Are Video Game Titles Italicized? A Complete Guide to MLA

Are Video Game Titles Italicized? A Complete Guide to MLA helps writers understand style guides, italics, citations, and game title formatting. When I handle a formatting question, I first check the style guide, because video game titles can be treated differently depending on the type of game-related title, the writing context, and whether the work is an essay, article, review, publishing piece, or academic research. Titles such as The Legend of Zelda and Elden Ring are titled works, but MLA, Chicago style, APA, and AP style can differ in their specific guidance. In my experience, this simple check prevents confusion caused by older or oversimplified rules and gives writers a reliable answer about italics, quotation marks, capitalization, and title formatting.

Italicization creates a clear visual distinction by using a slanted typeface to draw attention to words, passages, titles, and names rather than the standard roman style. The history of italic typeface connects with Aldus Manutius, Ludovico Arrighi, and Italy, where it developed through practical writing before becoming a common design choice. Today, typography and title formatting depend on the relevant style, the work, and its context. This difference matters when writers apply clear citation rules instead of copying another source’s formatting.

For academic writing and formal citation, the same principles can extend to video games, online games, and analog games, as well as expansions, DLC, downloadable content, missions, series names, and editions. A complete citation may include developer information, release year, platform, publisher, and reference-list formatting, depending on the style guides and standards being followed.

Table of Contents

Quick Answer:

Yes, standalone video game titles are generally italicized in major academic styles such as MLA and Chicago. However, you shouldn’t assume that every publication uses the same treatment.

Here is the practical breakdown:

Style or context	Standalone video game titles	Main point
MLA	Italicized	MLA treats the game as a titled source
Chicago	Italicized	Chicago explicitly italicizes video game titles
APA	Follow APA’s software/reference rules	Context and reference format matter
AP	No quotation marks for game names	AP’s current guidance differs from older advice
House style	Follow the publication	A publication’s own rules can override general conventions

The safest rule is simple: identify your required style before formatting the title.

Comparison Overview

The biggest differences appear when you compare the major systems side by side.

Question	MLA	Chicago	APA	AP
Standalone game	Italics	Italics	Use APA treatment for the work	No quotation marks
Game title in academic prose	Italics	Italics	Follow APA	Follow AP
Game citation	MLA Works Cited format	Chicago documentation	APA reference format	Usually editorial rather than academic citation
Developer/publisher information	Included when citing	Depends on documentation needs	Depends on reference type	Usually not part of title styling
Platform	Included in MLA game citations	Can be relevant	Include when required or useful	Editorial context
Series name	Context matters	Chicago has explicit guidance	Context matters	Follow AP
Mission or smaller component	Don’t automatically treat it as a full game	Depends on the work	Depends on the source	Follow AP conventions
DLC or expansion	Determine whether it is an independent titled work	Determine the work’s status	Apply APA’s relevant software/work rules	Follow AP

The important point is that italicization isn’t a property of the word “video game.” It comes from the way a particular style guide classifies and formats the work.

Main Differences Between Video Game Title Formatting Styles

The phrase video game title formatting sounds straightforward until you compare style guides.

MLA and Chicago offer especially clear guidance for treating complete games as titled works. APA requires closer attention to its rules for software and references. AP follows a different editorial tradition and has specifically clarified that game names should not receive quotation marks.

So instead of memorizing one rule, think about three questions:

What is the thing you’re naming?
Which style guide are you using?
Is the title a complete work or only part of one?

Those three questions solve most formatting problems.

Should Video Game Titles Be Italicized?

For a standalone video game, italics are the standard treatment in MLA and Chicago.

For example:

Minecraft
Elden Ring
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Alan Wake II
Death Stranding
Final Fantasy XIII: Lightning Returns

MLA’s official guidance specifically explains how to cite video games and says to begin with the game’s full title and subtitle. Its examples include The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Final Fantasy XIII: Lightning Returns.

The reason is structural. A complete video game functions as an independent work, much like a book, film, or other substantial creative work.

That doesn’t mean every word connected with gaming receives italics.

You wouldn’t normally italicize:

PlayStation 5
Nintendo Switch
Xbox Series X
a character’s name
a weapon name
a fictional city
a game mode
a developer’s name
a publisher’s name

The title belongs to the game. The other terms identify people, places, companies, systems, or elements inside the game.

How MLA Formats Video Game Titles

MLA provides unusually useful guidance for video games because it doesn’t stop at the question of italics. It also explains how to build a Works Cited entry.

In MLA prose, a complete video game title is treated as the title of a source.

For example:

The open-world structure of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt encourages exploration.

The title is italicized because you’re referring to the complete game.

MLA Video Game Citations

MLA’s current video game guidance says to include the full title and subtitle. It also provides specific information about contributors, publishers, dates, versions, and platforms.

A simplified MLA entry can look like this:

Firmament. Cyan, 2023. Microsoft Windows game.

MLA also gives examples involving directors and performers. For instance, its guidance includes Alan Wake II with directors Sam Lake and Kyle Rowley, developer/publisher information, release year, and the PlayStation 5 platform.

That detail becomes particularly useful when you’re writing a research paper about a specific version of a game.

MLA and Game Versions

Modern games can change substantially after launch.

A patch might introduce:

new content
balance changes
bug fixes
accessibility features
technical improvements
story changes

MLA says a version number isn’t automatically required. However, you can include it when the version matters to your discussion.

For example, if your research analyzes a feature introduced in a particular patch, identifying that version can make your citation much more precise.

MLA and Platforms

MLA also recommends identifying the platform you played or accessed the game on.

That can matter because the same game may appear on several platforms and receive ports or platform-specific versions. MLA’s guidance therefore treats platform information as a useful final supplemental element.

How Chicago Style Formats Video Game Titles

Chicago gives a clear answer: video game titles are italicized.

Its official Q&A explains that the title of a video game is italicized whether the reference concerns an individual game or the name of a series. Its example includes Call of Duty: Warzone and the Call of Duty series.

That makes Chicago particularly straightforward for ordinary prose.

For example:

Call of Duty: Warzone became an important example of a live-service shooter.

Or:

The Call of Duty series has changed significantly over time.

The important distinction is between the specific game and the series.

Chicago and Series Names

Chicago’s guidance specifically says that a video game title can be italicized whether it refers to an individual game or a series.

This is useful because series naming can otherwise become inconsistent.

Compare:

Call of Duty: Warzone — a specific game
Call of Duty series — the series as Chicago treats it
Activision — company name
PlayStation — platform or brand

Only the relevant title receives title formatting.

Chicago and Publication Context

Chicago also recognizes that display situations can differ from running prose. Its guidance notes that typographic treatment can depend on the publishing environment, especially when italics become difficult to read.

For ordinary writing, though, the practical rule remains simple:

Italicize the video game title when Chicago style calls for the title of the game.

How APA Handles Video Game Titles

APA requires more care because writers often confuse how a title appears in prose with how a source appears in a reference list.

When a video game functions as software or another identifiable work, APA’s rules for software and reference entries become important. The exact reference structure depends on the source and what information is relevant to identifying it.

For an academic paper, don’t simply copy a Chicago or MLA citation and label it APA.

Instead, check:

who should be treated as the author or responsible creator
the publication year
the title
whether the item is identified as software or a game
the publisher or production information
whether a version is important
whether a platform or other identifying detail is necessary

The broader lesson is important: citation formatting and title formatting are related but not identical questions.

If you’re writing:

Players experience a very different world in [game title].

you’re dealing with title styling in prose.

If you’re building a reference entry for that game, you’re dealing with APA’s documentation system as a whole.

Why APA Can Cause Confusion

Video games don’t always fit neatly into traditional source categories.

A game can simultaneously be:

software
an interactive creative work
a commercial product
a research object
a changing digital work

That complexity explains why academic citation systems may ask for more information than a casual blog post would.

For a formal APA assignment, use the current APA guidance for the exact source you’re citing rather than borrowing a citation template from another style.

How AP Style Handles Video Game Titles

This is one area where outdated online advice causes problems.

A common older claim says AP style puts video game titles in quotation marks. Current Associated Press guidance does not support that blanket rule for games.

The Associated Press Stylebook has stated that AP style does not put quotation marks around the names of video, online, or analog games.

That means an article following current AP guidance should not automatically write:

“Minecraft”

simply because it is a game.

Instead, AP treats game names differently from many other composition titles.

This matters because AP style does use quotation marks for many other types of works, including books, movies, television programs, songs, and similar compositions.

So you can’t safely apply a broad rule such as “AP always puts titles in quotation marks.”

The AP Lesson

The practical takeaway is simple:

Don’t rely on old AP title-formatting lists.

Style guidance changes. If you’re writing for a newsroom, publication, or website that follows AP, use its current rules and any house style that supplements them.

Video Game Titles in Essays

If you’re writing an academic essay, the first thing to determine is the required style.

A sentence in an MLA paper might look like:

Death Stranding uses isolation as an important part of its gameplay experience.

The same subject may appear differently depending on the publication’s style.

Don’t mix conventions inside one paper.

For example, avoid writing:

Elden Ring uses open-world exploration.
“Minecraft” encourages creativity.
Call of Duty: Warzone emphasizes multiplayer combat.

That inconsistent treatment makes it look as though three different formatting systems are operating in the same document.

Instead, select the required style and apply it consistently.

Game Series vs. Individual Video Games

A series and an individual installment aren’t always the same thing.

Consider:

The Legend of Zelda — series
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — specific game
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — another specific game

When you’re writing about a particular game, use its complete title.

If you’re discussing the franchise as a whole, identify it as a series when the context requires that distinction.

Chicago offers particularly direct guidance here by treating video game titles and series names in italics.

Why the Distinction Matters

Suppose you write:

The Legend of Zelda introduced a new approach to open-world exploration.

That sentence may be ambiguous. Are you talking about the franchise, or one specific game?

If you mean Breath of the Wild, name it.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild introduced a major shift toward open-world exploration.

Precision improves both style and meaning.

What About Expansions and DLC?

Expansions create one of the trickiest parts of video game title formatting.

The term DLC simply means downloadable content. It doesn’t automatically tell you how a style guide should format its title.

Instead, determine what the title represents.

Ask:

Is it a separately titled expansion?
Is it a chapter within a larger game?
Is it a mission?
Is it a cosmetic pack?
Is it a substantial independent release?
Is it simply a feature or mode inside the game?

Don’t assume that every piece of downloadable content follows one universal formatting rule.

Full Expansions

A major expansion can function as a substantial titled work in its own right.

For example:

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

The important point is that you shouldn’t make a formatting decision solely because something was distributed as DLC.

Distribution method doesn’t automatically determine title status.

Smaller DLC Components

A small story episode, mission, challenge, or item pack can function differently.

For example, a mission inside a game isn’t suddenly an independent video game because it has a name.

The same principle applies to:

missions
quests
chapters
maps
levels
challenges
game modes

Classify the thing before formatting it.

What About Remakes, Remasters, and Definitive Editions?

Titles such as The Last of Us Part I or Mass Effect Legendary Edition require attention because they represent specific releases rather than simply casual references to an older game.

When a new release has its own official title, use the complete title.

Don’t shorten it simply because readers know what you mean.

For example, if your discussion concerns the specific release The Last of Us Part I, don’t casually substitute The Last of Us when the distinction matters.

This becomes especially important in academic writing because different editions can contain different:

mechanics
graphics
content
accessibility options
technical features
narrative changes

A precise title helps readers identify exactly which work you’re discussing.

What Should Not Be Italicized?

Knowing what not to italicize is just as useful as knowing what to italicize.

Usually, these aren’t video game titles:

Characters

Mario
Link
Lara Croft
Master Chief

Character names are names, not game titles.

Companies

Nintendo
Microsoft
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Valve

Company names don’t become italicized because they’re associated with a game.

Platforms

Nintendo Switch
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X|S
Windows PC

A platform is not the title of the game.

In-Game Locations

A fictional location such as Hyrule or Night City is a setting within a game.

It doesn’t become italicized simply because it appears in a game.

Game Modes

Terms such as multiplayer, survival mode, campaign, or battle royale describe features or modes rather than complete game titles.

Don’t automatically apply title formatting to every capitalized gaming term.

Video Game Titles in Citations

Title styling is only one part of a citation.

If you’re citing a game for academic research, you may need information such as:

complete game title
subtitle
director
developer
publisher
release year
version
platform

MLA’s official video game guidance is particularly specific about these elements. It explains that the developer and publisher belong in the publisher element and that the platform can help identify the version of the game being cited.

For example, MLA provides an entry for Luigi’s Mansion 3 that identifies Bryce Holliday as director, Next Level Games as developer, Nintendo as publisher, 2019 as the publication year, and Nintendo Switch as the platform.

That’s much more useful than simply writing the game’s name and year.

Case Study: Why Version Details Matter

Imagine you’re writing a university paper about a game mechanic that changed after launch.

You cite a game released in 2023. However, your argument depends on content introduced in a later update.

A reader using an older version might not see the feature you’re discussing.

This is where detailed citation information becomes valuable.

MLA specifically notes that modern games can receive updates that introduce significant differences. It says a version number isn’t required in every citation, but it can be included when the version is relevant to the discussion.

The lesson is broader than punctuation:

Good citation identifies the actual work you studied, not merely the brand name people recognize.

That principle matters for games because digital releases can change long after their original publication.

Common Mistakes When Formatting Video Game Titles

Using quotation marks automatically

Don’t assume every style guide requires quotation marks for games.

AP’s current guidance specifically says game names should not receive quotation marks.

Italicizing every gaming term

Only the title needs title treatment.

A character, location, company, platform, or ordinary game mechanic doesn’t become italicized simply because it appears in a game.

Mixing style guides

A document that follows MLA shouldn’t suddenly switch to AP title conventions halfway through.

Pick the required system and stay consistent.

Confusing the game with its franchise

Halo can refer to the franchise while Halo: Reach identifies a particular game.

When your argument depends on that distinction, use the precise name.

Treating every DLC item as a full game

DLC is a distribution category, not a universal formatting category.

Look at what the title actually represents.

Ignoring the full title

MLA’s official guidance says to include the full title and subtitle when citing a game.

If the subtitle identifies the specific work, don’t casually remove it.

Following outdated AP advice

This mistake is especially easy to make because older articles remain online.

Current AP guidance says not to put quotation marks around names of video, online, or analog games.

Always check the current rules when the distinction matters.

A Simple Decision Process for Italicizing a Video Game Title

When you’re unsure, work through this checklist.

Identify the Work

First, ask what you’re actually naming.

Is it:

a complete video game?
a series?
an expansion?
DLC?
a mission?
a chapter?
a character?
a platform?

This step prevents most mistakes.

Identify Your Style Guide

Next, determine whether you’re using:

MLA
Chicago
APA
AP
a publisher’s style
a school’s house style

Never assume that a rule from one system automatically applies to another.

Check the Current Rule

Style guides evolve.

AP’s current treatment of game names demonstrates why relying on old articles can produce incorrect formatting.

Use the Complete Official Title

If the game has a subtitle, include it when precision requires it.

MLA specifically instructs writers citing video games to use the full title and subtitle.

Apply the Same Rule Consistently

Once you’ve established the correct convention, use it throughout the article or paper.

Consistency makes your writing easier to read and easier to edit.

Practical Examples of Video Game Title Formatting

What you’re referring to	Example	What to consider
Complete game	Elden Ring	Treat as the game title
Game with subtitle	The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	Keep the complete title
Specific installment	Halo: Reach	Distinguish it from the franchise
Series	Call of Duty series	Chicago explicitly permits italics for the series name
Character	Mario	Treat as a proper name
Platform	PlayStation 5	Treat as a platform name
Company	Nintendo	Treat as a company name
Location	Hyrule	Treat as a fictional place
Version	version 1.000.014	Include when relevant to your citation
Expansion	Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree	Determine its status under your style
Mission	A named mission	Don’t automatically treat it as a complete game

Why Capitalization and Italics Are Different

Writers often treat these as one problem, but they’re separate.

Capitalization determines which words in a title use uppercase letters.

Italics indicate the title’s formatting status.

For example, MLA uses headline-style capitalization for English-language titles while also using italics for certain types of works.

So a writer needs to solve two separate questions:

How should the title be capitalized?
Should the title be italicized, quoted, or left in regular type?

Don’t use one rule to answer both questions.

Video Game Titles in Blogs and Online Articles

If you’re writing a personal blog or an online article without a mandatory style guide, consistency becomes especially important.

You can establish a house convention for your publication.

For example, you might decide to follow Chicago-style treatment for complete game titles. Or you might follow another editorial system.

What matters most is that your choice is deliberate and consistent.

However, if you’re writing for an established publication, don’t invent your own rule.

Check its editorial guidelines first.

Video Game Titles in Game Reviews

Reviews often mix several kinds of names in a single paragraph.

For example, a reviewer might mention:

the game
the developer
the publisher
a console
characters
locations
missions
expansions

That makes consistent formatting valuable.

A sentence such as this contains several different categories:

Elden Ring was developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, while its expansion Shadow of the Erdtree adds new content to the game’s world.

The game title, company names, and expansion are different entities. Don’t format them as though they were all the same kind of title.

Quick Reference: What to Italicize

When your selected style calls for italics, this basic checklist can help.

Usually italicized as complete game titles:

Minecraft
Elden Ring
Death Stranding
Alan Wake II
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Not automatically italicized:

Nintendo
PlayStation
Xbox
Mario
Link
Hyrule
Night City
multiplayer
developer names
publisher names

The exact treatment of expansions, series names, and smaller components depends on the applicable style and how the item functions as a work.

FAQs:

1. Are video game titles italicized in MLA style?

Yes. In MLA style, video game titles are generally italicized because they are treated as titles of larger works.

2. Are video game titles italicized in APA style?

Yes. APA style generally italicizes the titles of video games when they are mentioned as standalone works.

3. Does Chicago style italicize video game titles?

Yes. Chicago style generally uses italics for video game titles, following its treatment of other substantial standalone works.

4. Does AP style use italics for video game titles?

AP style follows different formatting conventions and generally uses quotation marks rather than italics for game titles.

5. How should video game expansions and DLC be formatted?

The formatting can depend on the specific style guide and whether the expansion or DLC is treated as a separate titled work. Always check the required guide before citing it.

Conclusion:

Knowing are video game titles italicized is easier when you first identify the required style guide. MLA, APA, and Chicago generally use italics for standalone video game titles, while AP follows different conventions.

For academic writing, consistent formatting, accurate citations, and attention to details such as the developer, release year, platform, and publisher help keep your work clear and professional.