2025 Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry The 2024 report details America’s relationship with video games and the reasons why games continue to inspire and delight us all. Play is a universal need for kids as well as adults. Video games build...

The Entertainment Software Association's 2025 "Essential Facts" report is out. Give it a read, y'all! www.theesa.com/resources/es...

... and of course we'll find some time to hang out! Sunday 15 June at 6pm, we'll have a reception a few of our pals across @icahdq.bsky.social in Centennial B. Let's grab a beverage and chat. =)

... and of course we'll find some time to hang out! Sunday 15 June at 6pm, we'll have a reception a few of our pals across @icahdq.bsky.social in Centennial B. Let's grab a beverage and chat. =)

For those still crafting their ICA schedules: I’ll be presenting my research on roleplaying racism in Dungeons & Dragons!

I’ll be talking about if players notice racist elements, what they think of it, how they handle it, and what their experiences are

Are you looking to get involved with our Division? We're always looking for folks to help us promote and guide game studies with @icahdq.bsky.social and beyond. Come by our business meeting at #ICA25, Sunday 15 June at 4:30pm, Centennial B. =)

Are you looking to get involved with our Division? We're always looking for folks to help us promote and guide game studies with @icahdq.bsky.social and beyond. Come by our business meeting at #ICA25, Sunday 15 June at 4:30pm, Centennial B. =)

... of *of course* we're not done with our #ICA25 session previews! Another session on Friday 13 June will dive much more deeply into discussions of sexism and diversity in gaming spaces - who do we allow to play, and who do we push to margins? Let's chat, 3pm in Mt Columbia.

... of *of course* we're not done with our #ICA25 session previews! Another session on Friday 13 June will dive much more deeply into discussions of sexism and diversity in gaming spaces - who do we allow to play, and who do we push to margins? Let's chat, 3pm in Mt Columbia.

Humanizing gameplay, as one of our high-density #ICA25 panels. This one will be on Friday 13 June, 10:30am. These are great panels for getting many different "quick chats" and, we hope, sparking some collaboration and critique.

More at #ICA25? Youbetcha. We'll have a high-density session on counter and counter-culture on Monday 16 June, 9am in Capitol 4. These are great sessions, because they feature several "quick pitches" from scholars, meant to drive further conversation at @icahdq.bsky.social and beyond. C'mon by!

Iconic yellow chomper Pac-Man turns 45 with doughnuts, cookbook, more Bandai Namco, the maker of Pac-Man, said it is celebrating the game's 45th anniversary with "an unprecedented year-long campaign."

*wakka wakka*

www.usatoday.com/story/tech/g...

We're not too far away from #ICA25, folks? If you're there on Friday (13 June) at 1:30pm, we'll be hosting a panel focused on serious games and gamification - one of the most enduring convos in game studies. AND ... we didn't even use the "Leveling Up" pun. ;p

We're not too far away from #ICA25, folks? If you're there on Friday (13 June) at 1:30pm, we'll be hosting a panel focused on serious games and gamification - one of the most enduring convos in game studies. AND ... we didn't even use the "Leveling Up" pun. ;p

Yet another of our #ICA25 shares? Our Game Studies research escalator, where we'll see research ideas on the rise. Come join us, Saturday 15 June at 10:30am in Centennial A.

Yet another of our #ICA25 shares? Our Game Studies research escalator, where we'll see research ideas on the rise. Come join us, Saturday 15 June at 10:30am in Centennial A.

Los Angeles Chargers on X: "should we REALLY make our schedule release video in minecraft? yes yes yesyes yesyes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yesyes yes yes yes yesye yes yes yes yes yesyes https://t.co/gxk31Dql5L" / X should we REALLY make our schedule release video in minecraft? yes yes yesyes yesyes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yesyes yes yes yes yesye yes yes yes yes yesyes https://t.co/gxk31Dql5L

Fantastic. San Diego Chargers (NFL franchise) turned to Minecraft to create their 2025 schedule launch video. We love it. =) x.com/chargers/sta...

Another of our #ICA25 panels? A collection of scholars discussing how the notion of "time" is understood in game studies, both in and around video games and play. Sunday 15 June 1:30 pm in Mineral C of the conference venue. Can you find the time? =)

Another of our #ICA25 panels? A collection of scholars discussing how the notion of "time" is understood in game studies, both in and around video games and play. Sunday 15 June 1:30 pm in Mineral C of the conference venue. Can you find the time? =)

Next up in our preview of #ICA25? We've got a Monday afternoon panel for those folks attending International Communication Association until the very end. This one? Focused on gaming communities for streaming and online gaming. Monday, June 16 1:30 1:30 PM- 2:45 Mineral A (Regency 3)

Next up in our preview of #ICA25? We've got a Monday afternoon panel for those folks attending International Communication Association until the very end. This one? Focused on gaming communities for streaming and online gaming.

More for #ICA25? Let's hear a bit more about using @vrchat.com as a research space on Sunday 15 June, 9am in Regency 3.

More for #ICA25? Let's hear a bit more about using @vrchat.com as a research space on Sunday 15 June, 9am in Regency 3.

And ... of course we have posters! Make sure to check out your colleagues' work during one of the International Communication Association (ICA Official Page) poster sessions. We'll be there on Saturday 14 June, 1:30pm of the Centennial Foyer, Hyatt Regency Denver. #ICA25 #ICA_GS

If you were thinking of registering for the pre-conference, do so soon! Registration CLOSES May 12. Registration is $75 this year. Our keynote panel includes Amanda C. Cote (MSU), Brooke Erin Duffy (Cornell U), and Adrienne Massanari (American U).
icagames.org/2025preconpr...

ICA Game Studies High-Density session, "The Purpose of a Game is What it Does: Functions, Meanings, and Development Through (Serious) Games." Saturday 14 June, 10:30 am in Grays Peak A.

Making your #ICA25 plans? Take a peek at what we're up to. For this one, a high-density session of the "purpose of a game." Recall that high-density sessions feature several quick talks, with oodles of time for chatting with authors. Let's collaborate!

ICA Games High-Density session, "Skinwalking: Role Embodiment and Character Meaning in Tabletop and Digital Games" on Friday 13 June, noon to 1:15pm in Grays Peak B of the Grand Convention Center 2.

Hello, folks! As we get into May, we're only a few weeks away from #ICA25 in Denver. So ... let's start rolling out our scheduled sessions!

"Seeing Nintendo do this is a little disheartening" – Switch 2 and the state of game preservation in 2025 During its Switch 2 Direct on April 2, Nintendo revealed that some Switch 2 cartridges would be Game-Key Cards. Rather …

Representatives from Nightdive Studios, The Strong Museum, and the Videogame Heritage Society weigh in on game preservation in 2025 – and Switch 2 Game-Key Cards www.gamesindustry.biz/seeing-ninte...

Travel Grant Application -- Games Studies Division -- ICA 2025 For ICA 2025, the GSD has support for travel funds ($300 USD) to ICA. We would like to prioritize these funds to student GSD presenters or members from tier B/C countries, but will consider others de...

Morning, folks! A quick note that we are now taking applications for a limited set of travel grants, awarded after #ICA25 concludes. The form is available online at: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Documenting Japan’s classic arcades before it’s too late “It feels like the last heartbeat of a forgotten kingdom”

Documenting Japan's arcades before they disappear ... www.polygon.com/q-and-a/5650...

a pixel art of mario standing on top of a gold block with a question mark on it Alt: A pixel art of Mario standing on top of a gold block with a question mark on it.

I'm co-editing a Special Issue for Critical Studies in Media Communication on "Games & Storage" 📦

Guided by Zoe Sofia’s articulation of “container technologies” and how systems of storage are never neutral! Let's unlid Game Studies!

Full CFP in 🧵👇Abstracts due April 22! Full drafts by June!

Solar-powered Minecraft? Youbetcha: minecraftbloc.milieux.ca/sunblock/ cc @icagames.bsky.social

📣 Call for Papers: 10th Anniversary of Games & Gaming at HICSS!

For the TENTH straight year, the Games & Gaming minitrack at HICSS is seeking papers that examine the social aspects of digital gaming

📅 📍Jan 6–9, 2026 in Maui.

Submission site open April 15-June 15: hicss.hawaii.edu/authors/

Congratulations to all of our Top Paper award winners. We look forward to learning more about your work in Denver at #ICA25!

This study examines how player-avatar relationships (PARs) affect well-being. A recall-based experiment (N = 287) found that stronger inclusion of the avatar in the self boosts well-being, mediated by need satisfaction (relatedness, competence, and self-expansion).

Our final top paper for #ICA25 is "Tool or Companion – How relationships with video game avatars impact players’ well-being" by Johannes S. Breu of Universität Würzburg and Daniel Possler of Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover

Not a member of the ICA Game Studies Discord? You're invited!

We're hosting ongoing chats sharing tips and tricks for navigating #ICA25. Whether you're a newbie or seasoned attendee, come be a part of the conversation.

Join using the URL below, which is good for seven days: discord.gg/khCbfyPB

This study explored whether time perception during and after a VR game (Beat Saber) could serve as an objective indicator of flow, as an alternative to retrospective self-report measures that are traditionally used when measuring flow states.

The next #ICA25 Game Studies Top Paper we would like to celebrate is "Time Flies When You’re Having Flow: An Experiment on Time Perception and Challenge in a VR Game" by Jeroen S. Lemmens, Fay E. Clark, and Alex Taylor.

Check it out on SSRN: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....