Zafra, Nina. (2025). "Why Do We Like to Play at Labor? Exploring How the Identities of Femme-Presenting and Feminized People of Color Impact Gameplay Decisions in Stardew Valley."
Through observational methods and gameplay analysis of eight participants playing the “cozy” video game Stardew Valley, Zafra’s paper investigates how and why femme-presenting and feminized people of color play at reproductive and care labor. Arguing that the “coziness” of Stardew Valley is reliant on feelings of escape from racial and gender discrimination, Zafra prompts exploration into how and why feminist studies should account for femme-presenting, cozy gamers of color.