Being one of the largest national and international game hubs at a university, the DE:HIVE at HTW Berlin combines research, teaching and entrepreneurship in a unique way. Researchers, founders, teachers and a total of over 180 students work together in the Connected Spaces on the topic of games and their social and artistic perspectives. With Co-Founder and Professor Thomas Bremer we talked about the question why play matters, what makes DE:HIVE special and what it contributes to the games industry and society as a whole.
Why does play matter?
Games are not only the main medium for people aged 10 to 25 nowadays, but gaming, as it is called, is increasingly permeating many areas of society. Video games are the highest-grossing media products and have also evolved into an artistic medium of expression.
I am interested in the phenomenon of play and games, its dimensions, its transdisciplinary manifestations, and their applications. It is important to me to uncover and question the established principles and rules of games in society, to reflect on the societal transformative potentials of games, and to experiment artistically and scientifically with the design possibilities of games. However, I am not even sure if the diverse forms that are currently emerging in the context of games will still be perceived as games in the future, or if they will be considered as new forms of art and social interaction. The techniques and methods of digital games, as well as the techniques of AI, will produce new narrative forms, experiential forms, and forms of communication in the coming years.
The Game Design course was the first of its kind at a German state university. How has the course changed since then?
When we started in 2008, we conducted a needs analysis in the industry. However, we quickly realized that this only provided us with information about the current state of demand. Additionally, models for game curricula that are constantly emerging often focus on content rather than the competencies that individuals can develop within a given timeframe. We primarily focus on the student life cycle. I often say that when young people start their studies with us and a new game console is released at the same time, by the time the students complete their studies, the game console is already old news. We view the game design program itself as a game and consider all participants as players. This allows us to design the program as an experience while maintaining high standards. We call this approach Game Thinking.
What do you understand by Game Thinking?
Game Thinking is for us a set of methods based on game design methods. We use it to describe, analyze, design, and redesign systems of various kinds. In this method, systems are viewed as games in order to transfer patterns of interpretation. It is, in a way, thought experiments that can open up new perspectives, insights, and options for action. Game Thinking is a collaborative method that we carry out with multiple people in a team. The mindset is integrated into our daily work. Game Thinking should not be confused with the gamification approach. Gamification uses playful elements in non-playful contexts and systems with the goal of increasing user motivation and involving them in interactions. In contrast, Game Thinking views systems as games, as sets of rules. Systems can be infrastructures, business or institutional processes, concepts, or design projects in different areas. Game Thinking is about revealing and, if necessary, actively shaping frameworks, patterns of interpretation, situational patterns, patterns of interpretation, and collective patterns of meaning. My colleague Prof. Susanne Brandhorst also used this method in the development of the concept, architecture, and design of the DE:HIVE.
What is DE:HIVE and what motivated you to develop it?
With the DE:HIVE, Susanne Brandhorst and I have created a place with a radically new concept that integrates analog and digital through highly functional spaces and provides the framework for the development of new processes and innovative products. Over the years, we have been supported by the management of the HTW Berlin, especially by the former chancellor Class Cordes, who made the project possible.
The traditional higher education system tends to separate and divide due to its organizational structure. While there is a lot of talk about interdisciplinary collaboration and community building, it often only arises through political control effects and not from within itself. However, unity can only arise when everyone operates within a common playing field.
With the concept of the DE:HIVE, it was important for us to create such a common playing field for the topic of gaming, which I consider one of the most interesting and innovative industries of the 21st century. Not only because it has become the largest cultural and entertainment market, but also because I believe that games negotiate many things that have a direct impact on our societal and personal lives. And it is precisely the clash between art, technology, business, and societal aspects that makes the exploration of games so exciting and necessary as an academic subject.
What makes the DE:HIVE special?
When entering DE:HIVE, one finds themselves in a seemingly unacademic environment - cheerful, cooperative, and player-centered. Through shared working conditions and a shared studio environment for research, teaching, and entrepreneurs, we enable a unique exchange, mutual teaching, and mutual support. This may be exemplified by the example of the Embedded Game Incubators. The integration creates mutual benefits and potentials for the founding teams as well as for the game design students and researchers. Teams can concretize their ideas in a secure framework, they can utilize the familiar shared infrastructure, and they have hundreds of playtesters on-site. Students are sensitized to entrepreneurial options and stimulated to start their own ventures through the role model function of the founding teams. The same applies to the relationship between teaching and research. Teaching projects turn into research projects, and research projects introduce new methods and techniques into teaching. The daily encounters and continuous exchange in these vibrant spaces give rise to many great projects in the HIVE.
In which areas does DE:HIVE conduct research and what is the significance of this research?
The research projects focus on two areas. Firstly, the development of new production methods. Since 2009, we have been working on projects related to 3D digitization. Furthermore, we dedicate ourselves to exploring new production methods and platforms such as VR, MR, and AI, specifically GEN AI. Here, we collaborate interdisciplinarily with various departments at HTW Berlin within the KI Werkstatt. Another area of focus is the exploration of game systems and their interfaces. We closely collaborate with the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and UKE Eppendorf, for example. We have developed games that have positive effects on cognitive issues and addiction disorders. In essence, we are particularly interested in researching the impact and functionality of interaction patterns and game mechanics in these projects. Regardless, these projects also allow us to stay up-to-date with the latest production methods and techniques for game development.
How is your Game Incubator structured? Have emerged teams been able to publish successful games and found self-reliable studios?
Through embedded curricularization of an entrepreneurship mindset in various modules of the bachelor's program, students are equipped with the necessary skills for entrepreneurial thinking in a variety of situations at an early stage. In the Master's program Game Design, they then have the opportunity to actively start a company during their studies with the support of our integrated incubator spaces. Many of the young teams and companies apply for funding from the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg with their developed prototypes and proof-of-concepts. This combination provides a stable foundation for the young founders. Since 2020, 14 game studios have been established. Meanwhile, a number of successful companies such as Toukana Interactive with Dorfromantik, Randwerk with Abriss, or Grissly Games with Islanders have emerged from DE:HIVE. And I am confident that more will follow.
The German games industry – like most of the industries - suffers from a skill shortage. In your opinion, what has to be done and how can a hub like DE:HIVE help solve this problem?
The DE:HIVE is primarily a focal point for the topic of game and play. Its aim is not to fulfill short-term needs of an industry, but rather to strive for sustainable structures for the topic of game and play, which is relevant and influential for the society in the long term. Through strong integration of research, education, and entrepreneurship, the DE:HIVE makes an important contribution.
The DE:HIVE provides a platform for exchange and collaboration between various actors in the field of gaming. It promotes networking among researchers, teachers, and entrepreneurs to work together on innovative ideas and projects. Through its diverse activities and programs, the DE:HIVE creates a dynamic environment that fosters knowledge transfer as well as entrepreneurial thinking and action.
Therefore, the DE:HIVE is an important driving force for the development and promotion of talented professionals in this field.
