 | BIPOC-G1: BiPOC Games Conference Strong National Museum of Play Rochester, NY, United States, September 12-14, 2025 |
| Conference website | http://conference.blackgamestudies.com/ |
| Submission link | https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=bipocg1 |
| Submission deadline | January 18, 2025 |
Call for Papers: BiPOC Games Conference Academic Track
The committee for the first BiPOC Games Conference, September 12-14, 2025 invites paper and presentation submissions aligning with the conference's many themes. In this year’s edition of the BiPOC Games Conference, we seek inspiration, theory and empirical research widely applied to BiPOC Games. Such work includes perspectives from creators, game studies scholars and their allies examining the domain. The conference aims to create an inclusive environment that combines experienced and rising scholars in the domain. All areas of academic and professional speciality are invited to submit their work.
Abstracts and accepted full papers will be published with ETC Press in conference proceedings and on the conference website. Full and short papers will also be considered for publication in the American Journal of Play and the ACM Games Research and Practice Journal after the conference. All submissions will be double-blind, peer reviewed.
We encourage scholarly and creative reflection the ways in which the following conference themes intersect:
Conference Themes:
- Representation and Identity in Video Games
- Exploring how video games represent Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BiPOC) and allied communities.
- Analyzing identity formation and expression within digital and analog games
- Case studies of impactful representation in video games.
- Digital and Analog Games and Play as Cultural Artifact
- Investigating games as cultural artifacts reflecting societal values and histories.
- Comparative analysis of digital versus analog gaming in cultural contexts.
- The role of traditional games in contemporary culture.
- Fostering, Analyzing, and Critiquing Games About and From Black and Indigenous Groups
- Highlighting games created by Black and Indigenous developers.
- Critical perspectives on the portrayal of Black and Indigenous experiences in gaming.
- The impact of these games on broader cultural narratives.
- Decolonizing Game Development and Design
- Strategies for decolonizing game development practices.
- Case studies of decolonized game design processes.
- Theoretical frameworks for understanding decolonization in gaming.
- Indigenous and Black Knowledge Systems and Gaming
- Integration of Indigenous and Black knowledge systems in game narratives and mechanics.
- Games as a medium for preserving and transmitting cultural knowledge.
- Collaborative projects between game developers and cultural knowledge keepers.
- Afrofuturism and Gaming
- The influence of Afrofuturism in game design and storytelling.
- Imagining future worlds through an Afrofuturist lens in gaming.
- Case studies of Afrofuturist games and their cultural impact.
- Cultural Preservation and Digital Heritage
- The role of gaming in preserving and promoting digital heritage.
- Projects and initiatives focused on cultural preservation through games.
- Ethical considerations in digitizing and gamifying cultural heritage.
- Social Impact and Activism in Gaming
- Games as tools for social change and activism.
- Case studies of games with significant social impact.
- Analyzing the effectiveness of games in raising awareness and driving action.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Playful Technologies
- Assessing the state of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the gaming industry.
- Best practices for fostering inclusive game development environments.
- Challenges and solutions for achieving DEI in gaming.
Submission Guidelines
Submission Guidelines:
- Abstract and Full Paper Submission Deadline: January 18, 2025
- Notification of Acceptance: March 15, 2025
- Conference Dates: September 12-14, 202
Submission Requirements:
- Abstracts should be between 500-800 words.
- Full papers should not exceed 7,000 words, including references.
- Submissions must be original and not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
- Papers and abstracts should adhere to the ACM general template, located here: https://www.acm.org/binaries/content/assets/publications/taps/acm_submission_template.docx
- Adhering to the recommended template supports equitable and timely review of papers as well as encouraging rapid publication upon acceptance.
Submission Process:
- Submit your abstracts and full papers through our online submission system at:
- Easy chair placeholder URL (application pending)
- For any questions regarding the submission process, please contact us at chair@blackgamestudies.org
We invite researchers, scholars, game developers, and practitioners to contribute to a vibrant and inclusive dialogue at the BiPOC Games Conference. Join us in exploring and shaping the future of gaming through diverse perspectives and innovative research via one of the following submission formats:
Abstract: A 500-800 word overview of your 15 minute presentation at the conference, focusing on core concepts to be discussed and citing and references as appropriate. Abstracts are a great way to share prior experience, case study, or share a work-in-progress aiming for further development or feedback.
Full Paper: A 2,500 - 5,000 word paper for a 20-30 minute presentation at the conference. Full papers are the only format that will be considered for publication beyond proceedings.
Panel: An approximately 800 word overview of topics to be discussed and panel members who have consented to be included in the panel. Panels should explore a specific area in the conference’s wider themes and panel submissions should not only list the 100 word biographies of the panelists, but also describe how this collection of experts will explore a specific theme. Panels are planned for 30-45 minutes of programming.
- Other submission formats will be considered, but require pre-approval by the conference chairs. Please send an email with a description of the submission type and content to chair@blackgamestudies.org at least 3 weeks prior to the submission deadline for feedback and instructions.
Committees
Conference Chairs:
- Lindsay Grace, Knight Chair in Interactive Media at the University of Miami
- Stephen Jacobs, Scholar-in Residence Strong National Museum of Play, Professor RIT School of Interactive Games and Media
Organizing Committee:
- Conference Program Chair: Akil Fletcher,Cotsen Postdoctoral Fellow in the Society of Fellows and Lecturer in the Anthropology Department at Princeton University
- Conference Proceedings and Publication Chair: Krystal Cooper,Rochester Institute of Technology IGME
- Showcase Co-Chairs:
- Gordon Bellamy, Full Professor of the Practice, University of Southern California (USC)
- Allen Turner, Associate Professor, DePaul University
Program Committee:
- Grace D. Gipson, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Jonathan Jennings, Black In Gaming
- Latoya Peterson, Glow Up Games
- Jay-Ann Lopez,Black Girl Gamers
- Toiya Kristen Finley, Schnoodle Media, LLC (Independent)
Contact
All questions about submissions should be emailed to chair@blackgamestudies.org