Video Game Citation Generator

How to Use the Video Game Citation Generator

1. 1. Find the credits. The title screen, the box or the store page shows the developer, the publisher and the year. A game's version or patch number is usually under its settings or technical information.
2. 2. Enter the title. Give the full title and subtitle. Use sentence case for APA, and headline case for MLA and Chicago.
3. 3. Add the developer, the publisher and the year. For APA, put the developer in Author(s) and the publisher in Publisher / Site. For MLA, leave Author(s) empty and type both companies in Publisher / Site, separated by a slash.
4. 4. Set the descriptor. Type Video game in Format / medium for APA, or the platform, such as Nintendo Switch game, for MLA.
5. 5. Pick a style and copy. Choose APA, MLA, Chicago or any of the 10,834 styles.

Developer, Publisher or Director?

A game has no author in the usual sense, and the styles disagree about who stands in for one. APA names the developer. MLA begins with the title and puts the developer and the publisher together in the publisher slot, because the box and the credits do not always say which is which. Chicago names the developer or the publisher in the note.

APA 7 (§10.10) treats a game as software: the developer, the year, the title in italics, an optional version in parentheses, [Video game], and the publisher. MLA 9 begins with the title and lists the director after Directed by when the game credits one. It puts the developer and the publisher in the publisher element, divided by a slash, followed by the year and the platform as a closing element. It includes a version number only when your discussion depends on a patch. Chicago 18 has no video game sample in its Quick Guide, so cite the game in a note with its platform and the publisher and year in parentheses.

Video Game Citation Examples

Luigi's Mansion 3, the game the MLA Style Center uses to show a game with different developer and publisher. The APA and Chicago lines apply their patterns to it.

What the Generator Gives You

The generator reads Next Level Games as a person's name and inverts it to Games, N. L. in APA and Games, Next Level in MLA, since Games is not on its list of group-name words. Fix the author in the copied reference, or leave the author empty for MLA and Chicago. If you type the platform in the format box, it prints before the publisher and not at the end, where MLA wants it, so move it. There is no box for the director or the version, so add them by hand. In APA the bracket reads Video game only if you type it there.

Which Tool Do You Need?

• A video game — this page.
• A program or package — the Software Citation Generator.
• A mobile app — the Mobile App Citation Generator.
• A board game — the Board Game Citation Generator.
• A gameplay video on YouTube — the YouTube Citation Generator.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a video game in APA 7?

Name the developer, give the year, the title in italics, [Video game] and the publisher: Next Level Games. (2019). Luigi's mansion 3 [Video game]. Nintendo. Add the version in parentheses after the title if it matters. In text: (Next Level Games, 2019).

How do I cite a video game in MLA 9?

Begin with the title in italics, add the director if the game credits one, then the developer and the publisher with a slash, the year and the platform: Luigi’s Mansion 3. Directed by Bryce Holliday, Next Level Games / Nintendo, 2019. Nintendo Switch game.

How do I cite a video game in Chicago style?

Use a note with the title in italics, the platform, and the publisher and year in parentheses: Luigi’s Mansion 3, Nintendo Switch (Next Level Games / Nintendo, 2019), video game. Chicago 18 has no video game sample, so check the form with your instructor.

What if I played on PC or a phone?

Name the platform in the same place: Microsoft Windows game, or iOS game for a phone. For a game bought through a store, the store is not the publisher; use the company on the title screen.

Do I cite the version or patch of a game?

Only when it matters to your discussion. MLA treats the version as optional and places it before the publisher. Modern games change with each patch, so cite one if you are writing about a change.

How do I cite dialogue or a cutscene?

Cite the game and describe the scene in your sentence, with a chapter or level name if you know it. MLA has separate guidance for dialogue in a video game; if a character or actor is your focus, name the performer after the director.

Which citation styles does the video game generator support?

All 10,834 styles in the library, including APA 7, MLA 9 and Chicago 18.