Jim Malazita
@jmalazita.bsky.social
Associate Prof of Games & Experiential Media at RPI. STS scholar. Author of "Enacting Platforms: Feminist Technoscience and the Unreal Engine" from the MIT Press. DiGRA Board Member.
Reposted by Jim Malazita
I spoke with people role-playing ICE raids in video games to help educate people on their rights and what to do in real-life situations. Tonight, they're holding an event in Fortnite www.wired.com/story/activi...
November 21, 2025 at 10:16 PM
I spoke with people role-playing ICE raids in video games to help educate people on their rights and what to do in real-life situations. Tonight, they're holding an event in Fortnite www.wired.com/story/activi...
Reposted by Jim Malazita
In my upcoming book, I look at experimental games by Fluxus artists. These have been touchstones for game studies scholars like Mary Flanagan and Ian Bogost, but usually only in a cursory way. I thought it might be fun to take a look at a couple of examples.
www.upress.umn.edu/978151791622...
www.upress.umn.edu/978151791622...
The Impossible Reversal
Tracing the cultural history of play—from Fluxus to SimCityGames and gamified activities have become ubiquitous in many adults’ lives, and play is widely...
www.upress.umn.edu
November 5, 2025 at 9:08 PM
In my upcoming book, I look at experimental games by Fluxus artists. These have been touchstones for game studies scholars like Mary Flanagan and Ian Bogost, but usually only in a cursory way. I thought it might be fun to take a look at a couple of examples.
www.upress.umn.edu/978151791622...
www.upress.umn.edu/978151791622...
Lots of important work on this in games studies, with more needing to be done. I describe this broader phenomenon as "white photorealism" in my Enacting Platforms book, and how its practice impacts both constructions of race and constructions of truth in game engines:
direct.mit.edu/books/oa-mon...
direct.mit.edu/books/oa-mon...
October 31, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Lots of important work on this in games studies, with more needing to be done. I describe this broader phenomenon as "white photorealism" in my Enacting Platforms book, and how its practice impacts both constructions of race and constructions of truth in game engines:
direct.mit.edu/books/oa-mon...
direct.mit.edu/books/oa-mon...
Reposted by Jim Malazita
I've been editing the page proofs for my forthcoming game studies book, The Impossible Reversal (coming out in Feb with @uminnpress.bsky.social). I'm starting to get pretty excited! The table of contents turned out to be pretty enticing, no?
October 28, 2025 at 7:15 PM
I've been editing the page proofs for my forthcoming game studies book, The Impossible Reversal (coming out in Feb with @uminnpress.bsky.social). I'm starting to get pretty excited! The table of contents turned out to be pretty enticing, no?
Reposted by Jim Malazita
The CFP for DiGRA 2026 is now live! 🎉
www.digraconference2026.com
Submissions (papers & abstracts) are open until 1 Dec 2025.
www.digraconference2026.com
Submissions (papers & abstracts) are open until 1 Dec 2025.
DiGRA 2026 Conference | Maynooth University
Join the DiGRA 2026 conference at Maynooth University, 14–18 June 2026. Theme “Intersectional Pleasures.” A global hybrid event for game research, culture, design, and industry.
www.digraconference2026.com
October 2, 2025 at 12:12 PM
The CFP for DiGRA 2026 is now live! 🎉
www.digraconference2026.com
Submissions (papers & abstracts) are open until 1 Dec 2025.
www.digraconference2026.com
Submissions (papers & abstracts) are open until 1 Dec 2025.
Reposted by Jim Malazita
🌟 Following the success of the ECR/PP panel at DiGRA Malta 2025, we’re excited to launch a new award - DiGRA Rising Stars Spotlight! 🌟
Highlighting early career researchers & PhD students on a quarterly basis.
Self-nominate or learn more here: digra.org/digra-rising...
Highlighting early career researchers & PhD students on a quarterly basis.
Self-nominate or learn more here: digra.org/digra-rising...
DiGRA Rising Star Program for ECR/PP & PhD Students - DiGRA
Following the success of the ECR/PP keynote at this year’s DiGRA conference, we are delighted to launch a new award: the DiGRA Rising Star Spotlight. This program aims to celebrate and showcase the wo...
digra.org
October 2, 2025 at 12:16 PM
🌟 Following the success of the ECR/PP panel at DiGRA Malta 2025, we’re excited to launch a new award - DiGRA Rising Stars Spotlight! 🌟
Highlighting early career researchers & PhD students on a quarterly basis.
Self-nominate or learn more here: digra.org/digra-rising...
Highlighting early career researchers & PhD students on a quarterly basis.
Self-nominate or learn more here: digra.org/digra-rising...
Help out Jeremiah's effort to collate international games programs, and check out the links to RPI's undergrad, Master's, and PhD programs in Games while you're there. ;)
Please please please everyone (pls reskeet) who is involved with a uni/college academic program (broadly speaking) conected to games Could you write a quick comment + links if any apply to what you and your institution are doing in that sphere? I need to show what's out there. 1/
#AncientBluesky 🗃️
#AncientBluesky 🗃️
September 26, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Help out Jeremiah's effort to collate international games programs, and check out the links to RPI's undergrad, Master's, and PhD programs in Games while you're there. ;)
Reposted by Jim Malazita
Thanks so much to @maxwellfoxman.bsky.social for this generous review of Enacting Platforms! ijoc.org/index.php/ij...
James Malazita, Enacting Platforms: Feminist Technoscience and the Unreal Engine | Foxman | International Journal of Communication
James Malazita, Enacting Platforms: Feminist Technoscience and the Unreal Engine
ijoc.org
August 16, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Thanks so much to @maxwellfoxman.bsky.social for this generous review of Enacting Platforms! ijoc.org/index.php/ij...
Reposted by Jim Malazita
Let's GO @edmondchang.bsky.social!
"The most important thing about queer games, be they digital and or analog ... is that it's being produced by queer people, or by people of color, with particular kinds of experiences."
A conversation with @edmondchang.bsky.social about researching the wonderful ambivalence inside queer games.
A conversation with @edmondchang.bsky.social about researching the wonderful ambivalence inside queer games.
Exploring queer analog games with Edmond Chang
Why reaching beyond representation is critical for tabletop’s cultural future.
www.rascal.news
August 12, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Let's GO @edmondchang.bsky.social!
Reposted by Jim Malazita
Cool new issue of Game Studies: gamestudies.org/2502
Inter alia, fishing games (Dave the Diver and Dredge) 🎣 and Genshin Impact lore and fan practices. 📜
Inter alia, fishing games (Dave the Diver and Dredge) 🎣 and Genshin Impact lore and fan practices. 📜
August 11, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Cool new issue of Game Studies: gamestudies.org/2502
Inter alia, fishing games (Dave the Diver and Dredge) 🎣 and Genshin Impact lore and fan practices. 📜
Inter alia, fishing games (Dave the Diver and Dredge) 🎣 and Genshin Impact lore and fan practices. 📜
Reposted by Jim Malazita
The first annual RPI Game Dev Camp was a blast! In just one week, middle & high school students learned to design, code, and build games they’re proud to play. Kudos to our creative, curious, and talented campers!🎮 #rpi #rpihass #gamedevcamp #futuredevelopers #kidscancode
August 4, 2025 at 2:33 PM
The first annual RPI Game Dev Camp was a blast! In just one week, middle & high school students learned to design, code, and build games they’re proud to play. Kudos to our creative, curious, and talented campers!🎮 #rpi #rpihass #gamedevcamp #futuredevelopers #kidscancode
Reposted by Jim Malazita
Last week, we celebrated “The World of Plankton” becoming a permanent exhibit at the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain’s new "Into the Lake" experience in Burlington, VT! #rpi #lakechamplain
July 24, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Last week, we celebrated “The World of Plankton” becoming a permanent exhibit at the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain’s new "Into the Lake" experience in Burlington, VT! #rpi #lakechamplain
Reposted by Jim Malazita
When I wrote Run and Jump (direct.mit.edu/books/oa-mon...) I thought that airing my thoughts on 2D platformers would let me take some distance from the genre. Actually, it has only made me pay closer attention to new releases. So, I thought I'd share what I've seen so far this year.(1/17)
Run and Jump: The Meaning of the 2D Platformer
How abstract design decisions in 2D platform games create rich worlds of meaning for players.Since the 1980s, 2D platform games have captivated their audie
direct.mit.edu
June 26, 2025 at 4:41 PM
When I wrote Run and Jump (direct.mit.edu/books/oa-mon...) I thought that airing my thoughts on 2D platformers would let me take some distance from the genre. Actually, it has only made me pay closer attention to new releases. So, I thought I'd share what I've seen so far this year.(1/17)
Sometimes there's too much to write about. But this is a fascinating and super geeky link between my first book, Enacting Platforms, and my next book project about the heterogenous infrastructure of the future of gaming:
June 5, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Sometimes there's too much to write about. But this is a fascinating and super geeky link between my first book, Enacting Platforms, and my next book project about the heterogenous infrastructure of the future of gaming:
Reposted by Jim Malazita
@jmalazita.bsky.social shared his nauseating experience playing Bioshock Infinite and more research stories during The Research Left Behind livestream with @professorashley.bsky.social.
The full interview is available now!
🎧: open.spotify.com/episode/26IU...
📹: youtu.be/w2CAmK-zK_w
The full interview is available now!
🎧: open.spotify.com/episode/26IU...
📹: youtu.be/w2CAmK-zK_w
Do game researchers like the games they play?
Dr. Jim Malazita has an answer!
youtube.com
June 1, 2025 at 3:05 PM
@jmalazita.bsky.social shared his nauseating experience playing Bioshock Infinite and more research stories during The Research Left Behind livestream with @professorashley.bsky.social.
The full interview is available now!
🎧: open.spotify.com/episode/26IU...
📹: youtu.be/w2CAmK-zK_w
The full interview is available now!
🎧: open.spotify.com/episode/26IU...
📹: youtu.be/w2CAmK-zK_w
Thanks so much to @professorashley.bsky.social for hosting me to chat about my @mitpress.bsky.social book on the Unreal Engine. In this wild convo we chat about the US Military, BioShock Infinite, Z-axes, photorealistic rendering, race, gender, and conspiracy theories!
youtu.be/w2CAmK-zK_w
youtu.be/w2CAmK-zK_w
The Research Left Behind, Episode 2, ft Professor Jim Malazita
YouTube video by The Research Left Behind
youtu.be
May 23, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Thanks so much to @professorashley.bsky.social for hosting me to chat about my @mitpress.bsky.social book on the Unreal Engine. In this wild convo we chat about the US Military, BioShock Infinite, Z-axes, photorealistic rendering, race, gender, and conspiracy theories!
youtu.be/w2CAmK-zK_w
youtu.be/w2CAmK-zK_w
Streaming in 20 minutes!
This is tonight! Join me and Dr. Malazita in a couple hours over at twitch.tv/professor_ashley to chat about Unreal Engine.
May 23, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Streaming in 20 minutes!
Reposted by Jim Malazita
Live on Twitch this Thursday (May 22), "Enacting Platforms" author @jmalazita.bsky.social joins @professorashley.bsky.social on The Research Left Behind—a series where game scholars share their research stories and abandoned ideas. Tune in at twitch.tv/professor_ashley.
May 18, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Live on Twitch this Thursday (May 22), "Enacting Platforms" author @jmalazita.bsky.social joins @professorashley.bsky.social on The Research Left Behind—a series where game scholars share their research stories and abandoned ideas. Tune in at twitch.tv/professor_ashley.
Looking forward to hanging out with @professorashley.bsky.social on Twitch!
Ever wonder about the inner workings of the Unreal Engine? Join me on May 22nd as @jmalazita.bsky.social and I ask what research got left behind on his book, Enacting Platforms. Make sure you're following with notifications on so you know when we go live! twitch.tv/professor_ashley
May 14, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Looking forward to hanging out with @professorashley.bsky.social on Twitch!
Reposted by Jim Malazita
Today in my meeting with my doctoral student:
“Comps is a little like packing your suitcase. Our job is to help you figure out what you’ll probably need. Some of what you “pack” will be used a lot, some is for specific occasions. You don’t know everything that’s ahead. But nothing is wasted.”
“Comps is a little like packing your suitcase. Our job is to help you figure out what you’ll probably need. Some of what you “pack” will be used a lot, some is for specific occasions. You don’t know everything that’s ahead. But nothing is wasted.”
May 9, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Today in my meeting with my doctoral student:
“Comps is a little like packing your suitcase. Our job is to help you figure out what you’ll probably need. Some of what you “pack” will be used a lot, some is for specific occasions. You don’t know everything that’s ahead. But nothing is wasted.”
“Comps is a little like packing your suitcase. Our job is to help you figure out what you’ll probably need. Some of what you “pack” will be used a lot, some is for specific occasions. You don’t know everything that’s ahead. But nothing is wasted.”
I have a piece coming out about this trial (at journal speed), but this is a potentially huge deal. Epic threw a dart at a dart board from a million miles away, and the dart board decided "Hey, how about I just give you a bullseye?"
"The judge in Epic v. Apple has banned Apple from charging a commission on purchases made outside the App Store because of its ongoing anticompetitive behavior." www.theverge.com/news/659246/...
A judge just blew up Apple’s control of the App Store
The judge called Apple’s insubordination a “gross miscalculation.“
www.theverge.com
May 1, 2025 at 1:19 AM
I have a piece coming out about this trial (at journal speed), but this is a potentially huge deal. Epic threw a dart at a dart board from a million miles away, and the dart board decided "Hey, how about I just give you a bullseye?"
Reposted by Jim Malazita
"The judge in Epic v. Apple has banned Apple from charging a commission on purchases made outside the App Store because of its ongoing anticompetitive behavior." www.theverge.com/news/659246/...
A judge just blew up Apple’s control of the App Store
The judge called Apple’s insubordination a “gross miscalculation.“
www.theverge.com
May 1, 2025 at 12:24 AM
"The judge in Epic v. Apple has banned Apple from charging a commission on purchases made outside the App Store because of its ongoing anticompetitive behavior." www.theverge.com/news/659246/...
Reposted by Jim Malazita
Society for Literature, Science and the Arts folks: I'm running for member at large! I'd be thrilled to represent you. To me SLSA is a weird, wonderful interdisciplinary home & a space for supporting each other that makes it all feel worth it. Votes are due 5/1 - thanks for considering! (link 👇)
Election | SLSA Elections
vote.press.jhu.edu
April 25, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Society for Literature, Science and the Arts folks: I'm running for member at large! I'd be thrilled to represent you. To me SLSA is a weird, wonderful interdisciplinary home & a space for supporting each other that makes it all feel worth it. Votes are due 5/1 - thanks for considering! (link 👇)
Thanks to Anna for joining us at @rpihass.bsky.social !
yesterday at rensselaer, among the hardest universities to spell, i gave a talk on art aesthetics for a world choked with AI slop. it was a remote talk and zoom chose that exact time for a worldwide outage, but we were able to make due with some other platform. talk is summarized in this thread 1/4?
April 17, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Thanks to Anna for joining us at @rpihass.bsky.social !