The seminar format puts primary emphasis on comments and discussion. Full papers are distributed prior to the event, and short (max. 10 min) presentations are appreciated. The seminar organizers have secured the services of two expert commentators who will provide feedback on the papers.
Mia Consalvo
Dr. Mia Consalvo is Professor and Canada Research Chair in Game Studies and Design at Concordia University in Montreal. She is the co-author of Real Games: What’s Legitimate and What’s Not in Contemporary Videogames (2019) and Players and their Pets: Gaming Communities from Beta to Sunset (2015). She is also co-editor of Sports Videogames (2013) and the Handbook of Internet Studies (2011), and is the author of Cheating: Gaining Advantage in Videogames (2007) as well as Atari to Zelda: Japan’s Videogames in Global Context (2016).
Mia runs the mLab, a space dedicated to developing innovative methods for studying games and game players. She’s a member of the Centre for Technoculture, Art & Games (TAG), she has presented her work at industry as well as academic conferences including regular presentations at the Game Developers Conference. She is the Past President of the Digital Games Research Association, and has held positions at MIT, Ohio University, Chubu University in Japan and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Olli Sotamaa
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Olli Sotamaa is a professor of game culture studies in the Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences in Tampere University. He also serves as a team leader at the Center of Excellence in Game Culture Studies (2018-2025). His publications cover e.g. creative labor, game development cultures, user-generated content, and player cultures. Sotamaa’s latest book Game Production Studies (2021) edited with Jan Švelch develops critical approaches for the study of video game production.
Connected to the seminar theme, Olli has published on various forms of creative play and creative labour, including e.g. gaming conventions, game studios, game industry gatherings, fan practices, modding, and drinking games. In addition, Olli’s no stranger to “party design”, as he has hands-on experience of organizing concerts, conferences, club nights, excursions, exhibitions, game nights, movie screenings, pub quizzes, sports tournaments, symposiums, and other fun events.
Party! 