German Society for Play Studies (DGSW) Founded to Advance Academic Recognition of Play
A decisive step for Germany's academic and cultural landscape was taken on 28 June 2025. Professors and academics from various disciplines gathered in Frankfurt am Main to give this interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary academic discipline institutional independence by founding the ‘Deutsche Gesellschaft für Spielwissenschaft e.V.’ (DGSW).
This means that the phenomenon of play in all its different forms – from free play, toys, role-playing games, construction games and board games to digital game production – finally receives the scientific recognition that does justice to its social, cultural and economic relevance.
Promotion of scientific and artistic teaching and research
The aim of the organisation is to promote scientific and artistic teaching and research into the phenomenon of play and its application and tridisciplinary forms.
‘Play, whether analogue or digital, is so much more than just an entertaining leisure activity, it is an essential expression of human creativity, an emotionalising medium for learning and knowledge, a motivating drive for social innovation and a central instrument for high-tech productions,’ said Professor Stephan Jacob (Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences) in his inaugural speech as the new chairman. ‘The fact that we have come together here at a historic location to celebrate the founding of an independent game science is a result of scientific and cultural maturity,’ added Professor Dr Jens Junge (Institute of Ludology), 2nd Chairman.
Aims and content of game studies
The new discipline sees itself as a theoretical and cultural level of reflection on the activity of gaming and the corresponding media works, as well as an academic training area with practice-orientated research and development in close relation to current social and technological topics for Germany as a games location that is still growing. The focus is on
• Game design and game development
• Cultural significance and history of games
• Game studies
• Gamification
• Educational potential of game and learning systems, games as a method
• Psychological mechanisms of play
• Social systems and their dynamics as well as participatory forms of play
• Game-based innovations in business, health and urban development for sustainably effective concepts
Study programmes in the fields of game design, game development and game studies are not only seen as training centres for creative and technical specialists, but also as important fields of research for the methodological and creative further development of game-based systems.
Future plans
The main initial topics after the foundation of the organisation will be
• Establishing working groups and an academic platform for research, networking and knowledge transfer
• Organisation of specialist conferences and annual meetings
• First steps towards establishing our own academic journal
• Recognition of game studies programmes and funding lines
• Cultural-political recognition of media works and establishment of corresponding research bases
German game studies part of a growing international field of research
The founding members involved emphasised that German game studies is part of a growing international field of research. In countries such as the USA, South Korea and Finland, for example, game sciences have long been institutionally established. With today's step, Germany is positioning itself as a central player in the global discourse on the importance of games in the knowledge society of the 21st century.
Signal to politics, universities and society
The initiators see this step as a signal to politicians, universities and society to finally give play the status it deserves – as a field of research to be taken seriously, as a source of cultural and personal education and as a driver of innovation in a world that is increasingly being developed and changed through play.
The DGSW is aimed at teachers and researchers at state and private educational, research and cultural institutions. The aim is to strengthen scientific and artistic exchange within the discipline of play science – both nationally and internationally. Special attention is paid to the promotion of young academics and artists.
DGSW membership
This group of people is cordially invited to participate in the association's work by becoming a member or even personally. The DGSW is a non-profit organisation and uses its funds exclusively for statutory purposes in accordance with §§ 51 ff. AO, i.e. recognition as a non-profit organisation has been promised by the tax office.