The Tearoom

The Tearoom is a 2017 game by independent developer Robert Yang. Described by the creator as a "historical public bathroom simulator", The Tearoom is an erotic game that simulates the experience of participating in 'tearoom' public sex, also known as cottaging, with the goal of avoiding interference with the police. Taking inspiration from the 1970 non-fiction book Tearoom Trade and a 1962 public sex bust by police in Mansfield, Ohio, Yang developed the game as a political commentary on the past and present traditions of queer sex and persecution of sex by police. Upon release, The Tearoom received attention from publications and academics about the relevance of its historical subject matter and the effectiveness of its gameplay to convey themes of uncertainty and danger.