iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Stefano Gualeni @gua-le-ni.com · 29/09/2026

A fun take on my paper on antagonistic game design!

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iGGi CDT @iggi-phd.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

🌞 Day 2 kicked off strong! We started the day with an incredible keynote from Stefano Gualeni @gua-le-ni.com, setting the tone for another day of learning, collaboration, and inspiration at iGGi Con 2025. #iGGiCon #GamesResearch #AI #GameDev

A speaker stands at a lectern with a microphone in a lecture hall. A large slide behind them reads: “On Games as Conceptual Tools” with a lightbulb illustration in the background and the text “@gua-le-ni.com” in blue at the bottom right.

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Ahmed Khalifa @amidos2006.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Cellular automata are powerful but painful to author. Rules are a lookup table; neural CAs are more expressive but a black box. What if each CA rule was just code that you can read? Introducing Programmable Cellular Automata (PCA)

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Jay Britton @jaybritton.com · 14/08/2026

Soulsborne fans assemble, The Scholars Codex audiobook from @tuneandfairweather.bsky.social is out now, narrated by yours truly! Absolute pleasure to get to nerd out about my favourite game series. Grab it now on Audible! #darksouls #audiobook #fromsoftware #narrator #books

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Stefano Gualeni @gua-le-ni.com · 31/08/2026

In a few days, I will be talking with the ineffable @maurovanetti.itch.io about my scifi novel 'What We Owe the Dead' (SetMargin's 2025). The event will be in #Milan (Italy) on the 8th of September. If you're in the area, join us for hot takes and cold drinks!

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Let's talk research, education, and business! We'll be at Gamescom with the Malta delegation, send a DM or reply and we can set up a meeting! @danielvella.bsky.social | @gua-le-ni.com | #Gamescom

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

📰 @gua-le-ni.com spoke to El Dia, a leading news outlet in Buenos Aires, Argentina about the new Spanish translation of his book 'El videojuego del mundo' published on Adriana Hidalgo, exploring the intersection of video games and philosophy. 🎮📚 www.eldia.com/temas/i-stef...

eldia.com

<I>Stefano Gualeni</I> Filosofía con mando en mano | El Dia

El filósofo y diseñador italiano publica un ensayo que cruza el existencialismo, la semiótica y el diseño interactivo. Su propósito parece sostener que los mundos virtuales no son entretenimientos men...

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Now available at Adriana Hidalgo: Stefano's philosophical exploration of digital worlds translated into Spanish by Ana Miravalles!

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Ryan C. Wright @ryancwright.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Just got my beautiful copy of The Scholar’s Codex from @tuneandfairweather.bsky.social. Congrats to the contributors and editing team for pulling this off! From what I’ve read so far, it’s very compelling. I love seeing academic works meld with and celebrate fan culture like this.

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Congrats! Institute of Digital Games students, @teamdienosaur.bsky.social, have won the Best International Game at Expovit 2025 in Costa Rica. The team sacrificed Roxanne as the member to pick up the award and get a photo with the award. 😅 Read more about the award: www.um.edu.mt/newspoint/st...

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

3 of our students recently took to the stage to present their research at #DiGRA2026, the largest academic game studies conference in the world, hosted by @maynoothuniversity.ie this year. Read more: www.um.edu.mt/newspoint/st... #gamestudies #research #students

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Summer School on AI and Games 2026 @gameaischool.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Next at the #GameAISchool2026 is "Hype into Practice: The Harness Behind Unity AI" by Anping Wang from our sponsors at @unity.com !

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Summer School on AI and Games 2026 @gameaischool.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

We are starting our third day strong with "A Decade of SEED: Lessons from 10 years of Research and Development in Games" with Konrad Tollmar from EA SEED.

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Exciting news for @mightyboards.bsky.social and the core team of UM and IDG founders including David Chircop, Prof. Gordon Calleja and Mark Casha!

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Huge inspiration for (board) game designers in Malta!🎲 Rebirth by @mightyboards.bsky.social —co-founded by IDG alumnus David Chircop, Prof. Gordon Calleja, and UM's Mark Casha—is nominated for the Kennerspiel des Jahres! 🏆 Read more: timesofmalta.com/article/malt... @spiel-des-jahres.de |

timesofmalta.com

Maltese board games publisher is nominated for top industry award

Rebirth is Mighty Boards’ 13th game

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Jordan Magnuson @jordanmagnuson.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Submission form is now open for Game Poems Magazine Issue 2! Learn more and submit your game at www.gamepoems.com/submit Submission deadline is July 1, but early submissions are welcome. Thinking of submitting something, but haven't started yet? No worries, you've still got a whole month. :-)

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Daniel Vella @danielvella.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Just received physical copies of our volume of essays on the games of From Software, out now on @tuneandfairweather.bsky.social - and it's an even more gorgeous thing than photos can convey. I was planning on doing some work today but might just stare at this on the shelf instead.

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M Lupetti @mlupetti.upandpunch.red · 26/05/2026

Scholar's Codex (@tuneandfairweather.bsky.social) is out! Edited by @domford.bsky.social, @gua-le-ni.com, @nelevdm.bsky.social and @danielvella.bsky.social, with an essay of mine on the relationship between Darkness and humanity from Augustine of Hippo to Elden Ring.

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Stefano Gualeni @gua-le-ni.com · 26/05/2026

📢The second edition of 'What We Owe the Dead' (my quirky, procedural sci-fi novel) is out 📢 Get it while it's hot at Set Margin's Press! @freeklomme.bsky.social >> www.setmargins.press/books/what-w... <<

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Stress-testing architectural designs for their emotional impact before a single brick is laid. PhD research by E. Xylakis focused on using machine learning to predict emotional impact of architectural experience from spatial variables. Read more: www.um.edu.mt/newspoint/di... #Architecture #VR

um.edu.mt

Can Video Games and Virtual Worlds Help Us Understand Architecture?

Training machine learning model to predict emotional responses in relation to architectural spaces

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Stefano Gualeni @gua-le-ni.com · 25/05/2026

In case you missed it, I wrote about #Deadpool games, the dead in our games, and the Italian game of #Fantamorto in my latest gamestudies.org contribution. Take a look! :) >> gamestudies.org/2601/article... <<

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Stefano Gualeni @gua-le-ni.com · 22/05/2026

Join us in #Rome on June the 3rd for a 'Bonfireside chat' with the authors of the Scholar's Codex! The event starts at 4PM at the Polish Academy of Sciences in Rome (Vicolo Doria), feat. @domford.bsky.social @danielvella.bsky.social, @nelevdm.bsky.social & more! CC: @tuneandfairweather.bsky.social

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Our student Paul Psaila is nominated for the FreeHour Malta Youth Awards (Sci & Tech)! 🎓 Paul teaches our DegreePlus unit on #Unity & shares science on his YouTube Channel: Fruity Pol. Great to see #gamedev represented with Ryan from Midow Studios as well. youthawards.freehour.eu/vote/tech-an...

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Did you know Marvel's #Deadpool was named after a game? Dead pool games are folk games where players predict which public figures might die within a given period. @gua-le-ni.com explores the space where play, ethics, and mortality meet in new #GameStudies article. www.um.edu.mt/newspoint/li...

um.edu.mt

Fantamorto - Fantasy Football with the Dead

Exploring the Italian folk game about predicting which public figures might die

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Stefano Gualeni @gua-le-ni.com · 08/05/2026

In case you're also in #Zagreb (Croatia), I will be talking about my latest fiction ('What We Owe the Dead') this evening at Bogdan Ogrizović's Library. The talk starts at 18:00! >> www.kgz.hr/hr/dogadjanj... <<

kgz.hr

Knjižnice grada Zagreba - What we owe the dead

False

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

✅Play games | ✅ Playtest games All the tabletop fun you know and love, BUT we’re adding a special twist: an open invitation YOU to show us what you're working on (digital/board game). 👉 www.um.edu.mt/newspoint/up... #gamedev #indiegame #boardgame @mightyboards.bsky.social @gua-le-ni.com

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PULSE-ART project @pulseartproject.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

#Free #Online #Artbased Learning Training! On May 14th at 5pm CET will take place the Module 4: TECHNOLOGY FOR ARTS IN EDUCATION, about how digital tools can support artistic expression and interdisciplinary learning. English & Greek. Inscriptions: forms.gle/vfMz8GkmMyKi... #PULSEARTproject

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Two free @pulseartproject.bsky.social events this Wednesday, 6 May, and you can join both! 🚀 🎮 15:30 CET | Game Jams & Art 📚 17:00 CET | Cultural Ed No prior experience needed, and there's a break in between! Check the image for info & register here: www.um.edu.mt/digital.../s... #artseducation

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

💡Student spotlight💡 Turning distraction into Purrductivity! 😻 IDG student developed a productivity game featuring cats. Watch his full development journey—from concept to launching on Steam! youtu.be/FiXHegmzXC4?... #indiegame #gamedesign #productivityhacks #steamwishlist

youtu.be

What if a Game could make you more Productive

YouTube video by Fruity Pol

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

Sound design in games is easy to overlook, but can be the secret sauce for the mood and knowing whether something hurts or helps. Dr Oliva reflects on the sound design for HAMM-3R: www.um.edu.mt/newspoint/le... #SoundDesign #IndieGames #musicology @gua-le-ni.com @amidos2006.bsky.social

um.edu.mt

Sound Design in Games: Behind the Sounds of HAMM-3R

Learn about the sound design in new experimental philosophical game by Institute of Digital Games

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Spooky Professor Lifestyle Giant @magnumt.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

My friend and fellow professor @gua-le-ni.com made a whole game about being a gun in space; admittedly its "gunfeel" is not as good as anything made by Bungie but it does make its point in 10 minutes (or even less if you're a true pro gamer) hammer.gua-le-ni.com

hammer.gua-le-ni.com

HAMM-3R

HAMM-3R is a SHORT and FREE experimental videogame about how our equipment influences the ways we understand the world and act within it.

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

💻 PhD candidate Adam Kysler takes us on a tour of the 1970s-90s Slovak game industry! See how enthusiasts built games before entrepreneurship was legal in '89. 📅 Tue 21 Apr, 14:30-15:30 📍 Institute of Digital Games 🎟️ Limited spots! Register & play 8-bit games: www.um.edu.mt/newspoint/up...

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

"Unboxed is, at the moment, one of the best books about games and game design and game research and game practice..." High praise from Jogos no Tabuleiro for Prof. Gordon Calleja's most recent book. www.youtube.com/shorts/_Iyye... #gamedesign #boardgames #gameresearch

youtube.com

Unboxed book by Gordon Calleja

YouTube video by Jogos no Tabuleiro

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

IDG alumna @renatadrlove.bsky.social is speaking in Lincoln, exploring the question: 'If an AI can love us with a simple push of a button, would we push it and still be able to call this love?' If you're around, we recommend you check it out! Description claims pizzas are available on location 😉

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 04/04/2026

HAMM-3R - the new experimental game by @gua-le-ni.com and @amidos2006.bsky.social featured on @newgrounds.com! It's free, short, and hopefully thought-provoking, try it out: www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/... #indiegame #philosophy #gamedev #research

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

It is not joke! Apply by midnight today and you can be selected for early admission into the M.Sc. in Digital Games! Not #Aprilfools #gamedesign #gamestudies #artificialintelligence #postgrad #opportunity 👇

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Daniele Giardini (Demigiant) @demigiant.com · 24/03/2026

Try this weird scifi thing made by very human hands

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Julian Togelius @togelius.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

I think this interview about our recent position paper (with Georgios Yannakakis and Sam Earle) came out really well. Also, this picture (courtesy of Luiz Chaimowicz) is exactly what my days look like in the NYU Game Innovation Lab. spectrum.ieee.org/amp/ai-video...

spectrum.ieee.org

Why Are Large Language Models so Terrible at Video Games?

AI models code simple games, but struggle to play them

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Ahmed Khalifa @amidos2006.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Our new game, HAMM-3R, can be played over @itch.io: amidos2006.itch.io/hamm-3r @newgrounds.com: newgrounds.com/portal/view/... An experimental short philosophical game (5-10 mins) #indiegames #IndieGameDev #experimental #indiedev #indie #gamedev #screenshotsaturday #fps #Philosophy

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Institute of Digital Games - University of Malta @indigitalgames.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

The joy of playing Hamm-3r for the first time! Immerse yourself in a free, short, thought-provoking philosophical game by @gua-le-ni.com and @amidos2006.bsky.social and let us know how it ended for you (or not - be mysterious)! hammer.gua-le-ni.com #indiegame #philosophy #artgame #godot

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Stefano Gualeni @gua-le-ni.com · 24/03/2026

Play HAMM-3R! 🚀 FREE + SHORT (5-10 mins.) >> hammer.gua-le-ni.com << An experimental game about tools and technologies made with @amidos2006.bsky.social, @demigiant.com and other friends at the @indigitalgames.bsky.social! 🔨

hammer.gua-le-ni.com

HAMM-3R

HAMM-3R is a SHORT and FREE experimental videogame about how our equipment influences the ways we understand the world and act within it.

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Stefano Gualeni @gua-le-ni.com · 28/03/2026

Night Parade of 100 Demons (musical improv. performance featuring Costantino Oliva & Tim Garrett) at MICAS #Malta

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