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
Game Lecture: Albert Gatt
Our second Game Lecture in April features Albert Gatt presenting the topic of natural language generation, a method of summarising data (such as game playtraces) into human-readable language. The lecture is on Tuesday 19th of April 2016 at 7:00 pm, … read more
Game Lecture: Michelle Westerlaken
In our next Game Lecture, Michelle Westerlaken will be discussing her work on the design and implementation of games for animals. The lecture is on Tuesday 12th of April 2016 at 7:00 pm, and is held at the Institute of Digital Games. The topic and summary of … read more
EvoMusArt conference 2016
Antonios Liapis, a lecturer at the IDG, presented his paper "Exploring the Visual Styles of Arcade Game Assets" at the EvoMusArt conference 2016 in Porto, Portugal. The paper can be found here (as a pre-print). EvoMusArt is the primary conference of … read more
The Ludic Muse: The Form of Games as Art
Daniel Vella, a lecturer at the IDG, has published a paper titled "The Ludic Muse: The Form of Games as Art", in the latest issue of CounterText, an academic journal published by Edinburgh University Press which focuses on 21st-century … read more
Make Games, Make Yourself!
In case you missed it on the last issue of TH!NK magazine (issue 15), linked below is Ashley Davis's article outlining the first steps of an ongoing research projects at the Institute of Digital Games: Dr. Stefano Gualeni's preliminary … read more
IDG to host the POCG2016 Conference
The upcoming November, the Institute of Digital Games will be hosting the 10th installment of the Philosophy of Computer Games (POCG) Conference! The conference is an annual, international academic event where scholars, students, and game designers engage in … read more