The 24th of February stands as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation—a tragedy that continues to reshape our world. Over 10 years of conflict, the largest war in the past 75 years has provided numerous lessons for humanity to learn, preserve, and share with future generations many of them reflected in video games.
The “Games of War” Conference offers a platform to explore how video games, as digital artifacts, reflect the themes of tragedy, resilience, and heroism. This event aims to deepen our understanding of how interactive media captures and interprets historic events, fostering nuanced discussions about the intersection of history, conflict, and digital storytelling.
We invite scholars, researchers, and game developers to join us in examining the intersection of war in Ukraine and the medium of video games.
Themes and Topics (focused on the Russian invasion of Ukraine):
Historical Representation
Analyze how video games depict the events and consequences of the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine. Explore the accuracy and depth of these representations.
Narrative and Metaphorical Content
Investigate storytelling techniques used to convey the complexities of war and human emotions. Discuss how developers blend historical accuracy with creative expression.
Player Experience
Examine the influence of war-themed games on players’ perceptions and attitudes. Consider the role of empathy, immersion, and interactivity in shaping an understanding of historical events.
Ethical Considerations
Address the ethical challenges of representing real-world conflicts in games. Reflect on the responsibilities game creators bear when dealing with sensitive geopolitical issues.
Educational Potential
Explore the role of war-themed games as educational tools. Discuss their potential to promote critical thinking, historical awareness, and understanding among players.
Other Relevant Topics
Contributions addressing other aspects of the war in Ukraine as portrayed through games are also welcome.
Conference Highlights:
Keynote Speakers
Panel Discussions
Join us as we delve into the deep impact of games as a medium to reflect on and document the realities of war.
Submissions
Talks submission abstract deadline: 23rd January 2025
Proposed talks have to be submitted as abstracts of approximately 500 words (400 words minimum and 600 words maximum). Each submission needs to be accompanied by a list of references cited within the abstract, which do not count towards the word limit.
Some recommended sources:
David Mullich speech from “Games of War” Conference 2024 https://davidmullich.com/2024/02/26/games-of-war/
Video of Lecture at Digital Dragons Conference 15-16 of May 2023 by Dr. Yaraslau Kot “Games of War Games that were born from flames of russian aggression” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROfGimRK_hw
Presentation (pdf) of the Lecture at University of Gdansk on 1st of December 2023 by Dr. Yaraslau Kot https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/search?q=after:2023-12-18
Article from DOU.UA (2022) covers 15 games about Full Scale Invasion https://gamedev.dou.ua/articles/ukrainian-games-about-the-war-against-russia/?from=tg&utm_source=telegram&utm_medium=social
Article from The Guardian (2022) on games about the Invasion https://www.theguardian.com/games/2022/oct/07/meet-the-ukrainians-making-video-games-about-russias-invasion
Article from Polygon.com (2022) overviewing several games about Invasion https://www.polygon.com/23157926/ukraine-russia-war-indie-games
Article from Mezha.Media (2023) overviewing games developed in Ukraine during the Full Scale War https://mezha.media/en/articles/made-in-ukraine-ukrainian-games-2023
Interactive Exhibitions:
Attendees will have the opportunity to explore interactive exhibitions showcasing relevant games and technologies, fostering a hands-on understanding of the conference themes.
To suggest your showcase item:
Call opens: 18th of December 2024
Showcase submission deadline: 10th of February 2025
Notification Deadline: within a week of submission
Event: 24th of February 2025
Where to submit: histgameconf@gmail.com
ul. Wita Stwosza 55
80-309 Gdańsk
© University of Gdański