Game Research Lab

Suomen pelitutkimuksen seura | Finnish society for game research

Save the date! Our next Oasis Talk is on November 5th by Edmond Y. Chang from Ohio University. His topic is "Gaming While Asian: Now with More Analog!".

Game Research Lab reposted

@pelitutkimus.fi

Less than three weeks until Game Research Days 2026! Registration closes on October 22, so there's still time to join us in Jyväskylä in November.

pelitutkimus.fiPelitutkimuksen päivät lähestyvät! / Game Research Days are approaching! - Pelitutkimus.fiPelitutkimuksen päivät järjestetään Jyväskylässä 3.–4.11.2026 | Game research days are organised in Jyväskylä, November 3–4, 2026.

gamesasartcenter.comGames As Art Festival - Games As Art CenterThe Games As Art Festival is a three-day festival happening in Tampere, Finland October 9th-11th 2026 exploring the potential of games as an artistic form. When: October 9th-11th 2026Where: Tampere Un...

Join us at Games As Art Festival! The event is a free three-day festival happening in Tampere, Finland October 9th-11th 2026 exploring the potential of digital games and larps as an artistic form. Register and find the programme here: gamesasartcenter.com/festival/ #tampere #paidia #näty

doi.org “Those people are my people”: Safety at game industry events in Finland | Eludamos: Journal for Computer Game Culture

Want to know how the sense of safety is experienced and can be produced in #gameindustry events? Check out our Doctoral Researcher Taina Myöhänen's (@tainam.bsky.social) latest study, exploring this topic in the Finnish game industry context: doi.org/10.7557/ejcg...

projects.tuni.fiENDGAME - Year one | ENDGAME | Tampere Universities

Our ENDGAME project team shared an update on their first year's activities and achievements:

ENDGAME project@endgame-project.bsky.social

The first year of our ENDGAME project concluded at the end of August – and what a year it has been! To celebrate this wonderful first year, we wanted to share an update of what we have achieved during this time: projects.tuni.fi/endgame/news... We are funded by the Research Council of Finland.

tuni.fiOASIS Talks • OASISOASIS hosts various talks on academic and non-academic topics. These talks are always free and open to everyone. We try to live […]

Our next Oasis Talk happens on next Tuesday 29 September at 12pm UTC+3. Chiara Locatelli, our visiting researcher from the University of Bergamo, will be talking about texts for character creation in larp. Check out the details: www.tuni.fi/oasis/oasis-... See the first comment for how to join! ⬇️

youtube.comoasis_tuniOASIS is a social learning space and living lab at the Tampere University. OASIS is the home for Game Research Lab game and book collection and a meeting point for students, staff and visitors of the ...

This talk is fully open and free to attend! Here's how to join: 🌴 In person: At the OASIS space in Pinni B building of Tampere University city centre campus (Kanslerinrinne 1) 💻 Through the online stream: www.youtube.com/@oasis_tuni/...

doi.orgMisleading and Harmful Mobile Game Advertising on Facebook | Games: Research and PracticeMisleading marketing practices have become increasingly common in advertisements for mobile games. To investigate this phenomenon, this study takes an explorative, in-depth approach and analyses a sel...

New research from our team! Our University Lecturer Kati Alha's (@katialha.bsky.social) article 'Misleading and Harmful Mobile Game Advertising on Facebook' is now out: doi.org/10.1145/3821...

The results were reflected with UK advertising industry self-regulation code which showed that regulation can counter most of the discrepancies. However, in practice the regulatory system currently targets only individual advertisements, has limited effect, and has not been able to turn the trend.

Alha was also one of the editors of this special issue on game advertising for ACM Games: Research and Practice. Check out the full issue here: dl.acm.org/toc/games/20...

dl.acm.orgdl.acm.org

New research from our team! Our University Lecturer Kati Alha's (@katialha.bsky.social) article 'Misleading and Harmful Mobile Game Advertising on Facebook' is now out: doi.org/10.1145/3821...

The results reveal that the problematic aspects can be roughly divided into 3 main categories: misleading content, harmful or offensive content, and omission of information. All main parts of a game, i.e. audiovisuals, gameplay, user experience, and narrative, can be portrayed in a deceptive way.

Furthermore, advertisements feature content such as domestic violence and objectifying women and omit material information such as the existence of in-app purchases.

New research from our team! Our University Lecturer Kati Alha's (@katialha.bsky.social) article 'Misleading and Harmful Mobile Game Advertising on Facebook' is now out: doi.org/10.1145/3821...

Misleading marketing practices have become increasingly common in advertisements for mobile games. To investigate this phenomenon, this study takes an explorative, in-depth approach and analyses a selection of 60 advertisements shown on Facebook, comparing them to the 12 mobile games they represent.

youtu.beTaru – Tampere University Research Centre for Communication SciencesYouTube video by Tampere University

9 Sept

We are proud to be part of Taru - Tampere University Research Centre for Communication Sciences You can read more about our research centre here: research.tuni.fi/communicatio...

7 Sept

Our next Oasis Talk happens on Thursday 10 September at 12pm UTC+3. Karin Kukkonen from the University of Oslo will discuss the use of games as devices for creating literary fiction in the salons of 17th century Paris (including optional salon game activity!). Read more: www.tuni.fi/oasis/oasis-...

7 Sept

This talk is fully open and free to attend! You can join in person at the OASIS space in Pinni B building of Tampere University city centre campus (Kanslerinrinne 1). Unfortunately, there is no live stream for this talk.

tuni.fiOASIS Talks • OASISOASIS hosts various talks on academic and non-academic topics. These talks are always free and open to everyone. We try to live […]

31 Aug

Our first Oasis Talk of the new academic year is taking place on Thursday this week (3 September) at 12pm UTC+3. Francesca Berti from the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano will be discussing Playfulness in Education. Read more: www.tuni.fi/oasis/oasis-... See the first comment for how to join! ⬇️

31 Aug

areena.yle.fiSuomen pelialalla vallitsee kaksijakoinen tilanne | Ylen aamuSuomen peliala on tullut tunnetuksi aiemmin vahvasta mobiiliosaamisestaan, kaikki muistavat esimerkiksi Angry Birdsin. Nykyään suomalaiset pelihitit ovat kuitenkin usein yhden tai muutaman kehittäjän ...

14 Aug

Miten Suomen pelialalla pyyhkii? Professorimme Olli Sotamaa (@sotamaa.bsky.social) keskusteli tänään aiheesta Ylen aamussa: areena.yle.fi/1-78473577

doi.orgCultural Game Studies | Critical Approaches | Frans Mäyrä, Raine KoskiCultural Game Studies provides a comprehensive framework for understanding games and play as interconnected cultural phenomena, examining their roles as art,

We are thrilled to announce that the collection Cultural game studies: Critical approaches, edited by Frans Mäyrä (@fransmayra.bsky.social) and Raine Koskimaa is now published and openly available: doi.org/10.4324/9781... #GameStudies #GameResearch 1/6

Overall, the book’s comprehensive approach opens new perspectives for cultural analysis and provides tools for understanding how games increasingly permeate and inform modern society and culture. 5/6

This book includes many contributions from our current and past colleagues at the Tampere University Game Research Lab and the Centre of Excellence of Game Culture Studies. Our heartfelt thanks and congratulations to the editors and all contributors! 6/6

The book delivers a societally and culturally informed critical framework that supports nuanced understanding of game cultures and their scholarship. Rather than studying games or players in isolation, it contextualises the uses, design, and meanings of play as an interconnected whole. 3/6

Readers will gain detailed insights into the scholarly history of game studies and its key methodologies, while exploring essential themes including player identities, game production, cultural literacy, and game preservation. 4/6

Cultural Game Studies provides a comprehensive framework for understanding games and play as interconnected cultural phenomena, examining their roles as art, entertainment, and human experience within contemporary society. 2/6

areena.yle.fiMiksi roolipelaaminen on suositumpaa kuin koskaan | KulttuuriykkönenVasta vähän yli 50 vuotta vanha kulttuurin, taiteen ja viihteen laji on nyt suositumpi kuin koskaan. Tänään keskustellaan siitä, miksi roolipelit ovat nyt niin suosittuja ja myös siitä, mitä peleistä...

23 July

Väitöskirjatutkijamme Jukka Särkijärvi (@nitessine.bsky.social) osallistui Ylen Kulttuuriykkösen keskusteluun siitä, miksi roolipelaaminen on nyt suositumpaa kuin koskaan. Kuuntele keskustelu Yle Areenassa: areena.yle.fi/1-78136305

3 July

Call Out for Playful Forest Research Participants! Join us this summer to explore Tampere’s #Kauppi forest, play a ‘treasure hunt’ style game, and test a deliberately low-tech AI device as you make decisions on how the forest should develop or be protected.

3 July

The study involves four early evening sessions in Kauppi forest between late July and early September, but you can take part in as many (or few) sessions as you like. If you are interested in taking part in this research, please contact our Postdoctoral Researcher Jamie Harper: james.harper@tuni.fi

3 July

This project is supported by DigiSus, Tampere University’s research platform for Digital and Sustainability Transitions in Society: research.tuni.fi/digisus/news...

ugsn.carrd.coUkrainian Game Studies NetworkHere, you can learn about Ukrainian Game Studies Network (UGSN), find a membership registration link and contact the responsible organizers.

2 July

Our researcher Mark Maletska (@markmaletska.bsky.social) is coordinating this new Ukrainian Game Studies Network. Read more and spread the word to Ukrainian #GameStudies / #GameResearch scholars and students in Ukraine and abroad: ugsn.carrd.co

23 June

We are thrilled to announce our Postdoctoral Researcher Joleen Blom (@jjol33n.bsky.social) being awarded an Academy Research Fellowship for 2026–2030 by the Research Council of Finland #SuomenAkatemia! Find out more about Joleen's GenGam project: gameresearchlab.tuni.fi/blom-academy...

gameresearchlab.tuni.fiGamelab at DiGRA 2026The DiGRA 2026 conference on the theme ‘intersectional pleasures’ will be organised 14–18 June in Maynooth, Ireland. Our research group is well represented at the event – here we have c…

12 June

The DiGRA Conference 2026 on the theme ‘intersectional pleasures’ will be organised 14–18 June in Maynooth, Ireland. Our research group is well represented at the event – here we have collected a list of the 16 presentations featuring our team members: gameresearchlab.tuni.fi/gamelab-at-d...

@thaisweiller.bsky.social

19 June

We have now updated links to all our published DiGRA 2026 extended abstracts and full papers here: gameresearchlab.tuni.fi/gamelab-at-d...

Game Research Lab reposted

Thais Weiller

dl.digra.org It's all a skinner box? Typical core loop and Operant Conditioning | DiGRA Digital Library

Replying to @thaisweiller.bsky.social

The article is online!!! If you want to know more about why many games make you want to play more even after just a few minutes, here you go: dl.digra.org/index.php/dl...

Game Research Lab reposted

matildastahl.bsky.social

@matildastahl.bsky.social

Some highlights from DiGRA 2026 in Maynooth, Ireland: the beautiful old campus, @mellowne.bsky.social presenting his first peer-reviewed paper (proud supervisor moment!) and having the opportunity to represent SURVIVE together with @amayer.bsky.social and @rainforestsb.bsky.social!

Game Research Lab reposted

klaakso.bsky.social

@klaakso.bsky.social

My first ever DiGRA in Maynooth. Talked about my Phd work here with the descriptive but somewhat monster of a title "the gendered differences in the connections between game streaming and gaming motivations throughout adolescence"

Yesterday at DiGRA 2026, our group members presented a talk 'How to Play Academia: Conceptual and methodological observations,' inviting lively discussion on values and practices in play and being played in academic environments – particularly from the perspective of early career researchers. 1/2

dl.digra.org How to Play Academia: Conceptual and methodological observations | DiGRA Digital Library

This work is jointly authored by Olli Sotamaa, Maximilian Brückner, Hanne Grasmo, Johanna Koljonen, Markus Kämäräinen, Jukka Särkijärvi, Essi Taino, and Thais Weiller. You can find the published abstract here: dl.digra.org/index.php/dl... 2/2

Game Research Lab reposted

Joleen Blom

@jjol33n.bsky.social

15 June

Now that the Finnish public research database has been updated with the complete information, I can announce that I won the 2026 Academy Research Fellowship for the 4-year GenGam: Gendered Gam(bl)ing project.

Game Research Lab reposted

Thais Weiller

@thaisweiller.bsky.social

15 June

Btw, if you are at #DiGRA2026, it is today! Yey!

Game Research Lab reposted

ENDGAME project

@endgame-project.bsky.social

16 June

Our team is enjoying the DiGRA 2026 conference in Maynooth! We presented our work on 'Intersectional pleasures and limits of game cultural participation and belonging in Finland' and are also involved in several other presentations and workshops. Our work is funded by the RCF #SuomenAkatemia.

12 June

12 June

Our team members are also involved in organising and presenting at several workshops. We are looking forward to presenting these recent research projects conducted within our group as well as learning more and discussing about the current game studies initiatives and insights from around the world!

tuni.zoom.usJoin our Cloud HD Video MeetingZoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

10 June

Please note that while we cannot provide our usual stream for this talk due to the summer break season, it will be possible to join online via Zoom: tuni.zoom.us/j/6943800107...

Game Research Lab@gameresearchlab.bsky.social

Our next OASIS Lunchtime Talk will happen this Thursday 11 June at 12.00–13.00 UTC+3! Camilla Rinciari will deliver a talk on 'The Myth of Democratization: A Comparative Analysis of Unity and Roblox Studio.' Read more here: www.tuni.fi/oasis/oasis-... This talk is fully open and free to attend!

tuni.fiOASIS Talks • OASISOASIS hosts various talks on academic and non-academic topics. These talks are always free and open to everyone. We try to live […]

Book launch news! Read this thread for OA link and launch event details. Our researcher @matildastahl.bsky.social and Fredrik Rusk have published an OA #GameStudies book 'Learning and Identity in Competitive Gaming – An Empirical and Methodological Discussion.' Book launch event this Friday 12 June!

link.springer.comLearning and Identity in Competitive GamingThis open access book presents insights into young people’s learning and identity processes in competitive gaming contexts

The book is openly available at: link.springer.com/book/10.1007...

tuni.fiE-urheilijat dokumentoivat omaa pelaamistaan tutkimukseen – yhteisö opettaa uusia pelaajia | Tampereen yliopistoTutkimus osoittaa, että viestintä on keskeisessä roolissa joukkuepelaamisessa ja että Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) -pelin pelaaminen tarjoaa nuorille merkityksellisen tavan rakentaa yht...

SUOMEKSI: E-urheilijat dokumentoivat omaa pelaamistaan tutkimukseen – yhteisö opettaa uusia pelaajia. Lue Matilda Ståhlin ja Fredrik Ruskin avoimesta uutuuskirjasta ja tutkimuksesta sen taustalla: www.tuni.fi/fi/tau/ajank... Osallistu julkkareihin pe 12.6. klo 14: www.vapriikki.fi/tapahtuu/kir...

tuni.fiGamers documented their gameplay for research – In competitive gaming, learning takes place within the community | Tampere UniversityThe study finds that playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) together provides a meaningful way for young people to build community through the co-construction of player identities. Howeve...

Ståhl & Rusk found that playing CS:GO together provides a meaningful way for young people to build community through the co-construction of player identities. However, offensive language during gameplay can create a hostile environment for marginalised groups. Read more: www.tuni.fi/en/tau/news-...