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
Emotion AI - An Experiment using Theory of Mind and …
A study conducted at the Institute of Digital games investigating how an agent’s behaviour and the player’s own performance and emotions shape the recognition of frustrated behaviour was published in KI - Künstliche Intelligenz - the official … read more
Artificial Intelligence and Emotion: Exploring the Next …
Dr. Konstantinos Makantasis, post-doctoral researcher in Artificial Intelligence at the Institute of Digital Games has been awarded a prestigious Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships for his TAMED (Tensor-bAsed Machine learning towards genEral moDels … read more
Virtual Existentialism - Philosophy in Virtual Worlds
A wild new book appears! The Institute of Digital Games is excited to announce the release of a new book: Virtual Existentialism - Meaning and Subjectivity in Virtual Worlds! The book was written by IDG's own Prof. Stefano Gualeni and Dr. Daniel Vella, and … read more
Learn to Machine Learn - 7 Free Games that Teach …
The famous Chinese philosopher, Confucius once said: ‘I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.’ This list of games to learn Artificial Intelligence while playing games is perhaps a little late for him (by … read more
Are we going to oppress artificial beings?
One day, the virtual worlds of our digital games and training simulations will be inhabited by artificial intelligences that are so perceptive and sophisticated that they are going to be morally relevant for us. They will be conscious of … read more
No Place Like Home: Dwelling and Being at Home in Digital …
In the past few weeks, the world has taken quite the turn. The World Health Organisation is actually recommending people stay home and play videogames and schools have closed with University of Malta teaching remotely for the rest of the semester. The … read more