Daniel Vella
@danielvella.bsky.social
Director & Senior Lecturer at Institute of Digital Games, University of Malta // Narrative designer with Mighty Boards (Posthuman Saga, Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan) // Debut novel out 2026
The gorgeous soundstage landscapes of The Jade Raksha (Ho Meng-Hua, 1968)
February 11, 2026 at 9:41 PM
The gorgeous soundstage landscapes of The Jade Raksha (Ho Meng-Hua, 1968)
Reposted by Daniel Vella
Academics from around the world have come together to explore the themes and lore of classics like #Bloodborne, #DarkSouls and #EldenRing in "𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑'𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐗"
...and pre-orders are open!
ONE DAY...I will have all the @tuneandfairweather.bsky.social collection on our shelves....ONE DAY... ❤️
...and pre-orders are open!
ONE DAY...I will have all the @tuneandfairweather.bsky.social collection on our shelves....ONE DAY... ❤️
The Video Game Library Newsletter - Vol. #037
Last week's cliffhangers revealed - hide your wallets!! Plus a ton of great manga and magazines, and some cool indie projects hitting shelves.
buff.ly
February 4, 2026 at 2:03 PM
Academics from around the world have come together to explore the themes and lore of classics like #Bloodborne, #DarkSouls and #EldenRing in "𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑'𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐗"
...and pre-orders are open!
ONE DAY...I will have all the @tuneandfairweather.bsky.social collection on our shelves....ONE DAY... ❤️
...and pre-orders are open!
ONE DAY...I will have all the @tuneandfairweather.bsky.social collection on our shelves....ONE DAY... ❤️
I don't willingly use AI for anything, but the fact that every app insists on shoving it into my face means I keep seeing things like this which remind me why I don't willingly use AI for anything.
February 3, 2026 at 4:58 PM
I don't willingly use AI for anything, but the fact that every app insists on shoving it into my face means I keep seeing things like this which remind me why I don't willingly use AI for anything.
Reposted by Daniel Vella
And our CfP is out!
History of Games 2026: The Ages of Games. Epochs and Periodisations
25-27th June, City University of Hong Kong, School of Creative
www.history-of-games.com/2026-hong-ko...
Please share and hope to see you there!
History of Games 2026: The Ages of Games. Epochs and Periodisations
25-27th June, City University of Hong Kong, School of Creative
www.history-of-games.com/2026-hong-ko...
Please share and hope to see you there!
February 2, 2026 at 5:27 PM
And our CfP is out!
History of Games 2026: The Ages of Games. Epochs and Periodisations
25-27th June, City University of Hong Kong, School of Creative
www.history-of-games.com/2026-hong-ko...
Please share and hope to see you there!
History of Games 2026: The Ages of Games. Epochs and Periodisations
25-27th June, City University of Hong Kong, School of Creative
www.history-of-games.com/2026-hong-ko...
Please share and hope to see you there!
Reposted by Daniel Vella
The Scholar’s Codex is available for pre-purchase, published by @tuneandfairweather.bsky.social ! I’m so amazed to be part of such a well-crafted collection (the illustrations are gorgeous) edited by @domford.bsky.social, @gua-le-ni.com, @nelevdm.bsky.social and @danielvella.bsky.social.
January 30, 2026 at 10:18 PM
The Scholar’s Codex is available for pre-purchase, published by @tuneandfairweather.bsky.social ! I’m so amazed to be part of such a well-crafted collection (the illustrations are gorgeous) edited by @domford.bsky.social, @gua-le-ni.com, @nelevdm.bsky.social and @danielvella.bsky.social.
Reposted by Daniel Vella
Can finally talk about this book! @domford.bsky.social @gua-le-ni.com @nelevdm.bsky.social & I have been on this journey for a while with a great team of contributors, and it's amazing to see what T&F have done with it. Certainly the most gorgeous book I've ever been involved with.
We’re excited to announce Scholar’s Codex – a new anthology where academia explores the games of FromSoftware.
Beautifully produced as a premium hardcover and illustrated by acclaimed artist @nicodelort.bsky.social.
#eldenring #darksouls #bloodborne 💙📚
www.tuneandfairweather.com/products/sch...
Beautifully produced as a premium hardcover and illustrated by acclaimed artist @nicodelort.bsky.social.
#eldenring #darksouls #bloodborne 💙📚
www.tuneandfairweather.com/products/sch...
January 28, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Can finally talk about this book! @domford.bsky.social @gua-le-ni.com @nelevdm.bsky.social & I have been on this journey for a while with a great team of contributors, and it's amazing to see what T&F have done with it. Certainly the most gorgeous book I've ever been involved with.
Can finally talk about this book! @domford.bsky.social @gua-le-ni.com @nelevdm.bsky.social & I have been on this journey for a while with a great team of contributors, and it's amazing to see what T&F have done with it. Certainly the most gorgeous book I've ever been involved with.
We’re excited to announce Scholar’s Codex – a new anthology where academia explores the games of FromSoftware.
Beautifully produced as a premium hardcover and illustrated by acclaimed artist @nicodelort.bsky.social.
#eldenring #darksouls #bloodborne 💙📚
www.tuneandfairweather.com/products/sch...
Beautifully produced as a premium hardcover and illustrated by acclaimed artist @nicodelort.bsky.social.
#eldenring #darksouls #bloodborne 💙📚
www.tuneandfairweather.com/products/sch...
January 28, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Can finally talk about this book! @domford.bsky.social @gua-le-ni.com @nelevdm.bsky.social & I have been on this journey for a while with a great team of contributors, and it's amazing to see what T&F have done with it. Certainly the most gorgeous book I've ever been involved with.
Reposted by Daniel Vella
Between the fog and the flame, a truth lies buried in ash.
January 26, 2026 at 5:15 PM
Between the fog and the flame, a truth lies buried in ash.
Amazing item ahead. Watch this space!
When the month comes to a close, a new page will be turned.
January 23, 2026 at 5:26 PM
Amazing item ahead. Watch this space!
Reposted by Daniel Vella
Last month The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of Games, ed. by @add-hawk.bsky.social & John Richard Sageng, was also out! I've got a chapter on the idea of 'beauty' in the aesthetic philosophy of Kant & Schiller and how it applies to play & games, and it's in great company in this huge collection.
January 20, 2026 at 9:43 AM
Last month The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of Games, ed. by @add-hawk.bsky.social & John Richard Sageng, was also out! I've got a chapter on the idea of 'beauty' in the aesthetic philosophy of Kant & Schiller and how it applies to play & games, and it's in great company in this huge collection.
Reposted by Daniel Vella
And it's out!
Widely available in the US.
Ask your favourite bookshop if outside of the US.
Digital version open access (any minute).
Hope you all enjoy it!
Widely available in the US.
Ask your favourite bookshop if outside of the US.
Digital version open access (any minute).
Hope you all enjoy it!
January 21, 2026 at 12:52 PM
And it's out!
Widely available in the US.
Ask your favourite bookshop if outside of the US.
Digital version open access (any minute).
Hope you all enjoy it!
Widely available in the US.
Ask your favourite bookshop if outside of the US.
Digital version open access (any minute).
Hope you all enjoy it!
Reposted by Daniel Vella
ah well at least we restructured the entire contemporary university, the product of many centuries of slowly accumulating human ingenuity, to boost this
“One notable MIT study found that 95 percent of companies that integrated AI saw zero meaningful growth in revenue. For coding tasks, one of AI’s most widely hyped applications, another study showed that programmers who used AI coding tools actually became slower at their jobs.”
AI Completely Failing to Boost Productivity, Says Top Analyst
AI may or may not excel at a lot of things, but from an economic standpoint, it's definitely not making us more productive.
futurism.com
January 20, 2026 at 3:24 AM
ah well at least we restructured the entire contemporary university, the product of many centuries of slowly accumulating human ingenuity, to boost this
Reposted by Daniel Vella
I also wrote a piece in the issue about ruins in occupied Palestine - from post-1948 attempts to erase the ruins memorialising centuries of Palestinian presence, to post-2023 (ab)use of images of the ruins of Gaza to foreground, rather than obscure, the violence and cruelty of the Zionist project.
January 15, 2026 at 6:30 PM
I also wrote a piece in the issue about ruins in occupied Palestine - from post-1948 attempts to erase the ruins memorialising centuries of Palestinian presence, to post-2023 (ab)use of images of the ruins of Gaza to foreground, rather than obscure, the violence and cruelty of the Zionist project.
Reposted by Daniel Vella
I haven't been great at sharing my recent work on here. Time to fix that! First up: with Mathias Fuchs, I co-edited a special issue of Digital Culture & Society on Ruins and the Contemporary, exploring images and imaginaries of ruin in contemporary culture. www.degruyterbrill.com/journal/key/...
January 15, 2026 at 6:21 PM
I haven't been great at sharing my recent work on here. Time to fix that! First up: with Mathias Fuchs, I co-edited a special issue of Digital Culture & Society on Ruins and the Contemporary, exploring images and imaginaries of ruin in contemporary culture. www.degruyterbrill.com/journal/key/...
I haven't been great at sharing my recent work on here. Time to fix that! First up: with Mathias Fuchs, I co-edited a special issue of Digital Culture & Society on Ruins and the Contemporary, exploring images and imaginaries of ruin in contemporary culture. www.degruyterbrill.com/journal/key/...
January 15, 2026 at 6:21 PM
I haven't been great at sharing my recent work on here. Time to fix that! First up: with Mathias Fuchs, I co-edited a special issue of Digital Culture & Society on Ruins and the Contemporary, exploring images and imaginaries of ruin in contemporary culture. www.degruyterbrill.com/journal/key/...
Reposted by Daniel Vella
One thing you will never think after reading a great book or listening to a great album or seeing a great piece of art is, “I’m really glad this person remained cautious while they were making this and guarded against being perceived as weird.”
December 13, 2025 at 7:29 AM
One thing you will never think after reading a great book or listening to a great album or seeing a great piece of art is, “I’m really glad this person remained cautious while they were making this and guarded against being perceived as weird.”
Honoured that PlayLab! Magazine picked this 2015 paper of mine to revisit! www.tuni.fi/playlab/the-...
The Ludic Sublime from Dark Souls to Animal Well – PlayLab! Magazine
www.tuni.fi
January 9, 2026 at 4:38 PM
Honoured that PlayLab! Magazine picked this 2015 paper of mine to revisit! www.tuni.fi/playlab/the-...
Birzeit University is the leading university in Palestine. I've taught some incredible exchange students from there. Israel has already obliterated all universities in Gaza, but it was never going to stop there: it's about making Palestinian life just as impossible in the West Bank, and everywhere.
BREAKING 🇵🇸 Israeli regime forces have stormed Birzeit University campus in the Occupied West Bank, injuring 41 students, including 9 with live bullets.
January 6, 2026 at 2:38 PM
Birzeit University is the leading university in Palestine. I've taught some incredible exchange students from there. Israel has already obliterated all universities in Gaza, but it was never going to stop there: it's about making Palestinian life just as impossible in the West Bank, and everywhere.
US imperialism & aggression is hardly news - it's just been more mask-off recently. But as academics the question we need to ask is how we can act in relation to it, & at least part of the answer is to interrogate the default centering of US institutions, viewpoints & agendas in global research.
January 4, 2026 at 9:09 AM
US imperialism & aggression is hardly news - it's just been more mask-off recently. But as academics the question we need to ask is how we can act in relation to it, & at least part of the answer is to interrogate the default centering of US institutions, viewpoints & agendas in global research.
Reposted by Daniel Vella
We just dropped our latest regular issue of Eludamos! With an editorial, 12(!) articles, 4(!) book reviews and a commentary, it's a big boi, and I'm really pleased to see all this excellent work out in the wild.
December 19, 2025 at 9:51 AM
We just dropped our latest regular issue of Eludamos! With an editorial, 12(!) articles, 4(!) book reviews and a commentary, it's a big boi, and I'm really pleased to see all this excellent work out in the wild.
Reposted by Daniel Vella
🚨 My new article 'Antagonistic Game Design: the Author as a Player' is out on #Eludamos (Journal for Computer Game Culture)! 🚨
>> septentrio.uit.no/index.php/el... <<
WARNING: might contains traces of @cloobot.bsky.social @doougle.net @jzagal.bsky.social @foddy.net and @add-hawk.bsky.social XD
>> septentrio.uit.no/index.php/el... <<
WARNING: might contains traces of @cloobot.bsky.social @doougle.net @jzagal.bsky.social @foddy.net and @add-hawk.bsky.social XD
December 19, 2025 at 9:36 AM
🚨 My new article 'Antagonistic Game Design: the Author as a Player' is out on #Eludamos (Journal for Computer Game Culture)! 🚨
>> septentrio.uit.no/index.php/el... <<
WARNING: might contains traces of @cloobot.bsky.social @doougle.net @jzagal.bsky.social @foddy.net and @add-hawk.bsky.social XD
>> septentrio.uit.no/index.php/el... <<
WARNING: might contains traces of @cloobot.bsky.social @doougle.net @jzagal.bsky.social @foddy.net and @add-hawk.bsky.social XD
Reposted by Daniel Vella
The Center for Digital Play at the IT University of Copenhagen is organizing a new conference: Playing Futures. The conference will take place from May 20th to 22nd at the IT University of Copenhagen. You can read more about it here: playingfutures.today
Playing Futures
Playing Futures is a conference about the role of games and play during and after the impending climate and energy catastrophes. The goal of the conference is to serve as a meeting point for the commu...
playingfutures.today
December 1, 2025 at 1:00 PM
The Center for Digital Play at the IT University of Copenhagen is organizing a new conference: Playing Futures. The conference will take place from May 20th to 22nd at the IT University of Copenhagen. You can read more about it here: playingfutures.today
Reposted by Daniel Vella
Finally! 🤩 Our position piece: Against the Uncritical Adoption of 'AI' Technologies in Academia:
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
November 30, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Reposted by Daniel Vella
I'm delighted to announce that my new book, Artgames after Gamergate, is out now with Palgrave: link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
Artgames after GamerGate
This book explores how artgame designers respond to Gamergate, challenging perceptions of gaming and its place in culture and politics
link.springer.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:37 PM
I'm delighted to announce that my new book, Artgames after Gamergate, is out now with Palgrave: link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
I'm hardly championing an obscure artist or anything, but I finally listened to the new Rosalía album in full yesterday (was waiting to get the record in my hands) and I had a full-body emotional experience. My maximalist soul loves it when an artist goes all the way out. youtu.be/htQBS2Ikz6c?...
ROSALÍA - Berghain (Official Video) feat. Björk & Yves Tumor
YouTube video by RosaliaVEVO
youtu.be
November 21, 2025 at 11:59 AM
I'm hardly championing an obscure artist or anything, but I finally listened to the new Rosalía album in full yesterday (was waiting to get the record in my hands) and I had a full-body emotional experience. My maximalist soul loves it when an artist goes all the way out. youtu.be/htQBS2Ikz6c?...