Daniel Vella
@danielvella.bsky.social
Director & Senior Lecturer at Institute of Digital Games, University of Malta // Narrative designer with Mighty Boards (Posthuman Saga, Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan) // Debut novel out 2026
I'm hardly championing an obscure artist or anything, but I finally listened to the new Rosalía album in full yesterday (was waiting to get the record in my hands) and I had a full-body emotional experience. My maximalist soul loves it when an artist goes all the way out. youtu.be/htQBS2Ikz6c?...
ROSALÍA - Berghain (Official Video) feat. Björk & Yves Tumor
YouTube video by RosaliaVEVO
youtu.be
November 21, 2025 at 11:59 AM
I'm hardly championing an obscure artist or anything, but I finally listened to the new Rosalía album in full yesterday (was waiting to get the record in my hands) and I had a full-body emotional experience. My maximalist soul loves it when an artist goes all the way out. youtu.be/htQBS2Ikz6c?...
Already laying out my meditation mat and lighting my scented candles in preparation.
For the past decade, I've been slowly cooking a small and humble book.
Part (alternative) history, part analysis, and part social critique, this is a look at what games also are and have always been.
ZEN AND SLOW GAMES
Out 20/1/2026 by MIT Press
mitpress.mit.edu/978026255356...
Part (alternative) history, part analysis, and part social critique, this is a look at what games also are and have always been.
ZEN AND SLOW GAMES
Out 20/1/2026 by MIT Press
mitpress.mit.edu/978026255356...
November 5, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Already laying out my meditation mat and lighting my scented candles in preparation.
Reposted by Daniel Vella
When Elden Ring had been announced but not yet released, its subreddit started collectively pretending the game was already out.
I spent far too many hours reading strategies to defeat the (completely made-up) Glaive Master Hodir. For research.
This is the result: doi.org/10.1093/aest...
I spent far too many hours reading strategies to defeat the (completely made-up) Glaive Master Hodir. For research.
This is the result: doi.org/10.1093/aest...
Fictional Game Spectatorship: On Pretend-Play and Collective Imagination in Gaming Communities
Abstract. Fictional games are games that do not actually exist, but that are presented within works of fiction. They are thus not appreciated through play,
doi.org
November 3, 2025 at 10:42 AM
When Elden Ring had been announced but not yet released, its subreddit started collectively pretending the game was already out.
I spent far too many hours reading strategies to defeat the (completely made-up) Glaive Master Hodir. For research.
This is the result: doi.org/10.1093/aest...
I spent far too many hours reading strategies to defeat the (completely made-up) Glaive Master Hodir. For research.
This is the result: doi.org/10.1093/aest...
Reposted by Daniel Vella
New stream of "A LIft Home." Premium Passenger Dr. Joleen Blom. Live on November 19, 2025. From Lublin (EPLB) to Helsinki (EFHK). Inflight menu: Transmedia storytelling and the dynamic game character. Departure 7pm (CET)/8pm (EET).
#gamestudies
#transmedia
#mediastudies
wp.me/p5EI1K-1tC
#gamestudies
#transmedia
#mediastudies
wp.me/p5EI1K-1tC
A Lift Home (S1:E3) for Dr. Joleen Blom - Sebastian Möring, PhD
A Lift Home is back and ready to take off, soon! In the next episode (S1:E3), live on November 19, 2025, we will take premium passenger Dr. Joleen Blom from Lublin-Świdnik (EPLB), where our plane was ...
wp.me
October 24, 2025 at 11:32 AM
New stream of "A LIft Home." Premium Passenger Dr. Joleen Blom. Live on November 19, 2025. From Lublin (EPLB) to Helsinki (EFHK). Inflight menu: Transmedia storytelling and the dynamic game character. Departure 7pm (CET)/8pm (EET).
#gamestudies
#transmedia
#mediastudies
wp.me/p5EI1K-1tC
#gamestudies
#transmedia
#mediastudies
wp.me/p5EI1K-1tC
As always it was a pleasure to be at Essen Spiel with @mightyboards.bsky.social! Got to show off our new Fateforge expansion, caught up with friends, made new ones, played some excellent new games (special shout out to the Yōtei team, who made one of the most delightful games I've played in a while)
October 28, 2025 at 11:20 PM
As always it was a pleasure to be at Essen Spiel with @mightyboards.bsky.social! Got to show off our new Fateforge expansion, caught up with friends, made new ones, played some excellent new games (special shout out to the Yōtei team, who made one of the most delightful games I've played in a while)
Okay, at this point, if I want to publish an academic book, which publisher can I work with that means my intellectual labour isn't being fed into an LLM wood chipper to make money for someone else? Asking for a friend.
Nigel Newton, CEO of Bloomsbury, telling us why AI is good for publishing with this fun caveat: “We are programmed deep in our DNA to be comforted by the authority and the reliability of big brand names, & that applies more than ever to the names of big writers."
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
AI can help authors beat writer’s block, says Bloomsbury chief
Publisher last week reported jump in revenue in academic and professional arm thanks to AI licensing deal
www.theguardian.com
October 28, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Okay, at this point, if I want to publish an academic book, which publisher can I work with that means my intellectual labour isn't being fed into an LLM wood chipper to make money for someone else? Asking for a friend.
Okay so did Paul Thomas Anderson happen to be driving down a particularly undulating stretch of road in the desert and have a eureka moment, or did he have the idea for the scene and scour the Southwest looking for a stretch of road like that? Someone has to ask the real questions.
October 10, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Okay so did Paul Thomas Anderson happen to be driving down a particularly undulating stretch of road in the desert and have a eureka moment, or did he have the idea for the scene and scour the Southwest looking for a stretch of road like that? Someone has to ask the real questions.
The Zone of Interest
La Chimera
Furiosa
Drive My Car
Decision to Leave
Bacurau
Petit Maman
RRR
I Saw the TV Glow
Aftersun
La Chimera
Furiosa
Drive My Car
Decision to Leave
Bacurau
Petit Maman
RRR
I Saw the TV Glow
Aftersun
One Battle After Another has been getting a lot of “best movie of the decade” talk, and I’m inclined to agree but I’m curious — what’s the competition?
October 3, 2025 at 11:12 AM
The Zone of Interest
La Chimera
Furiosa
Drive My Car
Decision to Leave
Bacurau
Petit Maman
RRR
I Saw the TV Glow
Aftersun
La Chimera
Furiosa
Drive My Car
Decision to Leave
Bacurau
Petit Maman
RRR
I Saw the TV Glow
Aftersun
Reposted by Daniel Vella
DiGRA 2026 (Ireland) CfP is now live
Full paper and abstracts deadline: 1 December 2025
Workshop proposals deadline: 15 February 2026
www.digraconference2026.com
#games #gamestudies
Full paper and abstracts deadline: 1 December 2025
Workshop proposals deadline: 15 February 2026
www.digraconference2026.com
#games #gamestudies
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 1, 2025 at 6:29 PM
DiGRA 2026 (Ireland) CfP is now live
Full paper and abstracts deadline: 1 December 2025
Workshop proposals deadline: 15 February 2026
www.digraconference2026.com
#games #gamestudies
Full paper and abstracts deadline: 1 December 2025
Workshop proposals deadline: 15 February 2026
www.digraconference2026.com
#games #gamestudies
Reposted by Daniel Vella
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 3:09 PM
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 🗃️
The new issue of Countertext includes a paper by Krista Bonello Rutter Giappone and myself on libraries in digital games - their significances, (non-)functions, meanings. It's not open-access (boo), but ask and you shall receive
www.euppublishing.com/toc/count/11/2
www.euppublishing.com/toc/count/11/2
September 18, 2025 at 9:34 AM
The new issue of Countertext includes a paper by Krista Bonello Rutter Giappone and myself on libraries in digital games - their significances, (non-)functions, meanings. It's not open-access (boo), but ask and you shall receive
www.euppublishing.com/toc/count/11/2
www.euppublishing.com/toc/count/11/2
Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan is awarded Adventure Game of the Year at the Polish Board Game of the Year awards! It's beyond amazing to see Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan continue to get recognition, especially right as we've wrapped up work on the second expansion.
September 17, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan is awarded Adventure Game of the Year at the Polish Board Game of the Year awards! It's beyond amazing to see Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan continue to get recognition, especially right as we've wrapped up work on the second expansion.
Reposted by Daniel Vella
I think we should start using the term "long gamergate"
September 13, 2025 at 1:01 PM
I think we should start using the term "long gamergate"
Reposted by Daniel Vella
The Play for Peace: Games for Palestine charity bundle is now live! Nearly 400 games from creators all around the world, with proceeds going directly to Gaza relief efforts.
Bundle link: itch.io/b/2979/play-...
We made a launch trailer to celebrate this moment👇 Please RT.
Bundle link: itch.io/b/2979/play-...
We made a launch trailer to celebrate this moment👇 Please RT.
September 2, 2025 at 4:22 PM
The Play for Peace: Games for Palestine charity bundle is now live! Nearly 400 games from creators all around the world, with proceeds going directly to Gaza relief efforts.
Bundle link: itch.io/b/2979/play-...
We made a launch trailer to celebrate this moment👇 Please RT.
Bundle link: itch.io/b/2979/play-...
We made a launch trailer to celebrate this moment👇 Please RT.
At #historyofgames2025, where the focus is the 1990s! My own 90s in gaming involved playing NES game knockoffs on my cousin's Micro Genius, getting my first PC, and, as a 13-year-old, buying pirated PC games from a police officer running a side business from the trunk of a squad car. Ah, nostalgia.
September 3, 2025 at 10:11 AM
At #historyofgames2025, where the focus is the 1990s! My own 90s in gaming involved playing NES game knockoffs on my cousin's Micro Genius, getting my first PC, and, as a 13-year-old, buying pirated PC games from a police officer running a side business from the trunk of a squad car. Ah, nostalgia.
It's been ten years since I defended my PhD at ITU - the community of researchers I met during my time there set me off on the academic path I'm still on, and it's great to be back this week to participate in this anniversary celebration. en.itu.dk/About-ITU/Pr...
25 Years of Games at ITU
This year, games research and education at the IT University of Copenhagen celebrates its 25th anniversary. The anniversary will be celebrated at ITU on 26 and 27 August, with talks and an exhibition ...
en.itu.dk
August 25, 2025 at 5:18 PM
It's been ten years since I defended my PhD at ITU - the community of researchers I met during my time there set me off on the academic path I'm still on, and it's great to be back this week to participate in this anniversary celebration. en.itu.dk/About-ITU/Pr...
Reposted by Daniel Vella
Silicon Valley’s alliance with Donald Trump was a mask off moment and showed the world we can’t depend on US tech companies.
For the past few months, I’ve been trying to get off US tech and I put together a guide so you find alternatives too. I hope you find it helpful!
For the past few months, I’ve been trying to get off US tech and I put together a guide so you find alternatives too. I hope you find it helpful!
Getting off US tech: a guide
I’m in the process of dropping US tech services. Here’s how I did it, and options you should consider.
www.disconnect.blog
July 18, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Silicon Valley’s alliance with Donald Trump was a mask off moment and showed the world we can’t depend on US tech companies.
For the past few months, I’ve been trying to get off US tech and I put together a guide so you find alternatives too. I hope you find it helpful!
For the past few months, I’ve been trying to get off US tech and I put together a guide so you find alternatives too. I hope you find it helpful!
Reposted by Daniel Vella
The future dystopian Rome of Lucio Fulci's Warriors of the Year 2072 (1984). My paper on the film's use of the gladiatorial combat trope has just been published in @gua-le-ni.com @domford.bsky.social and Riccardo Fassone's special issue of Eludamos on fictional games. eludamos.org/index.php/el...
July 16, 2025 at 9:11 AM
The future dystopian Rome of Lucio Fulci's Warriors of the Year 2072 (1984). My paper on the film's use of the gladiatorial combat trope has just been published in @gua-le-ni.com @domford.bsky.social and Riccardo Fassone's special issue of Eludamos on fictional games. eludamos.org/index.php/el...
The future dystopian Rome of Lucio Fulci's Warriors of the Year 2072 (1984). My paper on the film's use of the gladiatorial combat trope has just been published in @gua-le-ni.com @domford.bsky.social and Riccardo Fassone's special issue of Eludamos on fictional games. eludamos.org/index.php/el...
July 16, 2025 at 9:11 AM
The future dystopian Rome of Lucio Fulci's Warriors of the Year 2072 (1984). My paper on the film's use of the gladiatorial combat trope has just been published in @gua-le-ni.com @domford.bsky.social and Riccardo Fassone's special issue of Eludamos on fictional games. eludamos.org/index.php/el...
Reposted by Daniel Vella
It was a true honor to give the keynote at DiGRA 2025 at the University of Malta.
The audience was deeply moved, some in tears and many asked: “What can we do to help Palestine?”
That question alone meant so much.
#DiGRA25
The audience was deeply moved, some in tears and many asked: “What can we do to help Palestine?”
That question alone meant so much.
#DiGRA25
Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta (@indigitalgames.bsky.social)
Making big waves in Game Studies research, Game Design, and AI from a tiny, Mediterranean island | Check us out: http://game.edu.mt | Hosts of DiGRA 2025
indigitalgames.bsky.social
July 14, 2025 at 1:04 PM
It was a true honor to give the keynote at DiGRA 2025 at the University of Malta.
The audience was deeply moved, some in tears and many asked: “What can we do to help Palestine?”
That question alone meant so much.
#DiGRA25
The audience was deeply moved, some in tears and many asked: “What can we do to help Palestine?”
That question alone meant so much.
#DiGRA25
520+ participants from 42 countries, 326 paper & abstract presentations, 16 workshops, a PhD consortium, a public discussion, conference dinner, board game night, improv show, and a beach visit. I think we can safely say that #DiGRA25 organized by @indigitalgames.bsky.social was a big success!
July 12, 2025 at 10:06 AM
520+ participants from 42 countries, 326 paper & abstract presentations, 16 workshops, a PhD consortium, a public discussion, conference dinner, board game night, improv show, and a beach visit. I think we can safely say that #DiGRA25 organized by @indigitalgames.bsky.social was a big success!
Reposted by Daniel Vella
I spent this week in Valletta, Malta, at Digra 2025 conference. Digra is an annual game studies conference, that I have managed to attend approximately every other year since 2007. I’ll list some of my highlights from this year. (Looong thread.)
July 6, 2025 at 1:03 PM
I spent this week in Valletta, Malta, at Digra 2025 conference. Digra is an annual game studies conference, that I have managed to attend approximately every other year since 2007. I’ll list some of my highlights from this year. (Looong thread.)
aaaaah it's starting tomorrow digraconference2025.org
DiGRA 2025 - Malta
The Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA) conference is an international academic conference dedicated to the study of digital games and related phenomena. DiGRA is a global organization that pro...
digraconference2025.org
June 29, 2025 at 2:25 PM
aaaaah it's starting tomorrow digraconference2025.org
Are we doing this?
Mulholland Drive
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
In the Mood for Love
Happy Hour
First Reformed
Mad Max: Fury Road
The New World
Pulse
An Elephant Sitting Still
The Zone of Interest
Mulholland Drive
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
In the Mood for Love
Happy Hour
First Reformed
Mad Max: Fury Road
The New World
Pulse
An Elephant Sitting Still
The Zone of Interest
My personal selection of 10 greatest films of the 21st century
Miami Vice
Speed Racer
The Grand Budapest Hotel
OJ: Made in America
The Zone of Interest
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
The Underground Railroad
Mad God
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Twin Peaks: The Return
Miami Vice
Speed Racer
The Grand Budapest Hotel
OJ: Made in America
The Zone of Interest
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
The Underground Railroad
Mad God
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Twin Peaks: The Return
June 24, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Are we doing this?
Mulholland Drive
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
In the Mood for Love
Happy Hour
First Reformed
Mad Max: Fury Road
The New World
Pulse
An Elephant Sitting Still
The Zone of Interest
Mulholland Drive
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
In the Mood for Love
Happy Hour
First Reformed
Mad Max: Fury Road
The New World
Pulse
An Elephant Sitting Still
The Zone of Interest
The US and its proxy are dragging the world into nuclear war but, but...movies are awesome, am I right? Right? This is fine.
Presenting at Film-Philosophy 2025 next week and working on a thing.
June 22, 2025 at 8:27 AM
The US and its proxy are dragging the world into nuclear war but, but...movies are awesome, am I right? Right? This is fine.