Research into the lives of gay men frequently focuses on stories of victimization, disease, or the bedroom, overlooking the multi-faceted lives gay men lead. This work focuses on Gaymers, who build their identities around their love of video games, providing an opportunity to study the joy also present in gay men’s lives. Currently, queer video games studies has focused on digital spaces or on the content of games rather than players, often recapitulating the same narrative of victimization. Doing so hides a foundational aspect of Gaymer identity: Gaymers do not stop playing when the video games are switched off. Following ethnographic research in Querétaro, Mexico and WhatsApp groups, this study reveals that play permeates nearly every group interaction among Gaymers. These interactions range from sharing memes which construct and define group masculinities, to role-playing as “Señora Catolica” [Catholic Lady] during gossip sessions, to wordplay pushing back at linguistic imperialism. As in person play among Gaymers happens apart from, alongside, and between virtual spaces, it challenges the idea of a digital/actual divide. Similarly, Gaymer interactions often fit into Caillois’ categories of games, while being performed outside of Huizinga’s “Magic Circle,” which separates play from “real” life. By moving beyond the surface level of Gaymer play through video games, the hidden role of play as foundational in Gaymer community construction and maintenance is brought to light.