Research — Game Meta-analyses

In the absence of data analysis, there has been an anecdotal understanding among some game researchers that there are two overarching communities within the field, one with research focused on technical approaches to understanding and developing games (e.g. artificial intelligence, computational modeling, visualization, graphics research, etc.) and another addressing non-technical aspects of games with a range of research approaches from the humanities, arts, design, and social sciences (e.g., narrative, user experience, virtual worlds, role play, design, philosophy, etc.). However, a clear analysis of the interrelations and synergies among subcommunities and research themes that comprise the current academic landscape remains undocumented. This research project seeks to better understand this disciplinary divide, identify key research themes and communities, and explore their evolution over time (see below).

Try out Seagull, our games research evolution visualization tool, to see if you can indentify any interesting research trends.