Keynote Speakers

April 15 – 18 2025 // Vienna & Graz

Sabine Harrer & Katta Spiel 

(In)accessible worlds, united through play? :: Tuesday, 15.04.2025 3:00 pm

Sabine Harrer is a Senior Lecturer at the Gotland Game Design Department, Uppsala University, and a Herta Firnberg scholar affiliated with University of Vienna. Previously, they have held games-related research and teaching positions at Tampere University, BTK Berlin, ITU Copenhagen, and University of Vienna. Sabine’s research focuses on critical game studies, HCI and creation-based knowledge making, and they are the author of the book Games and Bereavement (transcript, 2018), and the environmental satire board game Kyoto (Deep Print Games, 2020).

Katta Spiel is an Assistant Professor for 'Critical Access in Embodied Computing' at TU Wien. They research marginalised perspectives on embodied computing through a lens of Critical Access. Their work informs design and engineering supporting the development of technologies that account for the diverse realities they operate in. In their interdisciplinary collaborations with disabled, neurodivergent and/or nonbinary peers, they conduct explorations of novel potentials for designs, methodologies and innovative technological artefacts.

Kathrin Gerling

Free for All? Player Autonomy and Equitable Access to Playful Experiences :: Thursday, 17.04.2025 9:00 am
Being able to choose when, how, and for how long to engage with games is key to a positive player experience, yet player autonomy isn’t afforded to all groups of players alike. In this talk, I will explore implications of (the lack of) player autonomy for equitable access to playful experiences from two perspectives: First, I will reflect on autonomy when engaging with games in the context of therapy, carefully exploring whether we afford disabled players the same experiences as their non-disabled peers. Second, I will address the role of autonomy when we (attempt to) end our play sessions, and what characterizes disengagement experiences for broad groups of players. The talk will close with a critical appraisal of how we currently approach player autonomy in games research, and what actions we can take to create equitable and enriching playful experiences for all of us.

Kathrin Gerling is a Professor of Human-Computer Interaction and Accessibility at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany, and head of the research group Human-Computer Interaction and Accessibility. Central to the research of her group is the question of how interactive technology can be designed to support human self-determination, and how we can achieve experiential accessibility: accessibility that strives for equitable experiences and seeks to provide engaging user experiences for all of us. Her work has been recognized through multiple awards, including Best Paper Awards at leading venues in HCI such as CHI, and an ERC Starting Grant. She is a member of the steering committee of CHI PLAY, and is part of the editorial board of PACM HCI.

Fawzi Mesmar

Demystifying Creativity :: Friday, 18.04.2025 9:00 am
What drives us to think outside the box? Where does a fresh idea originate? And how can one truly gauge originality? This talk delves into the core of the creative process, blending insights from psychology, neuroscience, and personal experiences. It aims to unpack the intricate dance of inspiration and dissect what gives birth to original thought through grounded exploration of the mechanisms behind creativity and what needs to be done to arrive at originality.
"Demystifying Creativity in Video Game Development" is a thought-provoking talk that delves into the elusive nature of creativity and originality in the realm of video game creation. This presentation explores the intricate balance between innovative ideas and the practical challenges of measuring creativity, shedding light on how these factors influence the development process in the gaming industry. Through a blend of psychological insights and real-world examples from game development, the talk aims to unravel the complexities behind what makes a game truly original and engaging. It addresses the tools and methods used to quantify creativity, the impact of these metrics on the creative process, and how developers can harness this understanding to push the boundaries of what is possible in video games. The session promises a deep dive into the heart of creativity, offering valuable perspectives for game developers, designers, and enthusiasts alike.

Fawzi Mesmar is an award winning Creative Director, Game designer, author and public speaker who has been in the gaming industry for over two decades in a career that spanned the middle east, New Zealand, Japan and Europe working for companies such as Ubisoft, EA, Activision Blizzard, Gameloft and Atlus to name a few. He has worked many titles that have been enjoyed by millions of players worldwide including entries in Beyond Good and Evil, Mario Rabbids, Battlefield and Star Wars franchises. He is also the author of "Al-Khallab in the art of game design" the first Arabic language text book on game design and “demystifying creativity on originality in game development”. Fawzi was also the recipient of the Ambassador award in 2024.

 

FDG 20th Anniversary Plenary Session :: Wednesday, 16.04.2025 4:45 pm
TBA