GAMEHEARTS

GAMEHEARTS – Games, Heritage, Arts, & Sport – The economic, social, and cultural value of the European videogame ecosystem.

The GAMEHEARTS project maximises the value of Europe’s video game industry ecosystems (EVGIE) by embedding them within the broader landscape of creative and cultural industries (CCI). It responds to a key challenge facing the sector: the limited connection between traditional and emerging cultural domains, which continues to constrain the full social and economic potential of video games across Europe.

The project takes a holistic, evidence-based approach, moving beyond game development alone to consider the wider ecosystem that underpins the industry. Using both established and experimental methodologies, it examines how video game know-how and technologies can support competitiveness and drive innovation across the CCI.

The consortium brings together academic partners from the University of Vienna (Austria), University of Salford (UK), Tampere University (Finland), Breda University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands), and Wroclaw University of Economics and Business (Poland). These institutions collaborate with industry leaders including Ubisoft (France), alongside cultural partners in the UK, including City Football Group, the Imperial War Museum, and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Working along seven work packages, GAMEHEARTS develops ‘ludic experiences’, explores possibilities of more inclusive, engaging, and empowering cultural experiences, examines current and future trends in the EVGIE and looks into the ways in which game technologies and practices can expand access to heritage, the arts, and sport. By generating policy recommendations and development roadmaps, GAMEHEARTS will position the EVGIE as a powerful catalyst for innovation, inclusion, and sustainable growth across Europe’s cultural landscape, demonstrating the far-reaching potential of video games.