ENDGAME-project by Tampere University Game Research Lab

Exploring the limits and margins of game cultural participation and agency

The ENDGAME project will produce a new theoretical model for game cultural agency that takes into account both intersecting identity positions and local national and cultural contexts, demonstrating how individuals gain access to and are able to operate in game cultural environments in an impactful manner – or are excluded or limited in their capacity – based on their individual backgrounds. Our investigation of agency is conducted on three levels: environments, experiences, and empowerment.

ENDGAME’s overall aim is to reform the current scientific understanding of game cultural participation and agency and how intersecting identity positions affect them in specific local contexts. As such, we will approach game cultural agency as a fundamentally intersectional question while also grounding our investigation into a specific geographical and cultural area, focusing primarily on Finland and other Nordic contexts. While our focus is primarily on digital forms of game culture, the results of this project can also be applied in wider game, play, and media cultural contexts.

The project's results can be utilized by, among others, gaming companies, organizations, events and communities, as well as cultural and educational actors who strive to include and empower currently marginalized participants in gaming culture.

Contacts:

Academy Research Fellow, Assistant Professor of Game Studies Usva Friman: usva.friman@tuni.fi

Read more about the project from their website and take part in their survey study!