Video Game Title Italicization in Different Writing Styles becomes easier when you separate complete works from smaller parts. Most major style guides treat standalone video games as complete works, so APA, MLA, and Chicago usually place their titles in italics. AP Style, however, often uses quotation marks. Knowing this difference improves capitalization, readability, and formatting accuracy.

Before formatting a game title, identify the type of source. Books, films, albums, and complete games generally receive italics, while songs, missions, and other shorter works often use quotation marks. DLC and expansion titles may vary because some work as independent releases. In essays, academic papers, blogs, reviews, news articles, and social media posts, always follow the required style rules.

A quick reference can prevent common formatting mistakes and save editing time. Check the assigned style guide, apply its rules correctly, and keep every title consistent throughout the document. This approach creates polished writing, improves clarity, and gives your work a professional appearance. It also helps readers quickly distinguish full video games from smaller elements such as missions, chapters, or downloadable content.

Should Video Game Titles Be Italicized?

In APA, MLA, and Chicago style, writers generally italicize complete video game titles. AP-style news copy commonly places them in quotation marks. A teacher, publisher, newsroom, or client may also require a house style that overrides the general rule.

Examples:

• APA, MLA, or Chicago: The Last of Us
• AP style: “The Last of Us”
• Developer: Naughty Dog
• Platform: PlayStation 5

The title receives special formatting because it names a complete creative work. The developer and platform stay in regular type because they name an organization and a product.

The Standalone-Work Principle

Most title rules follow a whole-versus-part distinction.

A full game stands alone as a published work. A mission, quest, map, or chapter exists inside that work. Therefore, many styles treat the complete game like a book while treating its internal elements like chapters or short stories.

• Complete game: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
• Mission: “All Ghillied Up”
• Multiplayer map: Crash
• Franchise: Call of Duty

This distinction matters more than length or popularity. A short indie game can still count as a complete work.

House Style Overrides General Advice

Check the rules governing your document before formatting titles. Follow this order:

1. Instructor or institution requirements
2. Journal or publisher guidelines
3. A named style guide
4. Company house style
5. A consistent editorial choice

Consistency matters. Mixing Halo Infinite with “Forza Horizon 5” in one academic paper looks careless unless a clear rule explains the difference.

Video Game Title Rules at a Glance

Style	Game Title in Prose	Typical Capitalization	Common Context
APA	Italics	Title case in prose; sentence case in references	Social sciences
MLA	Italics	Title-style capitalization	Humanities
Chicago	Italics	Headline-style capitalization	Publishing and history
AP	Quotation marks	AP composition-title style	Journalism
House style	Varies	Varies	Blogs and gaming sites

A title may use title case in prose but sentence case in an APA reference entry.

APA Style for Video Game Titles

APA style uses italics for titles of complete works and selected title elements in references. In normal prose, write a complete video game title in italics.

• Players build tools in Minecraft.
• Moral choice shapes Life Is Strange.
• The Last of Us Part II uses alternating perspectives.

APA Prose vs. Reference Lists

In prose, retain normal title capitalization:

The study examined cooperation in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

In an APA reference list, the title follows sentence case. Capitalize the first word, the first word after a colon, and proper nouns. Small words elsewhere usually remain lowercase.

What an APA Game Reference May Need

A complete reference may identify:

• The developer or responsible organization
• Release year
• Game title
• Version or edition
• Medium description
• Publisher
• Platform, when relevant

Include the platform or version when it changes the experience being analyzed. Common errors include confusing the developer with the publisher and citing a review instead of the game.

MLA Style for Video Game Titles

MLA treats video games as longer works that can contain smaller elements. Complete game titles therefore appear in italics. MLA also recommends beginning many game citations with the title because games involve collaborative authorship rather than one obvious author.

Examples include BioShock, Inside, and Disco Elysium.

MLA Capitalization

MLA generally uses title-style capitalization for English titles. Capitalize the first and last words, along with principal nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.

Examples:

• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps
• What Remains of Edith Finch

Citing Dialogue From a Game

Games rarely provide stable page numbers. Some don’t offer useful timestamps either. MLA recommends placing transcribed dialogue in quotation marks and giving enough context to help readers locate it.

Useful details include the mission, chapter, playable character, location, or cutscene. Common mistakes include quoting full game titles, listing every developer as an author, and omitting a relevant platform.

Chicago Style for Video Game Titles

Chicago gives direct guidance. It italicizes individual video game titles and can also italicize the name of a game series. Its published example uses Call of Duty: Warzone and the Call of Duty series.

Examples:

• Baldur’s Gate 3
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• the Civilization series

Games, Series, and Franchises

Chicago’s series rule deserves attention because other publications may keep franchise names in regular type.

• Individual title: Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Formal series in Chicago: the Call of Duty series
• Broad commercial property: the Call of Duty franchise

“Series” may describe a formal sequence of works. “Franchise” often covers a wider property that includes games, merchandise, films, and esports.

Chicago offers notes-and-bibliography and author-date citation systems. A game citation may need its title, developer, publisher, platform, version, and release year.

AP Style for Video Game Titles

AP-style journalism commonly places specific video game titles in quotation marks rather than italics. AP reports have used “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6,” “The Legend of Zelda,” and “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” in body copy.

Examples:

• Nintendo released “Super Mario Bros. Wonder.”
• Kuwait blocked “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.”
• The film draws from “The Legend of Zelda.”

A specific game may take quotation marks while a broader franchise remains plain:

• Specific title: “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6”
• Franchise: the Call of Duty franchise
• Adjectival use: a Call of Duty tournament

Use AP conventions for news reports, press releases, and industry updates. Don’t carry them into an MLA or APA paper unless requested.

Video Game Titles in Essays and Research Papers

Academic writing requires more than italicizing a title. On first mention, readers may need enough context to identify the work.

Consider including:

• Full official title
• Original release year
• Developer or publisher
• Platform
• Version or edition

For example:

In Resident Evil 4 (Capcom, 2005), limited resources increase tension.

When comparing the 2005 release with the 2023 remake, identify the year each time ambiguity could arise.

After the first full mention, you may shorten a long title:

• First mention: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Later: Tears of the Kingdom

Use a shortened title only when readers can recognize it instantly.

Blogs, Reviews, and Gaming Journalism

Gaming sites may use Chicago, AP, or a custom house style. The strongest choice is the one applied consistently.

A useful house guide should define:

• Full game titles
• Series and franchises
• Expansions and DLC
• Missions and quests
• Maps and game modes
• Studios and publishers
• Consoles and services

For example, a site might italicize complete games, quote mission titles, and keep franchise names in regular type.

Game Titles vs. Series, Franchises, and Brands

One name can represent several things.

Consider Pokémon:

• A specific game title may need italics.
• The Pokémon franchise usually stays in regular type.
• The Pokémon Company names an organization.
• A Pokémon tournament names an event.

The same issue appears with Call of Duty. Call of Duty can name the original 2003 game. The Call of Duty series may be italicized in Chicago. The Call of Duty franchise may remain plain in another house style.

Context controls the formatting. Don’t style a word in isolation.

Sequels, Subtitles, and Numbered Entries

The complete official title receives the same formatting, including its subtitle.

• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Keep official numerals intact. Don’t change Grand Theft Auto V to Grand Theft Auto 5 unless your house style deliberately normalizes titles.

Check whether a colon belongs in the official name. A logo may stack words without punctuation, while a platform store gives the editorial title.

Should DLC and Expansion Titles Be Italicized?

DLC creates a gray area because not every add-on functions the same way.

A large, separately marketed expansion often behaves like a standalone work, as with Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty or World of Warcraft: Dragonflight.

A cosmetic pack, weapon bundle, or minor update may not deserve the same treatment.

Ask:

• Does the publisher present it as a formal title?
• Can buyers purchase it separately?
• Does it contain a substantial campaign?
• How does the chosen guide treat comparable works?

When no direct rule exists, apply the whole-versus-part principle and record the decision in your house guide.

Missions, Quests, Levels, and Episodes

Internal components usually receive quotation marks or plain capitalization rather than italics.

• the mission “All Ghillied Up”
• the quest “The Bloody Baron”
• the map Nuketown
• the mode Team Deathmatch

Quotation marks work best for formally titled narrative units. Generic modes and familiar locations often stay in regular type.

For episodic games, format the largest independent work first, then treat contained parts consistently.

Remakes, Remasters, and Special Editions

Words such as Remastered, Definitive Edition, and Complete Edition belong inside the italics when they form part of the official title.

• The Last of Us Remastered
• Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt—Complete Edition

A descriptive phrase stays outside:

the remastered version of Dark Souls

When two releases share a title, add a year, developer, or platform:

• Resident Evil 4 (2005)
• Resident Evil 4 (2023)

That detail keeps readers from entering the wrong castle, so to speak.

Official Logo Styling and Capitalization

A logo is artwork, not a grammar manual.

Publishers may use all caps, unusual spacing, or stylized punctuation. Editorial writing should follow the official name and the selected style guide.

Examples requiring care include DOOM, NieR:Automata, inFAMOUS, and .hack//G.U.

Check the official site, platform store, title screen, and packaging. Trademark symbols such as ™ and ® rarely belong in normal articles because they clutter the sentence.

Punctuation Around Italicized Game Titles

Punctuation belonging to the official title stays with the title. Sentence punctuation usually doesn’t.

• Have you played What Remains of Edith Finch?
• I finished Inside, but I missed several secrets.
• The combat in Hades becomes tougher later.

Possessives can look awkward. Recast the sentence when needed:

• Awkward: Minecraft’s crafting system
• Smoother: the crafting system in Minecraft

A title ending in a question mark doesn’t need another question mark when the sentence also asks a question.

Board Games and Traditional Games

Published board games and tabletop systems often function as complete works. Many academic and publishing styles therefore italicize formal titles such as Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Dungeons & Dragons.

Traditional activities such as chess, poker, tag, and soccer remain in regular type because they don’t name published works.

When Italics Aren’t Available

Handwritten assignments traditionally use underlining as a substitute for italics.

Plain-text platforms may use asterisks, underscores, quotation marks, or ordinary capitalization. MLA accepts underscore-based treatment when italics can’t be produced.

Avoid decorative Unicode “italic” characters. They may display poorly and create accessibility problems for screen readers.

Correct Formatting by Context

Context	Example	Reason
APA prose	Players create settlements in Fallout 4.	Complete work
MLA essay	BioShock critiques political extremism.	Longer work
Chicago prose	The Civilization series rewards planning.	Chicago series treatment
AP news	The company delayed “Assassin’s Creed Shadows.”	AP convention
Mission	The mission “No Russian” caused controversy.	Part of a game
Franchise	The Mario franchise extends beyond games.	Commercial property
Platform	It launched on Xbox Series X.	Product name
Genre	It is a survival horror game.	Generic category

A Simple Decision Framework

Before formatting a gaming term:

• Identify the required style.
• Decide what the name represents.
• Ask whether it stands alone.
• Confirm official spelling and punctuation.
• Separate prose rules from citation rules.
• Apply the choice consistently.

Style guide → complete work or contained part → prose or reference entry → final formatting

That small check prevents most errors.

Case Study: Academic Analysis

A student writes an MLA paper about environmental storytelling in The Last of Us.

The student should italicize the game title, identify the relevant version, quote mission names, and contextualize dialogue. PlayStation, Naughty Dog, Joel, and survival horror remain plain because they name a platform, company, character, and genre.

Case Study: Gaming News Report

An AP-style reporter writes:

The publisher released “Example Game: New Horizon” on Friday.

Later, the article refers to the Example Game franchise without quotation marks because the phrase names the larger commercial property.

That difference tells readers whether the writer means one product or the whole brand.

Common Formatting Mistakes

Avoid these recurring errors:

• Mixing italics and quotation marks without a reason
• Italicizing studios, platforms, or genres
• Leaving subtitles out
• Copying logo capitalization blindly
• Treating every DLC pack as a standalone work
• Confusing a franchise with one game
• Using title case in an APA reference list
• Forgetting the year when versions share a title

Frequently Asked Questions

Are video game titles italicized in essays?

Usually, yes. APA, MLA, and Chicago generally italicize complete video game titles. Follow the assigned manual because AP-style journalism commonly uses quotation marks.

Should video game titles appear in quotation marks?

Use quotation marks when AP style or a house guide requires them. Academic styles usually reserve quotation marks for smaller components, such as missions or episodes.

Are franchise names italicized?

Sometimes. Chicago may italicize a formally titled series. Other styles often keep broad franchise names in regular type. Determine whether the words identify one game, a series, or a commercial property.

Should DLC titles be italicized?

A substantial, separately titled expansion often receives italics under styles that italicize standalone works. Smaller add-ons may use quotation marks or regular type.

Are mission names italicized?

Usually not. Missions and quests form parts of a larger game, so writers commonly place formal mission titles in quotation marks.

Should board game titles be italicized?

Many academic and publishing styles italicize formal board game titles because they identify complete published works. AP or a house style may differ.

What if a guide doesn’t cover a gaming term?

Apply its closest whole-versus-part rule. Then check previous publication examples and record the final choice in a house style sheet.

Conclusion

Understanding Italicization of Video Game Titles Across Different Styles comes down to classification and consistency. APA, MLA, and Chicago usually italicize complete video game titles. AP-style journalism commonly uses quotation marks.

The harder questions involve series, franchises, expansions, missions, remakes, and live-service content. First, identify what the name represents. Next, decide whether it stands alone. Finally, follow the required guide from beginning to end.

When in doubt, don’t copy the logo blindly. Check the style, confirm the official title, and keep the formatting consistent.

Understanding Italicization of Video Game Titles Across Different Styles

Video game titles look simple until you place one inside an essay, review, news story, or reference list. Should you write Minecraft, “Minecraft,” or simply Minecraft? The answer depends on the style guide, the type of gaming term, and where the title appears.

Understanding Italicization of Video Game Titles Across Different Styles begins with one practical rule: most academic and publishing styles italicize the title of a complete video game. AP-style journalism usually places game titles in quotation marks. However, missions, franchises, platforms, expansions, and game modes may follow different rules.

Quick rule: Treat a complete video game like a book or film unless your required style guide says otherwise.

Should Video Game Titles Be Italicized?

In APA, MLA, and Chicago style, writers generally italicize complete video game titles. AP-style news copy commonly places them in quotation marks. A teacher, publisher, newsroom, or client may also require a house style that overrides the general rule.

Examples:

• APA, MLA, or Chicago: The Last of Us
• AP style: “The Last of Us”
• Developer: Naughty Dog
• Platform: PlayStation 5

The title receives special formatting because it names a complete creative work. The developer and platform stay in regular type because they name an organization and a product.

The Standalone-Work Principle

Most title rules follow a whole-versus-part distinction.

A full game stands alone as a published work. A mission, quest, map, or chapter exists inside that work. Therefore, many styles treat the complete game like a book while treating its internal elements like chapters or short stories.

• Complete game: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
• Mission: “All Ghillied Up”
• Multiplayer map: Crash
• Franchise: Call of Duty

This distinction matters more than length or popularity. A short indie game can still count as a complete work.

House Style Overrides General Advice

Check the rules governing your document before formatting titles. Follow this order:

1. Instructor or institution requirements
2. Journal or publisher guidelines
3. A named style guide
4. Company house style
5. A consistent editorial choice

Consistency matters. Mixing Halo Infinite with “Forza Horizon 5” in one academic paper looks careless unless a clear rule explains the difference.

Video Game Title Rules at a Glance

Style	Game Title in Prose	Typical Capitalization	Common Context
APA	Italics	Title case in prose; sentence case in references	Social sciences
MLA	Italics	Title-style capitalization	Humanities
Chicago	Italics	Headline-style capitalization	Publishing and history
AP	Quotation marks	AP composition-title style	Journalism
House style	Varies	Varies	Blogs and gaming sites

A title may use title case in prose but sentence case in an APA reference entry.

APA Style for Video Game Titles

APA style uses italics for titles of complete works and selected title elements in references. In normal prose, write a complete video game title in italics.

• Players build tools in Minecraft.
• Moral choice shapes Life Is Strange.
• The Last of Us Part II uses alternating perspectives.

APA Prose vs. Reference Lists

In prose, retain normal title capitalization:

The study examined cooperation in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

In an APA reference list, the title follows sentence case. Capitalize the first word, the first word after a colon, and proper nouns. Small words elsewhere usually remain lowercase.

What an APA Game Reference May Need

A complete reference may identify:

• The developer or responsible organization
• Release year
• Game title
• Version or edition
• Medium description
• Publisher
• Platform, when relevant

Include the platform or version when it changes the experience being analyzed. Common errors include confusing the developer with the publisher and citing a review instead of the game.

MLA Style for Video Game Titles

MLA treats video games as longer works that can contain smaller elements. Complete game titles therefore appear in italics. MLA also recommends beginning many game citations with the title because games involve collaborative authorship rather than one obvious author.

Examples include BioShock, Inside, and Disco Elysium.

MLA Capitalization

MLA generally uses title-style capitalization for English titles. Capitalize the first and last words, along with principal nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.

Examples:

• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps
• What Remains of Edith Finch

Citing Dialogue From a Game

Games rarely provide stable page numbers. Some don’t offer useful timestamps either. MLA recommends placing transcribed dialogue in quotation marks and giving enough context to help readers locate it.

Useful details include the mission, chapter, playable character, location, or cutscene. Common mistakes include quoting full game titles, listing every developer as an author, and omitting a relevant platform.

Chicago Style for Video Game Titles

Chicago gives direct guidance. It italicizes individual video game titles and can also italicize the name of a game series. Its published example uses Call of Duty: Warzone and the Call of Duty series.

Examples:

• Baldur’s Gate 3
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• the Civilization series

Games, Series, and Franchises

Chicago’s series rule deserves attention because other publications may keep franchise names in regular type.

• Individual title: Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Formal series in Chicago: the Call of Duty series
• Broad commercial property: the Call of Duty franchise

“Series” may describe a formal sequence of works. “Franchise” often covers a wider property that includes games, merchandise, films, and esports.

Chicago offers notes-and-bibliography and author-date citation systems. A game citation may need its title, developer, publisher, platform, version, and release year.

AP Style for Video Game Titles

AP-style journalism commonly places specific video game titles in quotation marks rather than italics. AP reports have used “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6,” “The Legend of Zelda,” and “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” in body copy.

Examples:

• Nintendo released “Super Mario Bros. Wonder.”
• Kuwait blocked “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.”
• The film draws from “The Legend of Zelda.”

A specific game may take quotation marks while a broader franchise remains plain:

• Specific title: “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6”
• Franchise: the Call of Duty franchise
• Adjectival use: a Call of Duty tournament

Use AP conventions for news reports, press releases, and industry updates. Don’t carry them into an MLA or APA paper unless requested.

Video Game Titles in Essays and Research Papers

Academic writing requires more than italicizing a title. On first mention, readers may need enough context to identify the work.

Consider including:

• Full official title
• Original release year
• Developer or publisher
• Platform
• Version or edition

For example:

In Resident Evil 4 (Capcom, 2005), limited resources increase tension.

When comparing the 2005 release with the 2023 remake, identify the year each time ambiguity could arise.

After the first full mention, you may shorten a long title:

• First mention: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Later: Tears of the Kingdom

Use a shortened title only when readers can recognize it instantly.

Blogs, Reviews, and Gaming Journalism

Gaming sites may use Chicago, AP, or a custom house style. The strongest choice is the one applied consistently.

A useful house guide should define:

• Full game titles
• Series and franchises
• Expansions and DLC
• Missions and quests
• Maps and game modes
• Studios and publishers
• Consoles and services

For example, a site might italicize complete games, quote mission titles, and keep franchise names in regular type.

Game Titles vs. Series, Franchises, and Brands

One name can represent several things.

Consider Pokémon:

• A specific game title may need italics.
• The Pokémon franchise usually stays in regular type.
• The Pokémon Company names an organization.
• A Pokémon tournament names an event.

The same issue appears with Call of Duty. Call of Duty can name the original 2003 game. The Call of Duty series may be italicized in Chicago. The Call of Duty franchise may remain plain in another house style.

Context controls the formatting. Don’t style a word in isolation.

Sequels, Subtitles, and Numbered Entries

The complete official title receives the same formatting, including its subtitle.

• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Keep official numerals intact. Don’t change Grand Theft Auto V to Grand Theft Auto 5 unless your house style deliberately normalizes titles.

Check whether a colon belongs in the official name. A logo may stack words without punctuation, while a platform store gives the editorial title.

Should DLC and Expansion Titles Be Italicized?

DLC creates a gray area because not every add-on functions the same way.

A large, separately marketed expansion often behaves like a standalone work, as with Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty or World of Warcraft: Dragonflight.

A cosmetic pack, weapon bundle, or minor update may not deserve the same treatment.

Ask:

• Does the publisher present it as a formal title?
• Can buyers purchase it separately?
• Does it contain a substantial campaign?
• How does the chosen guide treat comparable works?

When no direct rule exists, apply the whole-versus-part principle and record the decision in your house guide.

Missions, Quests, Levels, and Episodes

Internal components usually receive quotation marks or plain capitalization rather than italics.

• the mission “All Ghillied Up”
• the quest “The Bloody Baron”
• the map Nuketown
• the mode Team Deathmatch

Quotation marks work best for formally titled narrative units. Generic modes and familiar locations often stay in regular type.

For episodic games, format the largest independent work first, then treat contained parts consistently.

Remakes, Remasters, and Special Editions

Words such as Remastered, Definitive Edition, and Complete Edition belong inside the italics when they form part of the official title.

• The Last of Us Remastered
• Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt—Complete Edition

A descriptive phrase stays outside:

the remastered version of Dark Souls

When two releases share a title, add a year, developer, or platform:

• Resident Evil 4 (2005)
• Resident Evil 4 (2023)

That detail keeps readers from entering the wrong castle, so to speak.

Official Logo Styling and Capitalization

A logo is artwork, not a grammar manual.

Publishers may use all caps, unusual spacing, or stylized punctuation. Editorial writing should follow the official name and the selected style guide.

Examples requiring care include DOOM, NieR:Automata, inFAMOUS, and .hack//G.U.

Check the official site, platform store, title screen, and packaging. Trademark symbols such as ™ and ® rarely belong in normal articles because they clutter the sentence.

Punctuation Around Italicized Game Titles

Punctuation belonging to the official title stays with the title. Sentence punctuation usually doesn’t.

• Have you played What Remains of Edith Finch?
• I finished Inside, but I missed several secrets.
• The combat in Hades becomes tougher later.

Possessives can look awkward. Recast the sentence when needed:

• Awkward: Minecraft’s crafting system
• Smoother: the crafting system in Minecraft

A title ending in a question mark doesn’t need another question mark when the sentence also asks a question.

Board Games and Traditional Games

Published board games and tabletop systems often function as complete works. Many academic and publishing styles therefore italicize formal titles such as Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Dungeons & Dragons.

Traditional activities such as chess, poker, tag, and soccer remain in regular type because they don’t name published works.

When Italics Aren’t Available

Handwritten assignments traditionally use underlining as a substitute for italics.

Plain-text platforms may use asterisks, underscores, quotation marks, or ordinary capitalization. MLA accepts underscore-based treatment when italics can’t be produced.

Avoid decorative Unicode “italic” characters. They may display poorly and create accessibility problems for screen readers.

Correct Formatting by Context

Context	Example	Reason
APA prose	Players create settlements in Fallout 4.	Complete work
MLA essay	BioShock critiques political extremism.	Longer work
Chicago prose	The Civilization series rewards planning.	Chicago series treatment
AP news	The company delayed “Assassin’s Creed Shadows.”	AP convention
Mission	The mission “No Russian” caused controversy.	Part of a game
Franchise	The Mario franchise extends beyond games.	Commercial property
Platform	It launched on Xbox Series X.	Product name
Genre	It is a survival horror game.	Generic category

A Simple Decision Framework

Before formatting a gaming term:

• Identify the required style.
• Decide what the name represents.
• Ask whether it stands alone.
• Confirm official spelling and punctuation.
• Separate prose rules from citation rules.
• Apply the choice consistently.

Style guide → complete work or contained part → prose or reference entry → final formatting

That small check prevents most errors.

Case Study: Academic Analysis

A student writes an MLA paper about environmental storytelling in The Last of Us.

The student should italicize the game title, identify the relevant version, quote mission names, and contextualize dialogue. PlayStation, Naughty Dog, Joel, and survival horror remain plain because they name a platform, company, character, and genre.

Case Study: Gaming News Report

An AP-style reporter writes:

The publisher released “Example Game: New Horizon” on Friday.

Later, the article refers to the Example Game franchise without quotation marks because the phrase names the larger commercial property.

That difference tells readers whether the writer means one product or the whole brand.

Common Formatting Mistakes

Avoid these recurring errors:

• Mixing italics and quotation marks without a reason
• Italicizing studios, platforms, or genres
• Leaving subtitles out
• Copying logo capitalization blindly
• Treating every DLC pack as a standalone work
• Confusing a franchise with one game
• Using title case in an APA reference list
• Forgetting the year when versions share a title

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Should video game titles be italicized?

Yes. APA, MLA, and Chicago generally italicize the titles of complete video games because they count as standalone creative works.

Q2: Are video game titles italicized in essays?

Most academic essays italicize video game titles. However, you should follow the style guide required by your teacher, institution, or publisher.

Q3: Does AP Style italicize video game titles?

No. AP Style usually places video game titles in quotation marks instead of italics.

Q4: Should game franchise names be italicized?

Not always. A specific game title may receive italics, while a broader franchise name may stay in regular text. Chicago may italicize formal series names.

Q5: Are DLC and expansion titles italicized?

Large, separately titled expansions often receive italics. Smaller downloadable packs may use quotation marks or regular text, depending on the chosen style.

Q6: Should mission and quest names be italicized?

Usually not. Missions, quests, chapters, and episodes are smaller parts of a complete game, so writers often place their titles in quotation marks.

Q7: Are board game titles italicized?

Many academic and publishing styles italicize formal board game titles because they represent complete published works. AP Style may use quotation marks.

Q8: Should subtitles remain in italics?

Yes. When the subtitle forms part of the official game title, the entire title should receive the same formatting.

Q9: How should remakes and remastered games be formatted?

Italicize the full official title, including words such as Remastered or Definitive Edition when they belong to the published name. Add the release year when two versions share the same title.

Q10: What should I do when the style guide gives no clear rule?

Use the whole-versus-part principle. Italicize complete works, use quotation marks for smaller titled parts, and apply the chosen rule consistently throughout the document.

Conclusion

Video Game Title Italicization in Different Writing Styles becomes much easier when you identify the required style guide first. APA, MLA, and Chicago usually italicize complete video game titles, while AP Style often places them in quotation marks. Smaller elements, such as missions, quests, and chapters, may follow different rules because they belong to a larger work. Always check whether the name refers to a full game, an expansion, a franchise, or an internal game element. Consistent formatting improves readability, strengthens credibility, and helps your writing look polished across essays, blogs, reviews, academic papers, and news articles.