As a complement to the themes explored in the upcoming Avatar Aesthetics workshop prior to DIGRA 2025 (June 30), we warmly invite philosophers and game scholars to an informal hybrid meeting on the aesthetics and values of games. The event will feature contributions from Professor Christopher Bartel (Appalachian State University) and Assistant Professor Shelby Moser (Utah State University).

Location: Department meeting room, Department of Digital Games, University of Malta
Date and Time: Friday, June 27, 2025 | 17:00–19:00 (CEST)

Format: Hybrid (in-person and online participation)

Program:

• 17:00 – Video Games and the Attitudinal Theory of Aesthetics
  Christopher Bartel
  Bartel will introduce the main arguments of his recent book, Aesthetics and Video Games (Bloomsbury), with a focus on how video games challenge and expand traditional aesthetic theory.
• 17:45 – A Case for a Social Model of Play
  Shelby Moser
  Moser will present work from a forthcoming chapter in which she surveys key aesthetic accounts of video games (Tavinor, Nguyen, Bartel, Hurka) and argues that these are largely individualistic in their conception of play. Building on work co-authored with Stephanie Patridge, she makes the case for a social model of play, where sociality is understood as a guiding aim of gameplay.
• 18:30 – Open Discussion
  Join us for an open and informal discussion following the talks.

The meeting is open to all, and we hope to see many of you there—either in person or online.
If you would like to attend remotely, please contact the organizers for the live link (anita.leirfall@uib.no, john.richard@sageng.no).