Our Research

MAGPIE has an explicit focus on inclusion and diversity in games studies, building on established connections with LGBTQIA+, neurodiverse and disability games networks and including support for First Nations and culturally diverse games research. Our research has three interlinked research programs: storytelling, design, and participation.

Researchers

Researchers in the research group. Showing 4 of 4.

DR Cassandra Barkman

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DR Mahli-Ann Butt

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A/Prof Eddie Paterson

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DR Lucy A. Sparrow

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Projects

Projects conducted by research group members

Displaying 7 projects from 7 for the research group.

Disability and the Performing Arts in Australia: Beyond the Social Model

This project aims to explore how the creative and aesthetic value of contemporary Australian disability theatre, dance and live performance ..

2016 - 2021

Completed

Disability and the Performing Arts in Australia: Beyond the Social Model

This project aims to explore how the creative and aesthetic value of contemporary Australian disability theatre, dance and live performance ..

2016 - 2021

Completed

Power and Performance: Revaluing Theatre in the 21st Century

This project aims to examine the changing function of the theatre in Western culture. For millennia, theatre has been valued as a way to bri..

2016 - 2020

Completed

Scholarly Works

Scholarly Works by research group members

Displaying 10 scholarly works from 134 for the research group.

Explainable Moderation in Multiplayer Games - Player Responses to Explanations of an Automated Temporary Ban

T Holland, LA Sparrow, W Smith, S Webber

Conference Proceedings | 2026 | Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Proceedings

Open access

The opaqueness of moderation systems can leave offenders of toxic behaviour disaffected and without recourse for change. We examin..

Leisure or Labour: An Aesthetic Reading of Playing Stardew Valley

Cassandra Barkman

Journal article | 2026 | Well Played

The Well Played Journal is a forum for in-depth close readings of games that parse out the various meanings to be found in the exp..

Interface Games as Microgenre: Definition and Thematic Investigation

F Dawson, C Barkman

Journal article | 2026 | Television and New Media

Open access

In this article, we identify and define an emerging microgenre of videogame we call the interface game. While all videogames conta..

The Emerging Role of AI in Life Storytelling for Older Adults: A Systematic Review of Commercial Apps

L Schmidt, W Zhao, LA Sparrow, MJ Rogerson, M Gibbs, J Waycott

Conference Proceedings | 2025 | Ozchi 2025 Proceedings of the 37th Australian Conference on Human Computer Interaction

Open access

Storytelling can help maintain older adults' sense of identity and social connection. HCI researchers have designed and evaluated ..

The AI Ally Project: Designing a Human-Centred AI Tool for Women's Safety in Online Spaces

D Jovic, R Galwey, LA Sparrow, MA Butt, Y Song, S Wang-Wills, EA Oliveira

Conference Proceedings | 2025 | Www Companion 2025 Companion Proceedings of the ACM Web Conference 2025

Open access

Online gender-based harassment is a widespread and persistent issue that disproportionately affects girls, young women, and gender..

Beyond the Enforcer: Exploring Metaphors for Alternative AI Moderation in Online Games

R Galwey, LA Sparrow, MA Butt

Conference Proceedings | 2025 | Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Proceedings

Online games increasingly rely on AI moderation systems that employ punitive approaches despite player dissatisfaction with these ..

Performing Climates

E Paterson, L Stevens

Book | 2025

Performing Climates features 14 interconnected chapters exploring theatre and performance’s relationship with more-than-human elem..

Performing Climates

E Paterson, L Stevens

Book Chapter | 2025

This chapter introduces Performing Climates, reveals the messy relations involved in thinking about theatre and climate change and..

Mycorrhizae

E Paterson, L Stevens

Book Chapter | 2025

This chapter questions the status of Western theatre as a place of human dramas and virtuosity. In contrast, we explore mycorrhiza..

A minor history of interactive movies: Brilliant Digital Entertainment and the dot-com bubble

C Barkman

Journal article | 2025 | Convergence

Open access

This article conducts a genealogical analysis of Brilliant Digital Entertainment’s multipath movies as a minor history of videogam..

News

News by research group members

Displaying 4 news articles from 4 for the research group.

Distrust in AI is on the rise – but along with healthy scepticism comes the risk of harm

Simon Coghlan, Lucy Sparrow

Some video game players recently criticised the cover art on a new video game for being generated with artificial intelligence (AI). Yet th..

July 2, 2025

conversation Article

Q&A: How women and girls are changing gaming

Lucy Sparrow

Gaming is one of the biggest industries in the world. In fact, in 2024, the revenue from the worldwide gaming market was estimated at almos..

February 10, 2025

pursuit Article

Online spaces are rife with toxicity. Well-designed AI tools can help clean them up

Lucy Sparrow, Eduardo Oliveira, Mahli-Ann Butt

Imagine scrolling through social media or playing an online game, only to be interrupted by insulting and harassing comments. What if an ar..

September 30, 2024

conversation Article

You wouldn’t hit a dog, so why would you kill one in Minecraft?

Simon Coghlan, Lucy Sparrow

Violence against animals in video games is ubiquitous. Players can kill or torture non-human animals in various popular games, including Mi..

September 25, 2020

pursuit Article

Support Our Research

Contact Us

Emaileddiep@unimelb.edu.au

Melbourne Academic Games, Play and Interactive Entertainment (MAGPIE)

MAGPIE is a games research initiative. We support interdisciplinary research, teaching, leadership and industry engagement in the field of game studies, including game design, play processes, player communities, narrative design, and creative technology industry cultures.

Our Research

Researchers

Projects

Co-Designing Innovations in Digital Storytelling With Older Adults

Co-Designing Innovations in Digital Storytelling With Older Adults

AI Ally: Co-Designing Anti-Harassment AI With Girls and Young Women

Project Title the Evolution of Disability Arts in Australia

Disability and the Performing Arts in Australia: Beyond the Social Model

Disability and the Performing Arts in Australia: Beyond the Social Model

Power and Performance: Revaluing Theatre in the 21st Century

Scholarly Works

Explainable Moderation in Multiplayer Games - Player Responses to Explanations of an Automated Temporary Ban

Leisure or Labour: An Aesthetic Reading of Playing Stardew Valley

Interface Games as Microgenre: Definition and Thematic Investigation

The Emerging Role of AI in Life Storytelling for Older Adults: A Systematic Review of Commercial Apps

The AI Ally Project: Designing a Human-Centred AI Tool for Women's Safety in Online Spaces

Beyond the Enforcer: Exploring Metaphors for Alternative AI Moderation in Online Games

Performing Climates

Performing Climates

Mycorrhizae

A minor history of interactive movies: Brilliant Digital Entertainment and the dot-com bubble

News

Distrust in AI is on the rise – but along with healthy scepticism comes the risk of harm

Q&A: How women and girls are changing gaming

Online spaces are rife with toxicity. Well-designed AI tools can help clean them up

You wouldn’t hit a dog, so why would you kill one in Minecraft?

Support Our Research

Contact Us