[Commlist] CFP: Game Engine Culture(s)

We are pleased to announce this CfP for an upcoming edited collection on 
video game engines.

*Project overview*
Game engines like Unity and Unreal Engine have transcended their initial 
confines in video game development, evolving into versatile platforms 
that now influence a wide array of creative and scientific fields. These 
powerful tools are not just limited to gaming; they have reshaped 
Hollywood visual effects, virtual production, and even pre-visualisation 
of movie sets, as well as contemporary art and 
architecture. Game engines are also utilised to create training 
simulations for various industries, including the military. As 
these engines standardise aesthetic and functional practices, they 
simultaneously raise critical questions about artistic authorship, 
expressive diversity, accessibility, environmental sustainability, and 
the impact of increased digital consumption.
Entitled /Game Engine Culture(s),/ this international research project 
seeks to critically map the current use of game engines in the visual 
arts, exploring the intersection of media studies, game studies, 
platform studies, curatorial practice, and art history. By analysing and 
prototyping under the supervision of artists and practitioners, the 
project aims to investigate how to preserve authorship and critique 
within complex digital ecosystems. We seek to engage with scholars, 
artists, curators, critics, and practitioners to pose new questions 
regarding the social, aesthetic, and technical implications of 
video game engine cultures.
*Call for papers details*
The Department of Art, Media, and Performance “Giampaolo Fabris” at IULM 
University, Milan, the School of Digital Arts at Manchester Metropolitan 
University, and the Department of Digital Humanities at King’s College 
London, under the guidance of Matteo Bittanti, Valentino Catricalà, and 
Paolo Ruffino, invite scholars, artists, developers, and practitioners 
to submit abstracts for a forthcoming publication and series of 
collaborative research activities centered around the theme of 
/Game Engine Culture(s)./

We welcome submissions that explore, but are not limited to, the 
following themes:

  * The transformative impact of game engines on visual culture and
    artistic expression;
  * Critical analyses of aesthetic standardization and homogeneity in
    production management and 'pipelines' across different fields;
  * The circulation of digital assets across diverse fields
    of cultural production;
  * Platformisation tendencies and commercial interests
    driving game engine development;
  * The role of game engines in promoting or hindering diversity and
    accessibility in digital art and culture;
  * Case studies on specific artists (e.g., Ed Atkins, Alice
    Bucknell, Ian Cheng, Jacky Connolly, Lawrence Lek, Lu Yang and many
    more)
  * The use of game engines beyond gaming, including in film,
    architecture, and other creative industries;
  * The accessibility of game engines for diverse populations and their
    role in democratizing digital art creation, including related
    narratives and discourses;
  * The techno-ideologies and geopolitics of game engines;
  * Sustainable practices and the challenge of e-waste in the context
    of game engine proliferation;
  * Strategies for preserving artistic authorship and originality
    within game engine ecosystems.

/Game Engine Culture(s) /isfully funded by IULM University in Milan, 
Italy 
<https://www.iulm.it/it/ricerca/progetti-di-ricerca/progetti-speciali-di-ateneo/Bittanti_02>, 
ensuring comprehensive support throughout its development. The resulting 
publication, scheduled to be released in English, will be published by a 
leading academic publisher, guaranteeing wide dissemination and 
accessibility within the scholarly community. To accompany the release 
of the book, we are planning various events, including conferences, 
talks, screenings, and more.
*Important dates*

  * Abstract submission deadline: *September 15, 2024*
  * Notification of acceptance: *October 15, 2024*
  * Full paper submission deadline: *December 15, 2024*
  * Publication date: *2025*

*Submission guidelines*

  * Abstracts: Should be between 300-500 words, clearly outlining the
    research question, methodology, bibliography, and potential
    contributions to the field.
  * Biographies: Please include a brief biography of the author(s) with
    the abstract submission.
  * Full papers: Should be between 6,000-8,000 words, including
    references and footnotes, formatted according to MHRA style
    <https://www.mhra.org.uk/style/contents.html>. Please use British
    English.
  * Format: Submit your chapter as a .docx or .pdf file.
  * Submission email: Send submissions to (matteo.bittanti /at/ iulm.it)
    <mailto:(matteo.bittanti /at/ iulm.it)> with the subject line
    “Game Engine Cultures Submission”.

*Contact information*
For further information, please contact:

  * Matteo Bittanti: (matteo.bittanti /at/ iulm.it)
    <mailto:(matteo.bittanti /at/ iulm.it)>
  * Paolo Ruffino: (paolo.ruffino /at/ kcl.ac.uk) <mailto:(paolo.ruffino /at/ kcl.ac.uk)>
  * Valentino Catricalà: (valentino.catricala /at/ gmail.com)
    <mailto:(valentino.catricala /at/ gmail.com)>

This call seeks to foster innovative research trajectories both 
conceptually and methodologically, promoting an original and 
interdisciplinary approach to studying the impact of game engines on 
contemporary visual culture. By bringing together experts from various 
disciplines and creative sectors, this project not only aims to map the 
state of the art but also to delineate new future research directions.
We look forward to receiving your contributions and to fostering rich 
discussions and insights into the complex nexus of game engines and 
contemporary visual culture.
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