creating space for self-expression and difference.