Games, Heritage, Arts, & Sport: Exploring the Economic, Social, and Cultural Value of the European Videogame Industry Ecosystem (GAMEHearts) seeks to maximize the value of the European videogame industry ecosystems (EVGIE) within a wider social context of the creative and cultural industries (CCI). This will consider the importance of the EVGIE in contributing to economic growth, job creation, physical and mental wellbeing, and social and cultural cohesion, by particularly focusing on how a stronger and closer working relationship between the more traditional and emergent cultural sectors can work better to create more inclusive and socially responsible cultural experiences.
The consortium offers policy recommendations and roadmaps setting out how the EVGIE can and should develop and where it could act as a driver for sustained innovation and economic growth. It utilises an evidence-based approach that focuses not just on videogame development, but rather adopts a holistic ecosystem approach, utilising both established and more innovative methodologies, to consider the competitiveness and development of the EVGIE, and how videogame know-how and technologies could drive innovation in the wider CCI. In doing so, GAMEHearts develops ludic experiences to explore possibilities of more inclusive, engaging, and empowering cultural experiences.
Working across seven work packages, the Universities of Salford (UK), Tampere (Finland), Vienna (Austria), Breda University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands), and Wroclaw University of Economics and Business (Poland) will work in partnership with Ubisoft (France) and other major videogame partners and associations (including the Video Games Europe & EGDF) to explore current and future trends in the EVGIE. Beyond this, we are working with certain cultural case studies partners to consider how game-related technologies and practices are and could be used to increase access to heritage, the arts, and sport.
GAMEHearts will be conducted within the scope of the Horizon Europe program of the European Union and run for three years. Katharine Sariakis will lead both the consortium and the Viennese part project, supported by Oleksandra Gudkova (as a postdoctoral researcher), Lisa Alfonzo (predoctoral researcher), and Lisa Moser (predoctoral researcher). The Horizon Europe framework will provide a total of € 867.000 for the work to be done directly at our Department.
Games, Heritage, Arts, & Sport: Exploring the Economic, Social, and Cultural Value of the European Videogame Industry Ecosystem
Funding Organization: European Union (Program: Horizon Europe)
PI: Katharine Sarikakis
Duration: 2024-2026
Funding (Viennese Project): € 867.632,00
