Unpacking the Digital Games Research Association Conference Program

The Digital Games Research Association Conference 2025 is set to ignite insightful discussions and present cutting-edge research, with Thursday, July 3rd, offering a rich tapestry of sessions for academics and enthusiasts alike.

Keynote on Queer Theory and Sonic Undead

The day's intellectual journey begins with a compelling keynote address by Omar N'Shea, titled "Slipping Like Wind: Queer Descents, Ritual Tech, and the Sonic Undead in Digital Games." This session promises to delve into the intersection of queer theory, ritualistic technological practices, and the often-overlooked sonic elements within digital games, offering a fresh perspective on representation and narrative within the medium.

Autoethnography: A Personal Lens on Game Design and History

Session 11A, focusing on "Autoethnographies," highlights the growing trend of researchers utilizing personal experience to explore game design and historical representation. Jess Rahbek's paper, "Beyond the Rulebook: An Autoethnographic Journey into the Craft of Game Design," investigates the potential of autoethnography to bridge the gap between game studies theory and practical design, advocating for a more relatable methodology for practitioners.

Following this, Nick Webber and Poppy Wilde present "A Plague Tale: Autoethnography and Authenticity in Historical Games Research." Their work uses an autoethnographic approach to examine the complexities of authenticity in historical games like A Plague Tale: Innocence and A Plague Tale: Requiem, offering insights that extend beyond traditional textual analysis and engage with the affective qualities of historical game experiences.

Gaming Journalism Under State Influence

Session 11B, dedicated to "Journalism/Magazines," tackles the nuanced landscape of gaming media, particularly in markets influenced by state ideology. Lifeng Huang's research, "'We were the porters of overseas media.' -- An investigation into the gaming information media under the influence of the state," explores how the Chinese market's regulations on foreign-imported games and consoles have shaped the production practices of local gaming information media.

Further exploring the historical connections between media and gaming, Pierre-Yves Hurel and colleagues present "Diode Games: Rediscovering the Bridge between Analog and Video Gaming through the Elektor Magazine." This study re-evaluates early electronic games, termed "diode games," and their place in the genealogy of gaming, highlighting the transition from analog to digital through analysis of the Elektor magazine.

Femininity and Gaming in Lifestyle Magazines

Rounding out the journalism-focused session, Stephanie Harkin's "Studying the Invisible: Femininity and Gaming in Girls’ Lifestyle Magazines" sheds light on under-examined areas of games culture. Harkin points out the historical bias in game archives towards dedicated gaming magazines, often overlooking how femininity and gaming were represented in broader lifestyle publications, thus missing crucial aspects of consumer culture and player identity.

This diverse program underscores the evolving methodologies and expanding scope of game studies, moving beyond purely technical or ludological analyses to embrace autoethnographic insights, critical media studies, and a deeper understanding of cultural contexts. The DIGRA 2025 conference is poised to offer a comprehensive look at the multifaceted world of digital games.

Source Insight: This report was curated based on original coverage from easychair.org.

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