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Welcome to Game Studies for Everyone, the podcast where complex game research becomes accessible to everyone! Join our co-hosts as they break down cutting-edge research in games and interactive media. Each 15 to 20 minute episode transforms academic findings into bite-sized, engaging discussions that everyone can enjoy. Whether you’re a gamer, developer, or just curious about the science behind the games you love, Game Studies for Everyone is your go-to source for easy-to-digest insights. No ...
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Games You Should Know: Breaking Boundaries and the Surprising Impact of Stolen Kisses
14:49
14:49
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14:49
In this episode, we explore the groundbreaking mobile game Stolen Kisses, designed to upend the heteronormative tropes of traditional affection games and create a more inclusive, diverse experience for players. Developed as both a game and a social experiment, Stolen Kisses offers a variety of characters for players to engage with, challenging norm…
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Games You Should Know: Emoji, Literature, and Play: The Game of Meaning
7:00
7:00
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7:00
What happens when you adapt a literary classic into a game using only emoji? In this episode, we dive into The Unbearable Lightness of Meaning, a game inspired by Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being. We explore how this innovative adaptation uses emoji as its primary storytelling tool, pushing the boundaries of what these tiny symbols…
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Games you should Know: Unplaying War: The Radical Mechanics of 'Healer
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7:00
In this episode, we explore a fascinating case study from the "Critical Gameplay" series, focusing on the video game Healer and its bold reimagining of what it means to play. Healer challenges the traditional mechanics of war games by flipping the script—players aren’t there to fight; they’re there to heal. Through its innovative "unshooting" mecha…
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Breaking the Game: The Power of Critical Games in Challenging Conventions
20:54
20:54
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20:54
What happens when games go beyond fun and entertainment to challenge societal norms and player expectations? In this episode, we dive into the growing field of "critical games," a transformative genre in the video game industry. These aren't your typical games; designed with a critical lens, they disrupt conventional gameplay to provoke thought and…
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Code & Creativity: Unveiling the Philosophy Behind Software Design
15:25
15:25
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15:25
Ever wondered how the software you use shapes your creativity? In this episode, we unpack a thought-provoking study from the International Journal of the Humanities that dives into the philosophy behind software design. The author reveals how every design choice in software isn’t just functional—it’s philosophical, influencing how we create and int…
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Games as Art, in Scotlands Blank Arcade 2016
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Step into the immersive world of digital games and interactive art with our latest episode, where we dive deep into Blank Arcade 2016, an early and pioneering exhibition that showcased games as art worthy of the gallery space. Join us as we explore the catalog's most captivating entries, guided by curators Lindsay Grace and Emilie Reed, who highlig…
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Play with Purpose: Unraveling the Art of Critical Gameplay Design
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12:00
In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of "critical gameplay design," an innovative form of game development that challenges the norms of traditional gaming. Discover how critical gameplay is more than just entertainment; it's a powerful platform for questioning societal values and sparking conversations about social and political issu…
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Breaking the Mold: Enculturation and Creativity With Games and Creative Software
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7:00
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7:00
Are the cultural norms of the art world stifling true creative breakthroughs? In this thought-provoking episode, we dive into Lindsay Grace's exploration of enculturation and its impact on artistic production. Grace pulls back the curtain on the culture of art critique, academic consensus, and the processes that shape how creativity unfolds. She di…
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Games Beyond Play: Exploring the Art of Blank Arcade 2014
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19:35
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19:35
Dive into the world where gaming meets art in our latest episode! We explore the fascinating catalog of Blank Arcade 2014, an extraordinary showcase from the Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA) conference. This collection highlights early examples of games as artistic and conceptual expressions, pushing boundaries far beyond traditional play…
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Level Up: Blank Arcade 2015 – Exploring the Art of Games
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12:05
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12:05
Dive into the groundbreaking world of Blank Arcade 2015, a second event showcasing games as you’ve never seen before. In this episode, we uncover how this experimental exhibition transforms traditional game design into a powerful art form. From the physical challenge of 'Shapes,' a neurorehabilitation game that redefines physical therapy, to the di…
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Game On: Curating Digital Art in the 21st Century
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In this episode, we explore the challenges and opportunities of exhibiting interactive media in today's museums and galleries. Drawing from her extensive global experience organizing game art exhibitions, Grace breaks down the different approaches—exhibitions, festivals, and showcases—revealing the strengths and limitations of each. We dive into th…
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The Rise of eSports: Mental Agility and the Shift in Modern Values
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15:18
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15:18
In this episode, we dive deep into the world of eSports, exploring how its rapid rise mirrors evolving social values in the digital age. We’ll discuss how eSports, much like traditional sports, showcase exceptional skills—but with a twist. Instead of physical dominance, eSports champions mental agility, strategic thinking, and problem-solving prowe…
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Games, Addiction, and Violence: Unpacking the Moral Panics
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11:02
In this episode, we dive into the ongoing debate surrounding video games and their impact on society. From accusations of fostering addiction to claims of inciting violence, games have long been a target of moral panics. But how much of this is rooted in fact, and how much in fear? Join us as we explore the history of moral panics, the science behi…
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Can Games Keep Up with the News? Inside the Newsjam Experiment
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7:25
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In this episode of Game Studies for Everyone, we explore the exciting potential of newsgames as a tool for delivering timely news in a fast-paced media world. Based on a Newsjam—a 36-hour event where participants collaborated to create newsgames based on current events. Can games be created quickly and effectively by non-experts? We’ll discuss the …
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Newsgames: The Future of News Delivery or Too Much for Newsrooms?
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In this episode of Game Studies for Everyone, we explore the fascinating world of newsgames and how they’re reshaping the way we consume news. Using a case study from a major national newspaper, we dive into the challenges of creating newsgames—from the fast pace of news to the evolving game literacy of audiences. We’ll also discuss the exciting op…
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The Rise of Newsgames: Exploring the State of Interactive Games & Journalism
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We dive into the "State of Newsgames 2020" report, which analyzes 50 newsgames from 2015 to 2020. Discover how interactive news experiences use familiar game mechanics to tackle real-world topics in short, shareable formats. We'll explore the editorial nature of newsgames, their aesthetic qualities, and how they’re shaping the future of news storyt…
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5-Minute Games You Should Know: Playable Polls – A New Era of Opinion Gathering Through Games
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What if gathering public opinion could be fun and interactive? In this episode, we dive into the groundbreaking research of Lindsay Grace, who explores the use of games as polling systems. Grace introduces the concept of playable polls—interactive games designed to collect player opinions and sentiment in a more engaging and effective way than trad…
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Microgames vs. Health Misinformation: A Game-Changing Approach
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14:23
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14:23
In this episode, we dive into an innovative research project that explores how microgames can combat health misinformation in vulnerable communities. The researchers behind the study developed three unique microgame prototypes—a trivia game, a social media simulation, and an interactive fiction narrative—each designed to engage and educate players.…
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Part 2 of Fake News: Combatting Misinformation & Disinformation Through Video Games
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n this second installment of our series, we continue to delve into the world of misinformation and disinformation games, but this time, we’re focusing on the powerful emotional and psychological effects these games can elicit. Using Excitation Transfer Theory and Transportation Theory, we’ll explore how emotions, empathy, and narrative immersion pl…
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Part 1 of Fake News: Combatting Misinformation & Disinformation Through Video Games
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In this exciting debut of our series on misinformation and disinformation, we dive into the world of disinformation games—engaging, thought-provoking interventions designed to combat the spread of fake news. We'll explore how these games are harnessing the power of play to change the way we interact with media, focusing on two major communication t…
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Breaking the Rules: How Critical Indie Games Challenge the Status Quo
1:09:35
1:09:35
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In this episode of Game Studies for Everyone, we explore the critical design movement in indie games, led by visionary artists like Nicky Case, Lindsay Grace, and Zach Gage. These games push the boundaries of traditional game design, using gameplay to critique social conventions and question player assumptions. We’ll break down the key traits of cr…
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Indie Games as Poetry: A New Way to See Play
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In this episode of Game Studies for Everyone, we explore a fascinating perspective from the 2011 Digital Games Research Association Conference, : Are indie games the poetry of the gaming world? We'll dive into how independent games use poetic elements like meter, metaphor, and personification to create unique player experiences. Discover how compar…
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Gaming Against Fake News: 5 Minute Games You Should Know
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4:27
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In this episode, we explore how the game Factitious helps players sharpen their news literacy skills. Discover how over 500,000 players identified fake news, and the surprising patterns revealed about age, education, and performance in fighting misinformation through playful learning. Based on https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3290607.3299046…
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In this episode, we explore how games can lead social change by encouraging problem-solving, shifting perspectives, and inspiring action. Learn how playful strategies help tackle complex societal issues across education, policy, health, and more. Grace, L. 2024, The Patterns of Games for Leading Social Change. Journal of Leadership Studies. https:/…
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Persuasive Play: Changing Society Through Games
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9:58
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In this episode, we explore how persuasive games can influence societal change. Learn how games designed with macro, micro, and meta-persuasive strategies challenge norms and offer new ways to impact politics, culture, and more. From Grace, L.D. 2021, Micro, Macro and Meta-Persuasive Play to Change Society, in Persuasive Gaming in Context. Amsterda…
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Playing the System: Immigration, Games, and Investigative Journalism
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13:03
In this episode of GS-E, we explore how interactive narratives and newsgames explain the complexities of the U.S. immigration system. Discover how a game, based on the Panama and Paradise Papers, uses persuasive play to unpack systemic biases in immigration policies between 2017–2021, reaching over 45,000 players with its engaging, investigative ap…
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Playing as Rebellion: Games Channel Civil Disobedience and Work within Politics
11:06
11:06
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11:06
In this episode of GS-E, we dive into a fascinating intersection of play and protest. What does it mean to play as an act of rebellion? We’ll explore how parkour, skateboarding, and skywalking defy authority and embrace civil disobedience, both in the real world and in video games. Using examples from popular parkour and skateboarding games, we bre…
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