Sydney Games and Play Lab

Games are one of the most significant mediums of the 21st century, at the forefront of rapid changes in society, technological development, and youth digital cultures.

Over two thirds of Australians regularly play games, and the global industry is estimated to grow to $240 billion globally by 2025. This growth is increasingly driven by an expansion of who plays games, the types of stories and experiences told through this young medium, and the careers available to those skilled in games whether as content creators or influencers, teachers and educators, game designers or artists or testers, game critics, journalists, reporters, or researchers.

The Sydney Games and Play Lab conducts interdisciplinary research in three main areas: Make, Play and Learn.

• Make involves innovative research into the design of games and playable media, including the use of emerging technologies such as AI and creating new games and playful experiences
• Play encompasses research into play cultures and practices, including livestreaming and game spectatorship, and critical philosophical work about this emerging medium
• Learn focuses on the serious potential for applying games and other playable media in educational contextsWe aim to foster research excellence through global and local partnerships with the broader games industry; and by providing a world-class environment for ECRs and PhDs.

We aim to foster research excellence through global and local partnerships with the broader games industry; and by providing a world-class environment for ECRs and PhDs.

You can learn more about our research at the Sydney Games and Play Lab.