Game Research Group
The game research group works on gameplay innovation, understanding player experience, and developing novel game creation tools.
We utilize and develop technologies such as AI, machine learning, and physics/biomechanics simulation, often combined with theories and models of motivation and emotion. Perhaps the most well-known project from the group is the Augmented Climbing Wall shown above, now developed and distributed commercially by the spin-off startup Valo Motion. The group is led by Prof. Perttu Hämäläinen.
Group members
Laura Piispanen
Aleksi Ikkala
Esko Evtyukov
Yu-Jung Liu
Shamit Ahmed
Publications
Beyond Satisfaction: Game Feel Design for Emotionally Impactful Experiences
Prabhav Bhatnagar, Markus Laattala, Supriya Dutta, Tom Cole, Perttu Hämäläinen
2025
FDG '25: Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games
Souls-VR: Dodge-Rolling in Virtual Reality
Markus Kirjonen, Adas Slezas, Supriya Dutta, Markus Laattala, Perttu Hämäläinen
2025
FDG '25: Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games
Duet: Virtual reality pair dancing with partner movement manipulation
Markus Laattala, Supriya Dutta, Perttu Hämäläinen
2025
Proceedings of the 9th International GamiFIN 2025 (GamiFIN 2025)
Between: Easing the Fear of Death Through Peaceful Play
Bingxiao Luo, Perttu Hämäläinen, Heidi Rautalahti
2025
Unraveling Grief: Design Space Analysis of Death-themed Games
Bingxiao Luo, Perttu Hämäläinen, Heidi Rautalahti
2025
Conference Proceedings of DiGRA 2025: Games at the Crossroads
Towards Understanding Waiting in Video Games
Nina Tepponen, Prabhav Bhatnagar, Jaakko Väkevä, Perttu Hämäläinen
2025
Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction
"Don’t You Dare Go Hollow": How Dark Souls Helps Players Cope with Depression, a Thematic Analysis of Reddit Discussions
Jaakko Väkevä, Perttu Hämäläinen, Janne Lindqvist
2025
CHI 2025 - Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Moving with method : using cards in movement-based design
Annika Waern, Lars Elbaek, Robby van Delden, Jose Maria Font Fernandez, Perttu Hamalainen, Maximus D. Kaos, Elena Marquez Segura, Maria Normark, Dees Postma, Dennis Reidsma, Laerke Schjodt Rasmussen, Ana Tajadura-Jimenez, Laia Turmo Vidal, Jose Manuel Vega-Cebrian, Rasmus Vestergaard Andersen
2025
Interacting with Computers
Heads-Up Multitasker: Simulating Attention Switching On Optical Head-Mounted Displays
Yunpeng Bai, Aleksi Ikkala, Antti Oulasvirta, Shengdong Zhao, Lucia J Wang, Pengzhi Yang, Peisen Xu
2024
CHI '24: Proceedings of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Understanding the Design of Emotionally Impactful Game Feel
Prabhav Bhatnagar, Markus Laattala, Supriya Dutta, Perttu Hämäläinen
2024
CHI-PLAY Companion 2024 - Companion Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play