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< Back The Basic Needs in Games (BANG) Model of Video Game Play and Mental Health Link Author(s) N Ballou, S Deterding Abstract More info TBA Link

< Back Player Expectations of Strategy Game AI Link Author(s) D Gomme Abstract More info TBA Link

A Word from The iGGi Director iGGi is a collaboration between Uni of York + Queen Mary Uni of London: the largest training programme worldwide for doing a PhD in digital games. A Word from the Director Welcome to iGGi! Below are a few words about the vision for iGGi, about who funds iGGi and why, and about why i GGi can be a force for good in a sometimes turbulent world. iGGi is short for the “EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Intelligent Games and Game Intelligence” (EPSRC is short for “Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council”). You can see why the name iGGi stuck! In , 120 PhD students spend 4 years learning cool stuff and conducting research in topics related to games and the games industry, working with 100 UK games companies . The big vision for iGGi is to inject research innovations and innovative researchers into the games industry. There is a strong economic argument for this, and there are even stronger social and cultural reasons. So where did iGGi come from and what is the vision that allowed us to win £30 million for games research? In the early 2000s, the games research community went through a huge growth spurt (which continues to this day). The economic, social and cultural power of video games meant that politicians and funders could no longer brush games aside as kid’s stuff. An opportunity arose in 2013 with the announcement of a competition for funding around 100 centres for PhD research in a focussed area of science or engineering. While it was clear that the call would be massively oversubscribed and very competitive, games seemed a good fit given the rise and rise of the financial size of the games market and the growing research community. We had more and more friends and contacts in the games industry. And we had shown that games could be funded at scale via projects such as UCT (£1.5 million) and NEMOG (1.2 million). A group of people from across academia and industry, with an interest in games research, came together to submit a bid and form a consortium. Our joint goal was to “make better games” and “make games better”. My role in this (as ‘Principal Investigator’) was as a synthesiser of ideas, as a recruiter of people who shared and refined these ideas, and as a writer and lobbyist who could package them up for referees who almost certainly lacked enthusiasm for games research. So how can we summarise the iGGi vision? The ‘IG’ in iGGi stands for ‘Intelligent Games’ - using research advances to make better games that provide richer, more fun experiences. The ‘GI’ in iGGi stands for ‘Game Intelligence’ - research which uses games to understand and inform people. In more detail: the following two paragraphs, from the 2013 iGGi bid, were probably among the most carefully written of the text in the whole bid document (redrafted dozens of times): Our vision is twofold: Intelligent Games: iGGi PhDs, investigators and collaborators will use research advances to seed the creation of a new generation of more intelligent and engaging digital games, to underpin the distinctiveness and growth of the UK games industry. We will weave technical and creative disciplines: using games as an application area to advance research in areas including artificial intelligence and computational creativity; human-computer interaction; interactive sound, graphics and narrative; robotics, agents and complex systems. The study of intelligent games will be underpinned by new business models and by research advances in data mining (game analytics) which can exploit vast volumes of gameplay data. Game Intelligence: iGGi PhDs, investigators and collaborators will investigate games as a medium to achieve scientific and societal goals, working with user groups and the games industry to produce new genres of games which can yield therapeutic, educational and social benefits and using games to seed a new era of scientific experimentation into human preference and interaction. We will create new games to conduct large-scale analysis of individual behaviour, leading to better understanding in economics, psychology, sociology, biology and human-computer interaction. We will build games which promote physical and mental health and educational achievement, underpinned by advances in mobile technology and data mining. This vision was refined and updated for the 2018 iGGi resubmission, especially given the enormous advances in machine learning and the cultural and social successes of games, but the text above remains a good overview of the high-level iGGi vision. But a vision is relatively static, and now, of course, iGGi is a community of brilliant, fun, caring, intelligent, curious research students, supported by staff and industry partners. So maybe the best way to find out more about iGGi is to read more about a few of them… I look forward to talking about games research with you! Peter Cowling iGGi Director Professor of AI, Queen Mary University of London

< Back iGGi Research Retreat "Unconference" Group Outcomes Generative AI, Abstraction and Epistemology The "Problem" Coming up with the skeleton of a 50-60 minute presentation for technologists in the former CIS region about the topic. What we did There was a lot of brainstorming about the three topics and how they link together. A Keynote presentation was produced, and then four sheets of flip-chart paper. We iterated on the content several times, attempting to join it all together in a coherent whole. The "Outcome" We found that this is a rich field that may yield actually yield a paper. The lack of understanding about epistemology in the wider field is quite evident, and this informs poor choices about the value and content of generative AI. Since AI is seeking to "be" human and "do" human things, ideally better and/or faster than humans, but without a sound understanding of what it means to be human this is unlikely to succeed. AI is NOT human, it is a simulacrum of a part of human nature, that which can be subject to reduction. It is effective at the correct point of abstraction but it is without context outside of that point. Previous Next Previous Next

We are "Welcoming inclusive Games & Games inclusivity (WiGGi). Our members are staff and students working within the iGGi programme, which is an interdisciplinary team of researchers working in video games research. iGGi WiGGi - Welcoming inclusive Games and Games inclusivity - Introducing WiGGi We are Welcoming inclusive Games and Games inclusivity (WiGGi). We strongly believe that working in video games, whether that be in an academic setting or in industry, should be an inclusive and friendly environment where underrepresented groups (ethnic or cultural minorities, minority genders, religious background etc) especially can thrive and be heard. WiGGi holds the advocacy for these underrepresented groups in video games at the forefront of its agenda, making sure that events we plan, organisations we partner with and the topics we address are topical and engaging for people of a range of backgrounds. Our members are staff and students working within the iGGi programme, which is an interdisciplinary team of researchers working in video games research. We hold meetings every Wednesday, as well as roundtable discussions we call ‘Firesides’ every so often to talk with a range of people about a given relevant topic. For example, one of our Firesides discussed ‘Video games for positive change’. Get involved We would love to partner with more organisations that share a similar goal, or invite in more video game researchers or industry to take part in our events. If you would like to know more or get involved in some way, please contact us via our email: . WiGGi Members Tania Dales Tamsin Isaac Susanne Binder Prakriti Nayak Océane Lissillour Nicole Levermore Lauren Winter Dr Raluca Gaina Alex Flint BLOG Fireside Chat on Video Games for Positive Change Our most recent fireside discussed ‘Video games for positive change’. Our fireside chat on video games for social change was an engaging and thought-provoking discussion. We delved deeply into the representation of women in video games and explored how these portrayals impact our gaming experiences. This focus sparked an exchange of diverse perspectives, highlighting how inclusive representation can shape and transform player engagement. Each participant brought unique insights on how characters and narratives influence players’ connection to games and reflect broader social themes. Through this dialogue, we gained a richer understanding of how thoughtfully crafted games can inspire change and foster empathy, creating a more inclusive gaming culture for everyone.

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Academic Pathways into Games iGGi is a collaboration between Uni of York + Queen Mary Uni of London: the largest training programme worldwide for doing a PhD in digital games. Academic Avenues into Games You are interested in pursuing Games as an academic career or would like to complement your CV with an academic degree in Games. But.. ...iGGi is no longer recruiting! "What now??" you ask. iGGi has recruited its last of (a total of) 10 cohorts in 2023 as the 2x5 years of scheduled intakes have been completed, and there is no funding for any further cohorts. Many of you have since contacted us to ask if there are other academic avenues into Games. So we thought we'd dedicate a page (this one) to this very topic, and lay out the options available to you via the iGGi partner universities. At Queen Mary University of London Bachelor Degree: BSc Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Masters Degree: MSc Computer Games PhD: The Game AI Research Group (GAIG) at Queen Mary University of London Also check out our list of suitable supervisors at QMUL on our iGGi Supervisor page (you can filter by location, and/or research theme) At the University of York Bachelor Degree: BSc Interactive Media Masters Degree: MA Digital Media and Culture MA Social Media and Management PhD: For suitable supervisors at UoY check out our iGGi Supervisor page (you can filter by location, and/or research theme) At the University of Essex Bachelor Degree: BSc Computer Games BSc Computer Games (incl. foundation year) Masters Degree: MSc Computer Games PhD: For suitable supervisors at Essex check out our iGGi Supervisor page (you can filter by location, and/or research theme) At Goldsmiths, University of London Bachelor Degree: BSc Games Development BSc Computer Games Programming BSc Creative Computing BSc Digital Arts Computing Masters Degree: MA Games and Playful Design MA Computer Games: Art & Design MA Computational Arts MA/BSc Virtual & Augmented Reality PhD: MPhil/PhD Arts & Computational Technology at Goldsmiths For suitable supervisors at Goldsmiths check out our iGGi Supervisor page (you can filter by location, and/or research theme) Funding Funding your studies can be a challenging endeavor at any level, but given our existing scope of Postgraduate level, the below points relate specifically to financing PhD studies. In the UK, there are six different types of funding sources to consider for financing a PhD: Government Funding through organisations such as the UKRI (iGGi, for instance, is a PhD programme funded by the EPSRC , which is one of UKRI's nine councils) >>> check out the UKRI Funding Finder Postgraduate Research Loans , available to individual PhD students >>> check out gov.uk's Doctoral Loan info page Most universities offer a very limited amount of their own "Studentships " and it is best to contact the respective university (or even the department) directly to find out more Charities and Trusts support individual PhD students through the award of Scholarships and Bursaries >>> check out the turn2us search tool which offers a custom-search-able database of grants you might qualify for Companies may directly investing in research projects that are of business interest to them and partner with a relevant university, or directly sponsor a PhD student And of course, if this is an option available to you, you can try and self-fund your course Games Courses at non-iGGi Universities There are many other universities in the UK that offer games-related courses, the below links are but a small selection, just to give you a starting point. Please note that this is not intended to be a ranking or particular recommendation in any way, and that the listing is merely based on our recent collaborations, interactions, and existing contacts with individuals or specific projects at these institutions. King's College London >> King's Institute for Artificial Intelligence University of Abertay >> Department of Games and Arts University College London >> Cinematic and Videogame Architecture University of the Arts London >> Game Design University of Hertfordshire >> 3D Games Art & Design University of East London >> Game Programming University of Staffordshire >> Games Courses Birmingham City University >> Game Studies You can also check out this games map website from Ukie which lists, among other games-relevant entities, academic institutions that offer games courses.

Industry Info iGGi is a collaboration between Uni of York + Queen Mary Uni of London: the largest training programme worldwide for doing a PhD in digital games. Industry Info iGGi is excited to be working with a wide range of partners from Industry and Academia to facilitate Knowledge Exchange. These collaborations take shape in multiple ways, but some of the most common include: > iGGi Conference: The next iGGi Conference takes place 10+11 Sep 2025 at the University of York . The iGGi Conference is an annual public event (registration necessary). Existing iGGi PG Researchers present their current work via exhibition and talks. Keynote speakers and panellists include members of Games Industry and iGGi Alumni. The iGGi Conference has become a niche networking platform for Games Industry and the wider Games Community. Importantly, we will have dedicated time slot for Networking on both Conference Day 1 + 2 (Wednesday and Thursday) . In the conference registration form, we ask all attendees to complete a mini-bio about themselves which we will make available to all conference guests on the day. The idea is that PG Researchers and Industry Members get an opportunity for informal 1-2-1 conversation, for either general chat, Knowledge Exchange, finding placement matches, or post-doc positions. Find more info about the iGGi Con 2025 on its dedicated website at www.iggi2025.org If you or your company are interested in participating in the Conference, please indicate so when you complete the conference registration form or contact iGGi Industry Liaison Susanne Binder directly via email. > iGGi Placements: During their time at iGGi, each PG Researcher will spend a minimum of 8 weeks (but typically around 3+ months) on placement. Companies who have hired iGGi PG Researchers for this type of Knowledge Exchange include big players such as Google Deep Mind, Microsoft, and Sony, but also a number of SMEs like Splash Damage, Revolution Software, Ninja Theory, and Die Gute Fabrik Story Tech. Follow this link to see iGGi PG Researchers who are currently available for placement. You can also check out our Testimonial page . > iGGi Seminars/Workshops: iGGi Seminars and Workshops are held at regular intervals throughout the year in various formats (i.e. online, in person, hybrid). They include Talks by invited guest speakers from industry or academia, Workshops organised by either our researchers/supervisors or one of our partners, Panels with up to four contributors, Demos on a specific technical topic or developed game, Hackathons on a problem defined by an Industry Partner, and Masterclasses. C ontact iGGi Industry Liaison Susanne Binder if you are interested in running a workshop or seminar for iGGi. > iGGi Projects/Co-funding: Companies such as Microsoft, Creative Assembly, and Square Enix have defined research projects based on a complex problem relevant to them; this has resulted in several successful (ongoing) collaborations where iGGi PGRs’ research proposals were matched to fit the respective project. In a few cases, the respecitve company decided to co-fund a studentship in return for research collaboration/IP rights. We are always looking for Industry to provide new research direction ideas and tell us about their research needs. > iGGi Supervision Teams: We strongly support the idea that each iGGi PGR’s supervision team should include at least one external supervisor, ideally someone who is actively working/engaged in the Games Industry. > Post-PhD Industry Positions: W ith a steady trickle of iGGi PG Researchers who are completing their doctorate, we can help promote post-PhD positions which an Industry Partner wishes to advertise; we can help put the partner in touch with any potentially matching candidates. Follow this link to see iGGi PG Researchers who are currently looking for post-PhD job opportunities. > Sponsorship of Events: Industry Partners can sponsor either a whole iGGi event or an element thereof, in return for a customised package (e.g., marketing). iGGi can provide further info on request. > Hosting iGGi at your Studio/Office: iGGi always welcomes invitations to offices of games studios and companies for a chance to look behind the scenes. In the past, such visits were often combined with an iGGi PG Researcher giving a short talk to the company's staff and/or vice versa, but the format is quite open. If your company/studio would like to host iGGi for a short visit, please get in touch ! > Engaging with iGGi Research by using iGGi Publications as a Resource: Over the last 10 years, iGGi PG Researchers have published a substantial amount of their research in the shape of conference papers, journal papers, book chapters, workshops, and of course their thesis, along other types of publication. We have created a searchable database for this body of work; feel free to browse it! ------ There are many ways for our industry partners to work with iGGi. If you are interested in becoming involved, please do contact us so we can discuss what might be suitable for you.

< Back iGGi Research Retreat "Unconference" Group Outcomes Trust and Freedom in Transformative Games The "Problem" Generating a sense of trust is important in order to communicate in a way that can have a transformative effect. The group discussed how games build or break trust and the factors involved in creating tustworthy games. What we did The group discussed different gaming experiences that had built or broken trust and the gameplay involved. We discussed the importance of trust and also a sense of freedom for players to feel secure in their user journey through a game. Finally, we discussed how we could outline a model for game development for developers aiming to create transformative games. The "Outcome" The group agreed that most gaming experiences can benefit from ensuring that players can take a break during the game in order to either reflect or emotionally process the experience. This should be easy to do, and not hidden inside complex menus, so that the player feels they have the freedom to escape from the experience at any time. It will help to build trust as it will help players feel more secure. Building a sense of trust is important for games that have the intention of delivering transformative experiences, but not as much for other gaming experiences. Games primarily created to entertain can trick and scare players in order to generate suspense and interest. However, such effects are likely to lessen the learning for the player. The less the player feels in charge, the less likely the game is of providing the context for a personal learning experience. At the same time, transformative games need to be motivating and many also use more shocking effects to bring their point across. Players can be tricked into doing immoral acts, either gradually building towards such a point or as a sudden surprise. While such situations can feel very manipulative and potentially trust-breaking, they can be very effective if the player feels that the gaming experience as a whole is trustworthy and relevant. Games like Lucas Pope's "Papers, Please", Brenda Romero's "Train" and 11Bit Studio's "This War of Mine" are relevant examples. This example underlines how trust-generation for transformative games is about creating a relationship between the creator and the player - a "player contract" - that is solid enough to allow also for surprises and player manipulation without breaking the overall sense of participating in a gaming experience that invites personal reflection. The group then discussed how to design a model that helps creators of transformative games to develop games that invite player trust and offer a sense of safety and freedom. Previous Next Previous Next

< Back iGGi Research Retreat "Unconference" Group Outcomes The Future of AI The "Problem" We discussed what the "future of AI" might look like, how it will change us as a society (for better and worse) and what possibilities it would create in the future. What we did As you can imagine, the "future of AI" is somewhat of a broad and undirected topic. Therefore in the morning we allowed free flowing conversations to see where it went and then towards the end tried to join up the threads into the things that we thought were the most worthy of further analysis and thought. In the afternoon we tackled the specifics of how to approach a game with emergent characters and stories, a topic oft dreamed of by game designers, but hitherto unattainable. The "Outcome" The morning discussions: Our discussions were wide-ranging, but the opening question captured the essence of our inquiry. From personalised AI assistants we quickly moved to the broader economics of AI — circling back again and again to two themes: whether AI can ever replicate the human experience, and the friction between the utopian ideals we project onto it and the gravitational pull of capitalism. I have sought to recount our discussion on these themes as accurately as memory allows, adding only modest(?) embellishment where it aids narrative coherence. On AI and human interaction: As someone quoted: “Do you know what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel?” (Good Will Hunting). The line reminds us that knowledge can be learned, but wisdom must be lived. Does an AI know what it is to be human? Can it ever truly understand the human experience? We are not just a collection of data points; we are a tapestry of emotions, experiences, and connections. AI can analyse patterns, but can it ever grasp the essence of what it means to be human? Human art matters because it exposes something fragile. To create is to risk oneself: to bleed, to reveal, to offer a fragment of the human condition for others to recognise. AI can imitate the form, but form without risk is mimicry. Can imitation ever supply the soul? Perhaps all we truly crave, as a species, is to be seen — to connect with each other. Yet history suggests authenticity is not always required. Chess engines long ago surpassed every human master, yet millions still prefer to watch people play. Calculators did not end mathematics; they expanded it, making it more ambitious and more accessible. Technology rarely erases human practice — but it does reframe it. The question is not only whether we can connect with AI as with another human, but whether we will still insist on doing so. AI companions and “digital girlfriends” already suggest that some are content with machine-mediated intimacy. The unsettling prospect is not that AI lacks a soul, but that we may cease to care. What happens when a generation grows up regarding “connection enough” as something delivered by code? If we defer not only thought but also empathy, attention, and intimacy to our machines, what remains distinctly human? We shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us (Culkin). On AI and economics: AI will not escape the gravitational pull of commerce. As today’s internet is financed by advertising, it is inevitable that AI systems will be bent to the same imperatives — nudging our choices, steering our attention, and monetising our interactions. Already we see the first signs: an Alexa Show inserting shopping prompts directly into the home. For all our talk of AI safety and ethics, it is commerce that drives development. But once human labour itself is displaced, what then? A utopia of leisure where we are free to follow our passions? Or a dystopia in which a minority, owning the means of cognition itself, consign the rest of us to redundancy? Could a society without labour even cohere — or would it demand a wholesale reinvention of politics, economy, and democracy itself? As we tried to weave our threads together into something coherent, this was the question that seemed most fertile for further debate. What is the politics of AI? What would a political and economic system look like that could accommodate these changes? How do we ensure that the benefits of AI are shared equitably, rather than concentrating power and wealth in the hands of a few? Our discussions were rich, unsettling, and illuminating, tracing both promise and peril. Yet the future owes no loyalty to our prophecies. The greater danger is not that AI will fail to know us, but that, in its shadow, we will lose the thread of ourselves. In the afternoon: Having solved the future of AI before lunch, we turned in the afternoon to the far more mundane task of reinventing the games industry. One of the industries evergreen obsessions is how to make characters and narratives more believable. As games grow ever more immersive, the hunger for deeper storytelling only intensifies. Yet, despite extraordinary technical progress, this is the frontier we keep failing to cross — because the obstacle is less technical, and more human. The costs of creating content are crushing. Large language models offer a tantalising shortcut: a machine that might spin endless dialogue, branching quests, even whole worlds on demand. But this promise comes bound up with limitations so profound they may be unsolvable with current methods. My own curiosity lies in a hybrid approach: using generative AI not as an all-purpose author, but as a tool to help construct traditional symbolic systems — frameworks that could give structure and coherence while still leaving room for human craft. If it worked, it might nudge us forward in this arena without the problems that come with the other approaches. But this is not a conversation one can leap into lightly. It demands deep knowledge of how games are actually made, tested, and sold, as well as a sober reckoning with both the failures and the potential of LLMs. Much of our discussion was spent simply reaching the starting line. The groups diversity produced fresh perspectives, but the depth of the subject meant we could not advance far in the time available. What did become clear was this: the problem is not just technical, it is communicative. If this debate is to progress, the challenge must be articulated in a way that is accessible beyond a narrow circle of experts. That, I realised, is the real work still ahead. Post Script: We live in a time of unprecedented change (at least in living memory). The world has enjoyed relative peace up until about 2020 but it feels like the geopolitical sands are shifting in a once-in-a-century phenomenon and such change has wide-ranging global political and economic implications for modern society broadly, but specifically within technology. This scenario is quite relevant to some of our discussions; the place and role of AI in our society is hard to gauge when our society is going through some fairly tectonic shifts. I think it will be a job for historians in the future to determine whether the emergence of advanced AI and these changes are correlation or coincidence, but it is clear that we cannot evaluate and analyse AI within a vacuum. The wider context is key here and that context is both nebulous and shifting all the time. Perhaps AI can support such a perspective in ways that one (or many) human minds cannot comprehend at once? Previous Next Previous Next

Games iGGi is a collaboration between Uni of York + Queen Mary Uni of London: the largest training programme worldwide for doing a PhD in digital games. Games Welcome to the iGGi games showcase page. Here you will find links to demos, videos and experiences developed by iGGi researchers. During their first year in the iGGi programme, each iGGi PGR develops games as part of the Game Design and Game Development modules. In addition, each year iGGi PGRs take part in at least one game jam. Several PGRs also construct a game as tool/vehicle for their research. The selection below provides links to examples of and further info about these games. Please note that most of them should be seen as proof of concept rather than completed experiences. iGGi Game Jams Researcher Games Global Game Jam / Ludum Dare Game Development Module iGGi Game Jams Here are some of the games resulting from iGGi Game Jam - January 2022 & iGGi Game Jam - January 2023 Researcher Games Spotlight on games developed by iGGi PG Researchers as part of their PhD and/or their research project(s) Global Game Jam & Ludum Dare Games developed by iGGi Researchers during the Global Game Jam (pre 2020) or Ludum Dare 48 Game Development Module Games developed by iGGi PG Researcher s as part of the Game Development module for doctoral training

< Back IGGI 2021 Conference start The IGGI 2021 Conference will kick-start tomorrow with a promising looking schedule of exiting speakers for our Panels, 18 Talks, 2 Workshops, and the traditional IGGI Buzz Talks, all spread over two days. Don't miss out and join us online on Gather.Town Previous 7 Sept 2021 Next