Welcome to the Games Institute
The Games Institute (GI) is an interdisciplinary research centre at the University of Waterloo, advancing the study of interactive and immersive technologies and experiences.
News Bites
Stay up-to-date with the latest GI activities. Our News Bites report on recent conferences, keynote addresses, and recent research activities of our members.
Research Spotlights
For more in-depth breakdowns of ongoing research projects, check out our Research Spotlights for full write ups of events and up close and personal testimonies with our researchers and members.
News
The Games Institute Showcases Research at the Tech Horizons Executive Forum
On November 26th, the GI showcased a selection of member research projects at the Tech Horizons Executive Forum event in Toronto, hosted by WatSPEED and CIBC. Pamela Maria Schmidt (Interdisciplinary Project and Communications Manager) and Dr. Emma Vossen (Knowledge Mobilization and Research Impact Officer) represented the GI and the multitude of interdisciplinary research projects that were created by GI members.
GI Faculty Members Present at the Panel “The Practical Side of Interdisciplinary Research”
On November 22, GI faculty members Drs. Lai-Tze Fan (Sociology and Legal Studies) and Neil Randall (English Language and Literature) participated on the panel “The Practical Side of Interdisciplinary Research” which focused on the “ins and outs of building teams across faculties.”
Ontario eSports Scholarship Continued for 2025
In 2022, the University of Waterloo Games Institute secured $50,000 of funding over two years from the Ontario government to provide scholarships to students pursuing careers in the gaming and esports industries. Following a successful first round of scholarships awarded to thirteen students (two graduate and eleven undergraduate), the next round of applications is now open!
Blog
ADE for Game Communities: Enculturing Anti-Racism, Decolonization, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ADE) In Games Research and Creation
The GI Anti-racism, Decolonization, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ADE) Committee was established in late 2020 in response to a challenge from the GI student membership issued to GI faculty members and administration to consider how academics can better support, make visible, and incorporate the knowledge and voices of equity-deserving groups into their research.
Curating a Community for Novices and Experts: Lessons Learned from the International Conference on Games and Narrative
From May 15-19, 2023, the GI hosted the second iteration of the International Conference on Games and Narrative (ICGaN). 120 attendees from 34 universities, 14 countries, and 4 continents joined to explore the conference theme of Isolation and Return: The Making of Narrative Worlds.
Virtual Reality for Social Justice with Dr. Kristina Llewellyn
An interview with Dr. Kristina R. Llewellyn about the Digital Oral Histories for Reconciliation project