Games Research and Education (M.Sc. and Ph.D.)
Welcome to the Institute of Digital Games, the research and education centre at the University of Malta, focusing on game design, game analysis, and game technology!
Our work is at the forefront of innovative games research. We explore games and play, uncovering new playful and generative possibilities in game design and technology. We delve into everything games can teach us about ourselves.
Our multidisciplinary academic team spans computer science, literature, game design, philosophy, media studies, and social sciences.
Click here to read our annual report for the year 2022/2023.
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"Studying at the IDG it’s been one of the best experiences of my life, and has been foundational to my academic growth. The game studies and game design courses provided me with a solid theoretical grounding, and the network of opportunities around academia."
"One of the most impactful aspects of the Institute on my career has been its emphasis on interdisciplinary research and collaboration. The lecturers have diverse backgrounds and expertise, and this fosters a stimulating environment for exploring the multifaceted aspects of game research and development. The research-driven approach has enabled me to contribute critically to discussions with my colleagues."
"Studying at the IDG has really been an experience better than I could have ever asked for. Not only because it aligns with my goals from as long as I remember, but also because the content and support I have received while studying there has always been stellar."
Blog What we have been up to lately
Digra 2020 Game Citation Workshop (Digital and Beyond)
There is currently no consensus within game studies as to how games—the main objects of analysis in the field—ought to be cited in academic publications. While some journals and publishers do offer guidelines on this matter, these guidelines are … read more
Games as AI Revolutions
Prof. Yannakakis, Director of the Institute of Digital Games spoke alongside Frances Arnold, Chemistry Nobel Prize Winner 2018, Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, and Katherine Maher, CEO of Wikimedia among another 80 prominent speakers in their … read more
FDG 2020 Workshop Call for Papers: Forgetting and …
This workshop seeks to respond to, and provide a forum for, the growing field of Historical Game Studies, focusing in particular on how the digital games medium may facilitate or resist the processes of forgetting and remembering. We are interested in how the … read more
Ludomusicology: Gamified Audiovisual Performance and …
Dr Costantino Oliva from the Institute of Digital Games served as advisor for the arts-based research project "GAPPP: Gamified Audiovisual Performance and Performance Practice", at the University of Music and Performing Arts of Graz, … read more
Malta Global Game Jam 2020: Make a Game in 48 Hours
The Institute of Digital Games is once again organising the Malta Global Game Jam and while many of you may already have been waiting in gleeful anticipation, allow us to briefly explain what the Malta Global Game Jam entails for the … read more
Board Game Play Testing Held in Collaboration with Malta …
Ready, set, PLAYTEST! We had a great night at the institute, where we were joined by MCAST students for a playtesting session. Both cohorts were required to build a board game prototype as part of the course and the evening was organised so that all groups … read more