Small Fires

This June, Interact-IF is bringing back the Pride Month spotlight event—celebrating the incredible LGBTQ+ creators, stories, and communities that make games richer, more diverse, and more meaningful. We're putting together an updated community masterlist of games that are:

✨ Created by LGBTQ+ authors and designers OR

✨ Contain meaningful representation of LGBTQ+ characters, storylines and experiences (exploring themes of gender, sexuality, community, self-discovery, and belonging).

📋 Submission Form: HERE

Creators are welcome to submit:

Released games

Demos/works in progress

A short write-up of how the game contains LGBTQ+ representation or explores relevant themes

After the success of last year's event, we hope this year's masterlist will be even bigger and better! The aim is to help spotlight LGBTQ+ creators and showcase the breadth of LGBTQ+ experiences being explored through games.

We might also reach out to 2-3 authors to do a short written interview as well as post never-before-published interviews from last year's event.

So if you're a creator who's keen on being interviewed for this year's pride month spotlight, do check the box in the google form. Share this post and help us spread the word.

Happy Pride! 🏳️‍🌈

Finally, do check out some of last year's interviews!

Grey Swan: Birds of A Rose (@reinekes-fox)

Suevi by @bellamy-ifs

It’s cold, so cold -  your head aches, your ears pop, water chokes your throat and nose, and all you can do is watch as the sky gets farther and farther away from you. Clawed hands grab at your ankles, your legs, your arms, pulling you down, tearing at your clothes and piercing your skin.

You convulse violently, your body struggling to expel the water from your lungs as more floods in.

Staring up into the fading light, you feel your body grow weak, giving in, sinking now, your blood churning all around you in the water. A hand grabs at your throat, caressing a thumb over your pulse, pulling you down as the dark water turns red.

The Northern Passage is an 18+ horror fantasy CYOA, where you play as a Hunter sent up north to investigate a series of missing people along the border of your home country and in the port cities of the Blackwater.

Working with your Watcher, Lea, you will travel north and discover that things are far worse than you ever could have imagined, and that there is something powerful lurking out in the deep, dark sea…

The Northern Passage

An interactive horror novel, features include:

Horror. First and foremost this is a horror story. Content warnings are listed in the demo.

Heavily character driven. This story relies on character interactions!

Impactful choices that alter your story.

Character customization – name, appearance, gender, weapon preference, pronouns, your horse’s name.

Choose your relationship with your Watcher, your family, and your mentor.

Romance any of the four main cast: the alchemist, the bard, the captain, or the healer.

Read the demo! | Tags | FAQ | Tip Jar

Cover art by the talented @forystr​

Last update on 09/25/24: Chapter 1 Rerelease

You can find all of the submissions for the Fantasy Interactive Fiction category down below!

Ongoing

A Thin Line Between Desires by @theostwistedtales

The Gray Ascendancy by @thegrayascendancy-if

The Sword of Rhivenia by @theswordofrhivenia 

The Marked by @peonyb

The Lost Bride @thelostbride-if

The Midnight Bay @midnight-bay-if

A Tale of Crowns by @ataleofcrowns

Stygian Sun: Total Eclipse  @stygiansun-totaleclipse

Wayfarer @idrellegames

Shepherds of Haven  by @shepherds-of-haven

Cantata by @fir-fireweed

When Twilight Strikes  by @evertidings

The Lonely Shore by @thelonelyshore-if

God-Cursed by  @wings-of-ink

The Bastard of Camelot by @llamagirl28

Crown of Exile by @ramonag-if

Misplaced by @calliopefiction

Wolfsbane by @wolfsbane-if

Pactbinder by @pactbinder-if (mentioned in action/adventure)  

The Nameless by @parkerlyn

Tales of Wocdes: The Silver Protector  by @tales-of-wocdes

Small Fires by @smallfires-if

The Exile (also mentioned in action/adventure) by @exilethegame

Speaker  by  @speakergame

Pro Patria Mori by @pro-patria-mori-if

Kindling  by @kindlingif

Island of Whispers  by @islandwhispers-if

Anything for the Crown  by @anything4thecrown-if

Guardian of Time by @guardian-of-time-if

Crown of Ashes and Flames by @coeluvr  

The Sovereign’s Ring  by @thesovereignsring-if

Garden of Bones  by @gardenofbones-if

Fields of Asphodel by @chrysanthemumgames

The Pretenders Guild  by @thepretendersguild

The King’s Hound by @kal-down  

Golden Ashes* (Demo unavailable—currently being rewritten) by @goldenashes-if

Skin & Scales by @skinandscales-if 

Honor Amongst Thieves (also mentioned in action/adventure) by @leoneliterary

The Rot of Witchwood by @rotting-ink

Venturis by @venturis-if

Ashenmaw - Dragons of Marrowoods @ashenmaw-if

The Well of The Divine by @well-of-divine-if

Chains of Destiny by @chains-of-destiny

RPG in Another World  (also mentioned in action/adventure) by @drowsyruigames

Burning Academia by @burning-academia-if

The Abyssal by @theabyssal

The Ballad of the Young Gods by  @childrenofcain-if

Softly, Opulent by @softlyopulent-if

The Eternal Library  by @leiatalon

Hyperion by @hyperion-if

God Syndicate by @god-syndicate-if

Forever Gold by @lsdoiphin

The Abyssal Song by @ri-writes-if

Bladeweaver by @bladeweaver-if

The Brightest Stars by @brighteststars-if

Summoners Return by @king-of-fae

The Bonewitch by @thebonewitch-if

The Iron King’s Heir

Completed

A Mage Reborn: Book One by @mage-parivir (sequel in the works)

Love the Guard, Be The King by @ligiawrites

The Night Market Book One by @night-market-if (sequel in the works)

Lovewood by @lovewoodvn

Arcadie: Second Born by @sofia-d-asb (sequel in the works)

The Second Sight: Dead Reckoning by @spoiledblogif (sequel in the works)

Choice of Rebels: Uprising (sequel in the works) by Joel Havenstone

The Wayhaven Chronicles (book 1-3 completed, book 4 is in the works) by @seraphinitegames

Their Majesties' Pleasure by @leiatalon

Ink and Intrigue by @leiatalon

Hearts in Hades: Divine Passion by Lidia Molina Whyte

NonPlatonic Forms by @alexis-royce

The Case of the Serialized Killer by @alexis-royce

Send in the clowns...

My submission for the 2026 Return of the Really Bad IF game jam is up on itch.io! It's very short, paywall-riddled, and totally broken: just how mama likes it.

PLAY IT HERE *HONK*

This chapter adds another 45k words of content, bringing the grand total to 230k words.

I can’t express how excited I am to be releasing this chapter! Not only does it feel like the culmination of my original concept, but also a brand new beginning. ❤️

As previously mentioned, there’s going to be a longer period between this and chapter 7. The next two months will be a struggle for me, and I’m happy to be able to share this chapter with you now. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

I can finally release all the asks I’ve been holding onto, lol. I won’t discuss big spoilers for a few days, but some of the asks may give hints. Be sure to mute the tag #chapter 6 spoilers if you want absolutely no hints.

Without further ado…

In a kingdom where the heavens have gone silent, only you can speak to them.

The Starweaver's Dream is an upcoming romantic high-fantasy interactive fiction inspired by the rich tapestry of South Asian history and mythology. It is currently in progress and will be serialised on itch.io.

RO Profiles | more links to be updated

Questions? I will do my best to give you answers.

Genre: High Fantasy / Romance / Court Intrigue Word Count: To be updated

Possessed of a rare gift long dismissed as myth, you harbour the ability to divine using the literal threads of starlight that form the tapestry of time. When your sacred power finally draws the attention of the palace, the royals summon you to the capital and give you the title of Nursrava, the voice of the divine light. Once you arrive, you expect to live out your days in quiet service to the royal family.

Instead, you discover that the kingdom is on the brink of a collapse. A desperate crisis is unfolding beneath the palace's majestic facade, and your power makes you the ultimate prize. You are no longer a guest but rather a pawn caught up in the struggle between those who seek to exploit your power and those desperate to protect you and your precious gift.

Within the palace's vast stone halls, those you choose to mingle with may decide your fate. Whether your growing closeness arises from a forbidden glance during an encounter or a whispered promise in the dark, you must choose whom to trust with your life — and your heart.

Amidst the swiftly crumbling politics of this kingdom, you are the only one who can see the truth — but in a court built on lies, the truth may be more dangerous than you realize. As the walls close in, you must decide: will you surrender to the duty expected of you, or risk everything for the one who finally captures your heart?

Choose your gender (male, female, non-binary), physical traits and the gender(s) you are attracted to.

Shape your personality to reflect the kind of Nursrava you want to be.

Pick one of four potential romance options (either all male, all female or a random mix of genders): The Silver Tongue, The Exiled Sun, The Silent Shadow or The Celestial Anchor.

Shift the balance of courtly alliances and choose how involved you want to be in the kingdom's future.

Sameer/Samira [m/f]: The Silver Tongue (moodboard)

A lithe, kohl-rimmed blur of wit and charm, S is the palace's "necessary evil". The reformed thief who now deals in information, they navigate the royal court with a cynical charm and a sharp-edged attitude that is as much a weapon as it is a garment. They have no patience for "destiny" or the "divine", preferring to trust in the daggers at their hips and the opportunities they make for themselves. S is unpredictable, resourceful, and entirely too fond of a well-timed double entendre.

Devraj/Devika [m/f]: The Exiled Sun (moodboard)

D enters any space like a summer storm — all heat, noise and with undeniable magnetism. As the Citadel's most-loved military instructor, they wear their larger-than-life charisma like armour. They don't shrink themselves for anyone or any space, favouring bold laughter and storytelling that borders on the legendary. While they claim to be guarded against the nobility that view them — and their tumultuous past — as a threat, their generous heart is as open as the training grounds they command.

Najim/Nejma [m/f]: The Silent Shadow (moodboard)

Observed but rarely and truly seen, N is the quiet heartbeat of your daily life in the palace. Clad in the functional uniform of a bureaucratic aide, they are a master of the understated — always present with a cup of herbal tisane for your headaches, or a path cleared of obstacles for your ambitions. There is an intuitive stillness to them and a physical grace hidden beneath the facade of a civil servant. N speaks little but sees everything, moving through the court's shadows with a loyalty that feels ancient and absolute.

Jai/Jaya [m/f]: The Celestial Anchor (moodboard)

A figure of towering, lean elegance, J moves through the palace with the unshakeable gravity of the constellations they chart. Draped in heavy silks and accompanied by the rhythmic chime of gold jewellery, they represent the pinnacle of traditional scholarship and courtly prestige. As a master of astrology, a precise and logical discipline that relies upon mathematics, they are inherently suspicious of your esoteric sight. To J, the universe is a series of solved equations, but you are the variable that threatens to break their proof.

This work currently contains no content warnings. More will be added as it continues. The story is rated 16+, or for mature audiences.

(With dialogue from Origins, II, and Inquisition!)

My pal @boltlightning had this galaxy brain idea! I decided to build it out for fun.

Inspired by the 45 by 45 connections puzzle by Thomas Colthurst, and using its code as a base, I have made a fun(? hopefully!) game for people whose brains are full of Dragon Age quotes.

Here's how you play:

Click a quote that you recognize, then click on another quote spoken by the same person to stack them together.

Keep on clicking quotes and adding them to the correct stacks. (You can also add two stacks together.) When you have collected all of someone's quotes into one stack, it will show that your collection is complete by transforming into their name.

Don't worry - you don't have to finish the game in one go! Even if you close the window, your progress should save - as long as you come back with the same browser/device, you can continue where you left off.

The game will be complete once you have collected 27 stacks of 12 quotes each by 27 different Dragon Age characters. (All from DAO, DA2, and DAI! Sorry, I just haven't played DAV enough to have a brain full of quotes about it.)

PLAY THE GAME IN-BROWSER HERE

🎉 The submissions for the Interact-IF genre lists (May 2026) are in — and now it’s time to vote! 🎉

Over the past week, we've received submissions for an incredible range of games across 5 genres.

We move into the next stage of the Interact-IF Genre List Event: COMMUNITY VOTING!

Vote for your favorite submitted games in each genre category HERE! Whether you’re cheering on longtime classics, hidden gems, or newer projects that deserve more eyes, this is your chance to help spotlight the games that made an impression on you.

Voting will run from now till May 21. Once again, here's the link to the form for voting.

*Note: For the sake of voting fairness, IFs that have been submitted to more than one category have been included in only ONE category. However, in the rec lists, the IF will be included in any/all categories that it appears in. If you think a game should be in a different main category from what it's listed as, you can DM us or leave a comment at the end of this form to let us know. 

If you missed out submitting a game to the rec lists, you can use this google form to submit the game, but do note that these would not be eligible for the voting round. This will be open until May 21 as well.

GENRES:

Fantasy

Sci-Fi

Action/Adventure

Modern/Slice-of-life

“She should know you.”