The Center for Computer Games Research

Games research at IT University started in 1999. Since 2003, the Center for Computer Games Research houses a multi-disciplinary research group with backgrounds in the humanities, social sciences, the arts, and computer science. The group performs basic and applied research, approaching games from a variety of perspectives including theoretical analysis, design, ethnographic and qualitative approaches, AI, machine learning, cognitive and affective user modeling, and player experience.

Members of the group are involved in editorial boards of the most respected journals in the fields of game studies, game culture, game AI and affective modeling and IEEE Task Forces focusing on games.

News about the Center for Computer Games Research

Research by the Center for Computer Games Research

People

CCGR Members

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Aarseth, Espen

Professor

Game ontologies, Games and narrative, Games and addiction, Games and geographical space

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Backe, Hans-Joachim

Associate Professor

Game ontology, Self-referentiality and meta-referentiality, Ecocritical approaches to games, Comic-Games and Game-Comics, Game Characters, Game Spatiality, Narrative theory and Media theory

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Bakkerud, Frederik

Research Assistant

Game ontology, Classification, Spatiality, Temporality, Concepts of dissonance

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Burelli, Paolo

Associate Professor

Machine learning, Artificial intelligence, Data science, Analytics, Player modelling, Generative adversarial networks, Imitation learning

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Cermak-Sassenrath, Daniel

Associate Professor

Borders of play, overlaps and tensions between play and everyday life, Artistic, analytic, explorative, critical and subversive approaches to and practices of play, Games and playful installations, hardware interfaces and controllers, electronics

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Croitoru, Nina

PhD Student

Elementary education, Developmental psychology, Play and playfulness, Game design, UX design, Digital art

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Ford, Dom

PhD Fellow

Myth, Monsters, Space and place, Postcolonialism, Literary theory, Cultural theory

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Fornós, Sílvia

PhD Student

Game localization/QA, Computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools, User/player experience, Usability

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Glanois, Claire

Postdoc

Deep Reinforcement Learning, Open-Endedness, Self-Organisation, Neuro-Logic, Interpretable AI, Creative AI, Continual Learning, Number Theory, Algebraic Geometry

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González-Duque, Miguel

PhD Student

Bayesian Statistics, Generative Models, Differential Geometry

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Grabarczyk, Paweł

Associate Professor

Philosophy of games, Game ontology, Representation, Virtual reality, Demoscene

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Graham, Mike Hyslop

PhD Student

Single-player play-practises, Leaning Theory, Play and identity, Games, play and learning, Sociality and culture in digital games and play, Ethnographic methods

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Grbic, Djordje

Assistant Professor

Evolutionary Algorithms, Reinforcement Learning, Safety in AI, Artificial Life

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Houe, Nina Patricia

PhD Student

Cultural studies, Theories of Play, Player typologies

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Jørgensen, Ida Katherine Hammeleff

Postdoc

Cross- and intermedial studies, Cultural studies, Theories of play

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Løvlie, Anders Sundnes

Associate Professor

Locative media, Media/communication design, Playful design, Journalism and media studies, Museum experiences, Design and innovation in the media industries, Online debate

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Mortensen, Torill

Associate Professor

Social media, Virtual ethnography, Game studies, User studies, Digital rhetoric, Public relations, Media studies, Transgressive aesthetics

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Najarro, Elías

PhD Student

Complexity, Evolutionary Computation, Meta-Learning, Open-Endedness

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Nielsen, Rune Kristian Lundedal

Associate Professor

Psychological perspectives on games and game culture with a focus on excessive gaming

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Pedersen, Joachim Winther

PhD Student

Evolved Plastic Artificial Neural Networks, Qualitiy Diversity Algorithms, Computational Neuroscience, Meta-learning, Indirect Encoding

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Pichlmair, Martin

Associate Professor

Game and play design, Game Feel, Design Theory and Design Processes, Machine Learning for Game Design, Entrepreneurship and Business, Connecting Games and Reality

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Risi, Sebastian

Professor

Neuroevolution, Neural networks, Evolutionary algorithms, Evolutionary robotics, Generative and developmental systems, Procedural content generation, Game AI, Computational intelligence

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Sicart, Miguel

Associate Professor and Head of Center

Digital play, Ethics, Playful Critical Technical Practice, Artificial Intelligence, Ridiculous Software, Playable Media, Football/Soccer

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Volden, Thomas

PhD Student

Learning Analytics, Procedural Content Generation, Game analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Neuroscience

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Vozaru, Miruna

PhD Student

Player typologies, Player psychology, Psychology, Game design

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Walker, Kathryn

Postdoc

Evolutionary Robotics, Developmental Robotics, Embodied Intelligence, Morphological Computation, Soft Robots, Unconventional robots (braid robotics)

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Wirman, Hanna

Associate Professor

Game design, Game cultures, New media, Critical theory, Ethnography, Design research

Former Members

CCGR Former

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Debarba, Henrique Galvan

Assistant Professor

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Lee, Rosemary

PhD Students

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Ryding, Karin

PhD Student

Master’s Education

Our two year MSc in Games offers the chance to become a game creator of the future. Based on a solid foundation of creative, technical, social, and analytical competences, you will realize the playful experiences of tomorrow. By understanding the complex creative process of game production, and how interdisciplinary teams work together, students are able to make a difference in any project that uses game technology or playful design.

The MSc in Games provides theoretical, practical, and technical knowledge on how computer games are made, how they create meaning, and how they socially impact us. Students work with some of the world’s leading games researchers, explore cutting edge technologies for their playful potential, and become experts in how to realize creative projects in interdisciplinary teams. Students learn how to use design methods, analytical tools, critical thinking, and scientific research to drive innovation.

The Games Programme has a Technology Track that builds on a computers science bachelor and a Design Track that focusses on game design, theory, and production processes in creative projects.

More information about the MSc Programme in Games can be found here.

PhD Education

The Center for Computer Games Research has been home to a number of International PhD fellows since the first dissertation was completed in 2003. For more information on the ITU’s upcoming PhD calls please visit the university’s main information site.

The Center for Computer Games Research only accepts applicants whose research interests lie within those of the Center’s faculty. Prospective PhD applicants are thus advised to become familiar with the research areas of the faculty members. At least one of the supervisors must be at the associate professor level. Applicants are encouraged to contact a potential supervisor to discuss their research focus before applying. The statement of purpose to be included in the application needs to clearly set out the scope of the project and proposed method, as well as situate its relevance to the field and originality. The project must be able to be realistically completed within the three-year timeframe allotted for the PhD. This means that applicants must have a solid background in the methods and disciplines they utilize.

Visiting PhD students from other institutions are welcome depending on capacity and relevance to the research of at least one faculty member.

More information about the PhD Programme at ITU can be found here.