The PEGASUS project builds more sustainable gaming cultures
Since its launch in January 2024, the two-year PEGASUS project has made significant progress.
“In the spring, we held workshops where stakeholders in the Finnish gaming ecosystem identified significant equity challenges and brainstormed potential solutions, which will be further refined as the project advances,” says Usva Friman, postdoctoral research fellow and manager of the PEGASUS project.
“In addition, we have actively participated in various gaming events across Finland and prepared publications and presentations for an international conference on game studies, which is scheduled for later this autumn,” Friman adds.
The project builds on the significant research results and societal impact achieved by the Centre of Excellence in Game Culture Studies on various aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), especially in the areas of player communities, esports studies and game production studies.
Collaboration with the project steering group – which includes not only prominent figures in the Finnish gaming scene but also leading international researchers in the field – has been crucial to achieving the goals and implementing the PEGASUS project. The project partners include Neogames Finland, We in Games Finland, the Finnish Esports Federation (SEUL), Female Gaming Finland and Assembly Organizing.
“We are fortunate to count key stakeholders as our collaboration partners. They bring significant expertise, experience and vision on equity issues within gaming communities to our project,” Friman says.
The PEGASUS project aims to propel Finnish gaming culture towards culturally, socially and economically sustainable growth. The participants analyse existing equity challenges and create collaborative solutions, drawing on their close collaboration with gaming communities, esports organisations, gaming event organisers and other stakeholders in the gaming industry. The project adopts a comprehensive view of gaming culture and unites a diverse range of stakeholders to address common issues and broaden the perspectives of everyone involved.
“Other stakeholders who represent, for example, education, youth work and cultural organisations have also participated in our workshops. Both our project partners and other stakeholders with whom we have collaborated have been highly motivated to find new solutions for equity challenges in gaming communities,” Friman says.
One of the primary goals of the PEGASUS project is to develop equity guidelines that are based on best practices and applicable across various environments, ranging from gaming communities to gaming events and gaming companies. Rather than focus on game production or content, these guidelines will enhance equity within the community structures of gaming, such as work communities, gaming communities, hobby networks, intra-game communities, or simply groups of friends interested in gaming.
“We are looking to create gaming environments where the obstacles to equity are actively dismantled and the participation of diverse groups is supported. The guidelines will be based on existing instructions and best practices, as well as new solutions that will be developed and piloted during the PEGASUS project through collaboration between researchers and other stakeholders,” Friman says.
Starting this autumn, the researchers will collaborate with the project partners to conduct pilot tests aimed at developing reproducible, permanent and practical tools for the field.
The website of the Pegasus project
