Title: The Digital Games Research Association International Conference 2025
Date: 30 June - 4 July 2025
Time: 9:30 onwards (schedule is available )
Venue: Valletta Campus
The Institute of Digital Games (IDG) at the University of Malta is proud to announce that it will host DiGRA 2025, the annual flagship conference of the Digital Games Research Association, from 30 June to 4 July 2025. This isn’t just another edition of DiGRA — it’s set to be the largest and most internationally attended conference in DiGRA’s history, all set to be on the island!
With a record-breaking number of submissions and over 450 delegates from across the globe, is a landmark moment, both for Malta and for the global games research community. The event will bring together scholars, designers, and cultural practitioners to explore and expand the boundaries of game studies, game culture, and interactive media.
The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Games at the Crossroads’. This will be the first time DiGRA is organised and held by the IDG in Malta, marking a milestone for not just the university, but for Malta by establishing ourselves as a crucial player in digital culture, game design, and interactive media research and studies.
Hosting DAt the Institute of Digital Games, we’re proud to mark a milestone that goes beyond academia. The 16th edition of DiGRA goes beyond research — it is about bringing together a community and creating space for important conversations in game studies to flourish right here in Malta!
DiGRA 2025 is made possible with the support of: Malta Tourism Authority, Gaming Malta, Mighty Board Games, Eludamos: Journal for Computer Game Culture, the Italian Institute of Culture, and the Valletta Local Council.
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Keynote Speakers
The 2025 keynote lineup brings together voices working at the intersection of games, politics, history, and communication:
- Rasheed Abueideh, a Palestinian game designer and creative director, is best known for Liyla and The Shadows of War (2016), a game developed in response to the 2014 Gaza War. The game received international recognition, including the Excellence in Storytelling award at the International Mobile Game Awards. He is currently working on a new project exploring the 1948 Nakba.
- Cameron Kunzelman is Assistant Professor of Communication Studies and Theatre at Mercer University. He has contributed to academic game studies and games journalism for over a decade. His upcoming book examines the Assassin’s Creed franchise through the lens of speculation and history.
- Dr Aphra Kerr, Professor at University College Dublin and Co-PI at the ADAPT Centre, has over 25 years of experience researching games as work, culture, and industry. Her book Global Games: Production, Circulation and Policy (Routledge, 2017) is widely cited in the field. She is currently part of a Creative Europe-funded game development project
- Omar N'Shea, based at the University of Malta, researches the Assyrian Empire with a focus on social structures and gender. His current projects include a monograph on bureaucratic violence, a biography of the Maltese site Bur Mgħeż, and a translation of Gilgamesh from Akkadian into Maltese. His essays on queerness, archaeology, and language have been published by Aphroconfuso and elsewhere.
DiGRA 2025 is expected to draw participants from academia, industry, and the cultural sector. The conference will include research talks, panels, workshops, and public events.
For the full schedule and details, visit .
