About G.URL
G.URL Magazine is dedicated to reshaping perceptions of female gamers within the gaming community. We achieve this by exploring the intersection of gaming culture with fashion, music, and lifestyle, all of which contribute to the evolving concept of the 'gamer girl'.
What kind of content is featured in G.URL?
Gaming
Social Media
...and more!
Infinity Nikki is Inspiring Gamers to Bond Over High Heels and Earrings
Seeing a feminine dress-up game acknowledged as a “real” game is groundbreaking. Twelve years ago, Papergames was told that the Nikki franchise was too niche to succeed in the competitive gaming market. The monumental success of Infinity Nikki proves otherwise, showing there’s a community of gamers eager to save the world in an iridescent ballgown and heels.
Short Trip: The Hand-Drawn Cat Carrying Experience
As the chaos of finals, demanding work weeks, and holiday preparations looms, the need for a moment of respite becomes undeniable. Thankfully, we’ve found the perfect game to help you pause, breathe, and recharge amid the holiday frenzy.
How Arcane Subverts Stereotypes Around Black Women
After three long years, Arcane has come to an emotional and dramatic conclusion. The animated series has not only been celebrated as a masterclass in storytelling and artistry but has also made history as a cultural phenomenon. Garnering four Primetime Emmy Awards and earning universal acclaim, Arcane stands as the most successful silver screen adaptation of a video game to date. Its richly layered characters, subversion of tired tropes, and dedication to nuanced representation have solidified its place as a groundbreaking achievement in modern animation.
5 Hidden Gems for Cosy Winter Gaming
If you’re craving cosy winter vibes, this list of five lesser-known games is your perfect escape. From heartwarming puzzle adventures to whimsical snow-filled escapades, these titles embrace the season’s magic without leaning on tired survival tropes.
Beauty in Blocks: How Roblox’s Dress to Impress Inspires Real-Life Makeup Trends
From the virtual runways of Dress to Impress to the Instagram feeds of beauty influencers, Roblox-inspired makeup is rewriting the rules of beauty. Bold, playful, and unapologetically experimental, these trends are proof that digital creativity is shaping the face of fashion in more ways than one.
Our Forgotten Digital Dolls: A Note on Personalisation and Feminine Identity Crises
Once upon a time, the Internet was a playground for little girls. On BarbieGirls.com and Be-Bratz.com, we weren’t just dressing up avatars—we were learning how to present ourselves to the world. These virtual spaces taught us that to be seen was to be valued, planting seeds of self-scrutiny that bloomed into a full-blown obsession with image. Years later, the MP3 players and pink VIP badges are gone, but the mirror they handed us hasn’t cracked. We scroll, we compare, and we perform, still chasing that fleeting feeling of being enough in a world built to tell us otherwise.
Anora: Exoticism as Empty Currency
Sean Baker’s Anora drapes itself in the glittering veneer of social commentary, but at its core, it struggles to engage meaningfully with the very systems it critiques. Anora “Ani” Mikheeva, played with quiet resilience by Mikey Madison, navigates the hostile labyrinth of Brighton Beach’s underbelly, where survival is a dance of compromise. Brighton Beach itself hums with authenticity, a backdrop pulsating with the chaotic beauty of immigrant life. Yet, the film’s gaze—intent on humanising its protagonist—falls into familiar traps, reducing Ani to a cipher, a lens for exploitation rather than an agent in her own story.
Ones to Watch: Top Women-Led London Brands
London’s independent scene is buzzing with women-led brands that are setting the tone for a more ethical and stylish future. From sustainable craftsmanship to boundary-pushing design, these creators are reshaping what it means to shop consciously while keeping us effortlessly ‘G.URL’ this autumn.
Swallowscope: Defining the Gap Between Tradition and Modernism
Traditional Chinese handcrafts have been skillfully produced for thousands of years. Cherida Zhang, the creator of swallowscope, uses her platform to preserve and share the artistry of Chinese knotting. By combining freshwater pearls and crystals with Chinese imagery, she creates intricate pastel jewellery that is both elegant and evokes feelings of nostalgia…
Aika Village: The Haunting Legacy of Animal Crossing’s Darkest Creation
Animal Crossing fans have crafted a paradise of horrors in Aika Village, transforming a beloved game into an unforgettable experiment in eerie storytelling.The Animal Crossing series is known for its charming worlds and slice-of-life gameplay, where daily routines and cheerful villages offer an escape from reality. Yet amid this serene experience, an unexpected current of…
Vapourwave: The Aesthetic of Digital Dystopia
Exploring the Dreamlike Nostalgia of an Internet-Born Subculture The 2010s saw the birth of countless digital subcultures, but none have lingered in our collective consciousness quite like Vapourwave. What started as a niche internet movement has become a defining aesthetic for a generation that’s both obsessed with and critical of the past. Dismissed by some…
Spiritfarer: A Game About Life, Death, and Human Connection
How Spiritfarer Embraces the Complexities of Life and Death Written by Calypso Morgan 2020 is a year many of us would rather forget, but if it is to be remembered for one thing, it should be the release of a game that turned the world upside down. This isn’t a reference to Animal Crossing: New…
Mum’s Letters in Animal Crossing
In the world of Animal Crossing, the letters from Mum (or Mom) have evolved into something of a cult artefact, a weird blend of digital nostalgia and a reminder of that soft, maternal nudge from a simpler time. They’re these peculiar little notes you receive as you toil away, pulling weeds and catching bugs on your quaint little island. Mum’s letters are equal parts endearing and slightly offbeat—a perfect encapsulation of the game’s charm, but with an undertone that makes you question who’s really writing them and why they keep coming.
So… Why Are Trinkets Now Cool?
The trend of collecting things obsessively, from tiny figurines to trading cards, isn’t just a fleeting fad—it’s a deep-seated part of our culture, one that has been constantly evolving yet ever-present. Whether it’s Sonny Angels, Pokémon cards, or even vintage annuals, there’s something magnetic about the act of collecting that resonates across generations.
Dave The Diver: Plunging Headfirst into New Worlds
Too scared to play Subnautica, but want to traverse a deep sea environment? Meet Dave The Diver, developed by studio Mint Rocket, a cosy, yet challenging experience as the player inhabits Dave, a diver returning from his vacation, as he gathers different types of fish for the renowned Bancho Sushi. Pact full of incredible animations, dynamic boss battles and quests, Dave The Diver is easily one of the best games I’ve had the pleasure to play this year.
How “Very Mindful, Very Demure” Became the Internet’s Latest Phrase
Because nothing says “I’m totally unbothered” like meticulously curated restraint. The internet, a wild and unpredictable beast, never fails to surprise with the phrases it decides to bless—or curse—us with. This time, it’s the delightful “very mindful, very demure,” a phrase that’s somehow managed to infiltrate our collective consciousness, especially on TikTok, turning everything from…
Charli XCX’s Brat Era Takes Over Dress to Impress
This Might Be the Best Brat Collab Yet Just when we thought our favourite digital dress-up game, Dress to Impress (DTI), had reached its peak, they’ve gone and outdone themselves. If you read our recent piece, “The New Era of Digital Dress-Up: How Roblox’s Dress to Impress Captivates a Generation”, you’ll know we’re completely besotted…
City Pop: The Soundtrack and Aesthetic of 1980s Japan
Exploring the vibrant music and visual culture that captured the essence of Japan’s urban lifestyle during its economic boom, and its resurgence in the digital age. You’re walking through the neon-lit streets of Tokyo at night. The city is alive with the hum of life, from the buzzing sounds of arcades to the chatter of…
The New Era of Digital Dress-Up: How Roblox’s “Dress to Impress” Captivates a Generation
Once shaped by nostalgic browser games, Gen Z are now finding fashion-forward fun and creativity in Roblox’s latest hit, “Dress to Impress.” In recent years, many female gamers have reminisced on their childhood memories of sites like GirlsGoGames and Disney’s Pixie Hollows, which have long passed their peak popularity and, in many cases, shut down.…
The Rise of Inclusive, Low-Pressure Communities
In a world of hyper-competitive and often toxic gaming environments, women look for a sanctuary to simply enjoy their games without the noise of exclusion. In the increasingly noisy world of online gaming, where hyper-competitive environments and toxic behavior often dominate, the need for alternative spaces is more crucial than ever. These spaces aren’t necessarily…