CTRL: Essays on Video Games

Dean is a writer and editor based in Donegal. His work as appeared in The Stinging Fly, The Dublin Review, Banshee, London Magazine, on BBC Radio, and many more. He is the managing editor of The Pig’s Back literary journal.

Joe is a poet and novelist. His debut novel, Submarine, was translated into fifteen languages and made into an award-winning film. His second novel, Wild Abandon, won the Royal Society of Literature’s Encore Award. His debut poetry collection, O Positive, was published by Faber & Faber in 2019. His latest book, Children of Radium – a memoir about family and chemical weapons – was published in April 2025 and adapted into an award-winning podcast for BBC Radio 4. He was born in Swansea and lives in London.

Brenda is a Galway-based writer and game designer originally from northern New York. Her work spans fiction, essays, and the evolving field of playable literature. A graduate of the Creative Writing programme at University of Galway, her writing has appeared in The Stinging Fly, Tolka, and The Dublin Review. She is the author of multiple books on game design and is currently a PhD student in English at Trinity College Dublin, where her research explores the intersections of narrative, interactivity, and storytelling in contemporary media.