Games, Heritage, Arts, & Sport: the economic, social, and cultural value of the European videogame ecosystem. GAMEHEARTS is a three-year project funded by Horizon Europe examining the interactions between entertainment video games and traditional forms of culture, with the goal of lifting all cultural industries through further understanding the nature of and opportunities for collaboration.
What was the goal of this research?
GAMEHEARTS seeks to maximise the value of the European video game industry ecosystem in the wider social context of the creative and cultural industries. This considers the importance of games in contributing to economic growth, job creation, physical and mental wellbeing, and social and cultural cohesion. We particularly focus on how a stronger and closer working relationship between the traditional and emerging cultural sectors can further support more inclusive and socially responsible cultural experiences.
What method was employed?
The GAMEHEARTS projects uses a wide combination of methodologies, including co-creation workshops, DThons (design-thinking), game jams, policy document review, qualitative research, and game creation by our internal BUas Cradle development team. Notably, the project will involve the creation of a new playable experience designed to prototype and embody the process of interaction between video game culture/creators with cultural partners. Across a range of traditional media (publications and reports), videos, conferences, and games, we aim to reach wider audiences than typical academic projects.
What findings did we uncover?
This is a large project with a wide array of outcomes, ranging from new insights into the need for EU-wide entertainment video game policy, to hands on tools for communicating game design ideas with non-game developers.
Who is the Project Team?
The academic partners are Universität Wien, University of Salford, Breda University of Applied Sciences, Tampere University, and Wroclaw University of Economics. The industry and cultural partners are the Imperial War Museums, the London Symphony Orchestra, and City Football Group (Manchester City), along with Ubisoft Entertainment.
What is the timeline of this project?
January 2024-December 2026
Who is our main collaborating partner?
Universität Wien is the lead partner.
Who is our funding partner?
European Union, Horizon Europe - Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the European Research Executive Agency can be held responsible for them.
