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
Philosophical Questions in Digital Games: Magic and Digital …
The Institute of Digital Games is thrilled to have Dr. Daniel O'Shiel, postdoctoral researcher and teacher in philosophy, currently working at the Instituto de Filosofía, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile, speaking as part of our Game … read more
LAUNCH: Games Research and Education
The Institute of Digital Games has relocated and to celebrate the inauguration of its new premises on the 25th September 2019 starting at 10:30AM and continuing throught the day until 7:00PM, it will be showcasing the innovative game research conducted at the … read more
How to Reference a Digital Game (DiGRA2019)
The question of what constitutes a game as a social object is famously problematic. The alleged impossibility of formulating a complete analytical definition for what constitutes a game is perhaps the most evident symptom of that difficulty. One expression of … read more
Video Game Research Studies Presented at DiGRA 2019 in Japan
For most people, August is a month for resting and vacationing… Clearly, our staff are not most people! To showcase and discuss their most recent research efforts, they will spend the beginning of August in Japan to attend the 2019 … read more
Game AI - Research collaboration with Massive Entertainment …
Is it possible to predict the motivation of players just by observing their gameplay data? Even if so, how should we measure motivation in the first place? To address the above questions, on the one end, we collect a large dataset of … read more
Game Philosophy at University of Malta: Virtual …
Techne', one of the leading academic journals in the philosophy of technology, released today Virtual Subjectivity: Existence and Projectuality in Virtual Worlds an academic article by the IGD's Dr. Daniel Vella and Prof. Stefano Gualeni The two are … read more