In Sweden, we have long been cautious and have had a clear division between high culture and vulgar culture, believes Björn Werner, a cultural writer with a focus on games and one of the initiators of the theme.
Games have not been highly regarded, but that is changing now. This is noticeable at the book fair, but also in the fact that the cultural pages have started to write about games in a more serious way. Unlike before, when it was mostly written for young people or from an economic perspective, says Björn Werner.
What do you say to those who are critical of a gaming theme at the Book Fair?
I think it is both stupid and unnecessary to build walls. It only leads to literature turning inward and becoming a reserve. Instead, we should see what positive synergies can arise from the meeting of the two art forms.
Mystery from Kramfors
Both game developers and screenwriters are among the guests at the fair. One of them is cartoonist Moa Romanova, who presents the interactive game “A walk through Kramfors” that she created together with game developer Elvira Mattsson. The idea was born from a series in a computer game environment, set in Romanova’s childhood neighborhood.
The game is an easy-to-use app.
It's a strange and eerie game with inspiration from David Lynch, Maria Gripe and Gameboy, says Moa Romanova.
She thinks it is brave that the Book Fair has chosen games as its theme.
It's sexy and daring of them. Games are of course also art and culture, says Moa Romanova.
Games as storytelling
The book fair tackles gaming as a form of storytelling, and the fact that both reading and gaming are based on a writing tradition.
Bring your children to the Book Fair instead of dismissing games as "brain-dead entertainment," urges Björn Werner.
Hopefully, children and young people who play more than they read can discover more literature in this way. Games are based on the same big emotions and stories that literature does. I also hope that as adults you can dare to be open and curious enough to realize that games and literature are not essentially different.
Some games are like visual interactive novels, Björn Werner points out. As an example, he mentions “Disco Elysium,” which is set in a post-Soviet society and touches on life’s big questions about identity, love and the self. The game is accompanied by atmospheric gouache paintings and melancholic music.
For the first time, gaming is a theme at the Gothenburg Book Fair from September 24–27. The theme includes not only digital games but also board games and role-playing games.
The program includes seminars on how the gaming world can open doors to young people's reading. Visitors can also learn more about how our strong tradition of visual storytelling is the foundation of "the Swedish gaming wonder".
Other themes this year are public education and Québec.
Source: Gothenburg Book Fair 2026
