Welcome Experimental Game Cultures

With our move into the premises of the Postsparkasse, we welcome you to the historic halls of the Gesamtkunstwerk PSK, our launching pad for situational experiment with space and social play.
We launch the prototype of a SITUATED GAME designed in the Experimental Game Cultures core-team - drones that lose their terror in play, confidently interpreted as an artistic instrument, by and with a participatory audience and dynamically changing rules of play. Architecture, human and non-human players in the same space. The structures between human and non-human actors becomes audible… as an ECHO in the acoustics of the airship PSK.

We aim to introduce game changer games!

The master program Experimental Game Cultures focuses on emerging forms of hybrid play. The study program aims at a critical reflection of the social impact of games while simultaneously applying it to the prototypical development of innovative game concepts and approaches. The central aspect of the study program is therefore the interweaving of the development of innovative game concepts with a critical examination of games and play as cooperative and non-incremental method of insight and change of coagulations in their various historical, societal and social contexts. Artistic research areas of the program include the use of games and play as an instrument for a better understanding of social, economic and political contexts and for the democratic shaping of their future.
 
The head of the department Margarete Jahrmann states:
“For me, artistic play is the experimental testing and subjective experience of alternative possibilities of the world and agency. Play as a participatory process can show us ways to positive change, new forms of future society, politics, and empathic coexistence. Through the conscious breaking of rules, the transformation of rule systems, the acceptance of ambiguity as a quality in play, a new understanding for the global challenges of our time can emerge. Our way there is the game!"

According to the focus fields of the program, applicants are also invited to develop/describe a project for on of the following topics:

• political games
• games and nature
• low resource games
• experimental ludic interfaces
• role play/real world games
• dark patterns of game design
• physical game mechanics 
• non-human play
• hybrid games

Curriculum

The central aspect of the studies is formed by the development of innovative game concepts beyond the commercial game industry in interconnection with the critical reflection of games in their various historical, societal and social context. The master’s study programme is geared to graduates of bachelor and diploma degree studies of all disciplines (in particular art, design, technical and social sciences and the humanities).

Duration and Scope:
4 semesters / 120 ECTS 
Graduation: "Master of Arts" (MA)

Download the curriculum as a PDF: Deutsch English
Browse through our Current Courses

Our Collaborations

We are regulary collaborating with other institutions and university departments. 

Universität Musik und Darstellend Kunst Wien. Experimentelle Medienkomposition Wien, Univ.-Prof. Jorge Sanchez-Chiong

TOPIC: Performance/performative Games.
Medientheater MDW, 1030 Wien (Oktober 2022)
Studio Experimental Game Cultures (Jannuar 2023)

A...kademie der bildenden Künste Wien.

Post-conceptual Art Practices Studio /IBK, Univ.Prof. Dr.in Marina Grzinic.
AI experiments and society. guest lecturers and student talks.

AMAZE playful media Festival Berlin.

Curating Games. Preparation of EGC participation
Guest Critic Amaze Founder Thorsten Wiedemann, (Jannuar 2023).