Videogames can evoke markedly different emotional experiences,yet it remains difficult to explain how such differences emerge.This paper examines videogame emotions through the concepts ofbody genres and the protective frame. Drawing on Linda Williams’theory of body genres and Apter’s concept of the protective frame,we analyse how games produce intense bodily and emotional responses while maintaining a sense of safety that allows players toengage with disturbing or transgressive situations. Through examples from horror, melodramatic, and pornographic games, includingThe Medium, Silent Hill 3, and The Last of Us Part II,we show howgameplay structures elicit fear, disgust, empathy, and arousal. Whenthe protective frame destabilises, these experiences may shift fromhedonic enjoyment toward more reflective, eudaimonic engagement.