Histories of Analog Role-Playing Games (2026/03/31 & 2027/03/31; 2026 & 2027/11)

Call for Submissions: Histories of Analog Role-Playing Games (JARPS 2026 & 2027 Special Issues)

The Japanese Journal of Analog Role-Playing Game Studies (JARPS) invites submissions for a special two-issue series focusing on the history of/in/with analog role-playing games – including tabletop/table-talk role-playing games (TRPGs), live-action role-play (larp), and related analog forms. These companion issues (to be published in late 2026 and late 2027) share an overarching theme of critically examining the histories of RPGs and how history is written, represented, and experienced in analog gaming contexts. Each issue, however, offers a distinct emphasis: Issue 7 (2026) centers on theoretical and conceptual approaches to historiography and the experience of history in play, while Issue 8 (2027) focuses on in-depth case studies of local, regional, and underrepresented histories of analog RPGs worldwide.

In line with a critical historiographical approach, both issues encourage contributors to interrogate the power structures and assumptions that may underlie existing narratives of analog RPG history. We seek submissions that bring to light silences and omissions in the historical record, challenge nation-state-centered or otherwise canonical stories of how analog RPGs have developed, and question how historical knowledge is constructed and used in gaming contexts. Rather than reproducing simple, celebratory chronicles, authors should critically consider whose voices and experiences are being amplified or omitted in the stories we tell about analog games.

We also affirm a humanistic approach to research that grapples with complexity and does not reduce cultures or histories to fixed essences. Contributors are encouraged to reflect on their own positionality in writing about analog RPG history and to remain sensitive to the politics of representation and canonicity. Ultimately, the goal of these issues is to foster scholarship that treats history not as a neutral, settled record, but as a dynamic field of debate – one that analog games both participate in and help us to reimagine.

Issue 7 (2026): Critical Historiography and the Experience of History in Analog RPGs

Issue 7 will focus on theoretical and conceptual explorations of historiography in relation to analog role-playing games, as well as the experiential dimensions of history in play. We invite papers that examine how histories of analog RPGs are written and conceptualized, how games depict or critique history, and how role-playing can make history playable as an interactive, immersive experience. Submissions may examine the evolution and meta-history of analog RPGs, offer critical histories of the field of analog RPG studies, or propose frameworks for understanding the relationship between historical narratives and gameplay. Especially welcome are contributions that interrogate the discourses of history surrounding analog games – for instance, by analyzing how certain narratives became dominant, how community memories are formed, or how design traditions are passed down or contested.

Possible topics for Issue 7 include, but are not limited to:

• Historiography of Analog RPGs: Theories of historiography applied to non-digital RPGs, and new conceptual models for writing the history of analog games.
• Meta-Histories and Critical Narratives: Critical examinations of existing histories and origin stories of TRPGs and larp, including analyses of canonical narratives and their blind spots or biases.
• History of the Field of RPG Studies: Reflections on the development of analog RPG studies as a scholarly field – its past trajectories, key debates, and the framing of its own history.
• Games as Historical Texts: Analyses of how analog RPGs deploy historical settings or themes, represent historical events and cultures, or intentionally subvert and critique historical narratives through gameplay.
• Playable History: Investigations into how history can be made experienceable through analog role-play, e.g., studies of historical reenactment scenarios in larp, educational TRPGs that teach history, or games that invite players to engage with historical memory and imagination.

The above list is illustrative; authors are welcome to propose other topics that align with the issue’s theme.

Issue 8 (2027): Local and Underrepresented Histories of Analog RPGs

Issue 8 will feature in-depth case studies that uncover and examine local, regional, and underrepresented histories of analog role-playing games. We invite contributions that document and analyze the development of analog RPG communities, cultures, and design traditions outside the well-charted narratives of the (US or European) mainstream. Such studies might focus on specific countries, regions, or cultural groups – for example, Japan and other East Asian contexts, Korea, Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, indigenous and diasporic communities, or any other context that has rarely found presence in published (Anglophone) game histories. We especially encourage research that not only chronicles these local histories in rich detail but also reflects critically on how they complicate or challenge dominant (often US- or Anglophone-centric) understandings of analog RPG history. Authors might explore how particular social, cultural, or political conditions shaped local role-playing practices, how ideas and game materials traveled across borders, or how local creators and players have interpreted the global RPG canon on their own terms.

Possible topics for Issue 8 include, but are not limited to:

• Regional RPG Histories: Case studies of analog role-playing games’ emergence and evolution in specific locales or regions (e.g., detailed histories of TRPGs and larp in Japan, Korea, China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe, etc.).
• Community and Grassroots Narratives: Histories of local gaming communities, clubs, conventions, or fan networks, particularly those that have received little attention in mainstream RPG history.
• Underrepresented Creators and Games: Biographical and historical analyses of noteworthy analog game designers, publishers, or works from underrepresented groups or regions, highlighting their contributions and how they navigated global power dynamics.
• Transcultural Perspectives: Studies examining how analog RPG cultures have intersected across borders – for instance, translations and adaptations of games, transnational fan exchanges, or parallel developments that challenge a single center–periphery model of history.
• Archival and Oral Histories: Methodological case studies using archives, zines, oral histories, or personal collections to reconstruct a neglected chapter of analog RPG history, along with reflection on the process of unearthing these materials and the silences in the record.

These topics are suggestions; submissions on other relevant case studies or approaches are welcome.

Across both issues, we value submissions that rigorously and imaginatively engage with the theme of history in analog RPGs. Authors may use a range of methods (e.g., historical archival research, textual analysis of game materials, ethnography of communities, design analysis, critical theory). Still, they should ensure their work speaks to the special issue’s emphasis on rethinking how we understand and write analog RPG histories.

Submission Guidelines

The Japanese Journal of Analog Role-Playing Game Studies (JARPS, https://jarps.net) is a bilingual, peer-reviewed Diamond Open-Access journal published by the Japanese Association for Role-Playing Game Studies. JARPS publishes articles under a Creative Commons license about (primarily) non-digital (“analog”) forms of role-playing, with a focus on table-top/table-talk role-playing games (TRPG) and live-action role-play (larp) in and from Japan, but also beyond and in a global context. JARPS welcomes academic articles of varying scope as well as other forms of contributions, such as educational material, best-practice guidelines, and practical case descriptions. The following contribution categories are accepted:

• Original Article: New research. Peer reviewed, ca. 6,000 words (English) or 12-15,000 characters (Japanese).
• Theoretical Article: Conceptual essay. Peer reviewed, ca. 6,000 words (English) or 12-15,000 characters (Japanese).
• Explorative Paper: An experimental contribution. Peer reviewed, ca. 4,500 words (English) or 8-12,000 characters (Japanese).
• Case Report: A hands-on report and/or best practice example. Peer reviewed, ca. 4,500 words (English) or 8-12,000 characters (Japanese).
• Educational Material: Tools useful for teaching or calibration. Peer reviewed, ca. 4,500 words (English) or 8-12,000 characters (Japanese).
• Essay: Non-academic article or symposium report. Editor review, ca. 3,000 words (English) or 4-6,000 characters (Japanese).
• Book Review: Discussion of publications on safety. Editor consultation, ca. 1,500 words (English) or 2-3,000 characters (Japanese).

Please prepare manuscripts according to JARPS style guidelines (see the JARPS website for full details). Manuscripts may be submitted in English or Japanese. We encourage contributors who are able to do so to consider making their work available in both languages (JARPS can facilitate translation for accepted papers). For any questions about scope or format, feel free to contact the editors at editors@jarps.net.

Timeline and Submission Process

Intent to submit: To help us plan the review process, please send a short email expressing your intent to submit to the appropriate issue address at your earliest convenience (ideally, well before the deadline). Please email issues_7_8@jarps.net. In your email, please include a tentative title or topic, the type of contribution (e.g., theoretical article, case report, etc.), and the language of submission (English, Japanese, or both).

Submission deadlines: This two-part series has two manuscript submission deadlines, March 31, 2026, and March 31, 2027. We encourage authors to submit contributions to the theory/concepts issue in 2026 and case studies in 2027, but we accept both types of submissions on both dates. A case study submitted in 2026 will be processed in this year, but published in 2027 on acceptance (if necessary, acceptance letters can be provided earlier). A theory piece submitted in 2027 will retrospectively be published in the 2026 issue for thematic coherence. All submissions will undergo a double-blind peer review (except essays and book reviews, which are editor-reviewed as noted above). The expected publication dates for the issues are late November 2026 (Issue 7) and late November 2027 (Issue 8).

Symposium Participation

Accepted contributors will be invited to present their work at the annual JARPS Symposium corresponding to each issue. The symposium provides an opportunity to share findings with a broader community and to engage in discussion. The symposium for the 2026 issue is planned for late November 2026, and the symposium for the 2027 issue will take place in late November 2027 (exact dates to be announced). Please save the date around that time; participation (in person or online, as applicable) is strongly encouraged for all authors in these special issues.

We look forward to your submissions and to advancing a rich, critical conversation on analog RPG histories. By bringing together diverse perspectives and inquiries, these issues aim to deepen our understanding of how the past is written and played in our games, and how reimagining history can illuminate new possibilities for the future of analog role-playing.