The Negative Geometry of Quake: Refusal, Subtraction, and Emergent Coherence

This is the accepted manuscript version of the article published as:Chevrier, Vincent (2026), The Negative Geometry of Quake: Refusal, Subtraction, and Emergent Coherence, Games and Culture.DOI: 10.1177/15554120261433372 This article proposes a structural reading of the videogame Quake that departs from conventional approaches to game analysis. Rather than interpreting the game as a coherent fictional world, it examines Quake as an ontological system generated through refusal, subtraction, and spatial discontinuity, where coherence emerges from structural constraints rather than world-building. This perspective positions Quake as a prototype of negative game design and suggests broader implications for spatial theory, game ontology, and digital environments. This is the accepted manuscript version of an article accepted for publication in Games and Culture. The final published version may differ.