Full Papers

The GAMES track of PACMHCI (CHI PLAY) welcomes research on player-computer interactions including understanding the player experience, contributions on novel designs or implementations of player-computer interactions, and contributions to related theory. The GAMES track also welcomes contributions on the effects of various technologies, software, or algorithms on player experiences that further our understanding of the relationship between players and technology. 

SUBMISSIONS

The PACMHCI GAMES track is the premier international venue for research in interactive digital games and play. Papers are published in the ACM Journal PACMHCI, in the GAMES track, and accepted papers are invited to present at the CHI PLAY conference series. We invite authors to submit their best research on all topics relevant to player-computer interactions and digital play. Submissions should present original and mature research work. High-quality, elaborated case studies and practice reports with generalizable findings will also be considered. We invite contributions across a variety of research techniques, methods, approaches, and domains, including, but not limited to:

    Novel input or output technologies for games and play
    Studies that contribute to our understanding of player experience of digital play
    Innovative game mechanics and playful interactions
    Theoretical contributions on digital play and games
    Accessible and inclusive design of player-computer interactions
    Esports, live streaming, and spectator experiences
    Advances in digital game user research, game evaluation methods, and methods for conducting games research
    Best practices for game design developed through the exploration of game artifacts to provide actionable insights for researchers, developers, and designers
    Psychology and typologies of digital games and players
    Studies of applied, serious, and persuasive digital games (e.g., games and play for health, well-being, and learning)
    Gamification and motivational design
    Virtual and augmented reality in games and play
    New tools for digital game creation and co-creation that directly affect player experience and/or player-computer interactions
    Game analytics and novel visualizations of player-computer interactions
    Developer experiences and studies of developers of digital games
    Applications of human-centered game AI with implications for HCI games research (e.g., AI for digital game development or AI to improve player-computer interactions) 
    Critical and reflexive approaches to digital games & play design and experience
    Gaming industry case studies

PACMHCI GAMES welcomes contributions on the effects of various technologies, software, or algorithms on player experiences. Technical contributions without impact on players or other relevant people in the game community, such as moderators, streamers, developers, or designers (e.g., Procedural Content Generation for game levels without considering the human experience) are not within scope, nor are systems without a gameful or playful component (e.g., basic VR studies), nor are physical games (e.g., non-digital board or tabletop gaming) without a digital element and/or core contribution to player-computer interaction.  

PACMHCI GAMES welcomes contributions that are translations of articles published in other languages, so long as the original authors remain, and the paper is clearly identified as a translation with reference to the original paper (in the PCS submission system, not in the anonymized submission draft).