In our ongoing series about games researchers, we portrait the people wo bring game studies forward and define how game making is taught and learned at universities. Today in the spotlight is Rudolf Inderst of Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences and regular science columnist here at GamesMarket.
Who are you, and what is your area of research?
My name is Rudolf, and I am Professor of Game Design and Game Studies at Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences. I currently consider the Bachelor's program in Game Production and Management my academic home, not least because of the outstanding colleagues I have the pleasure of working with, Michael Hebel, Guido Kühn, Sebastian De Andrade, and many others whose enthusiasm and commitment make all the difference. Before joining ranks in Neu-Ulm, the Bavarian half of the twin city of Ulm, on the border with Baden-Württemberg, I held professorships at IU International University (with a special shout-out to my current Zelda anthology crew Nadine Trautzsch, Stefan Simond and Jörg Burbach!) and Trier University of Applied Sciences (huge thanks to you, Linda Breitlauch!). Before that, I had the privilege of teaching and leading workshops at universities and universities of applied sciences across Germany, including Munich, Berlin, Heidelberg, Bochum, and Neu-Ulm.
Across all these institutions and appointments, Game Studies has remained the defining focus of my research and teaching. My research focuses on the history and institutional development of Game Studies as an academic discipline, game journalism, and critical game analysis. My work is further informed by a background in political theory, intellectual history, and cultural history. I'm currently editing several forthcoming volumes, dedicated to game franchises including Total War, Grand Theft Auto, and Resident Evil. Alongside my academic work, I am Head of the Games Culture section at TITEL kulturmagazin, founder and host of the science communication podcast GAME STUDIES, and editor of the weekly game research newsletter GAME STUDIES WATCHLIST … and yes, I suppose Kentucky Route Zero is my favorite game, unless someone in our Squadra suggests a rewatch of Carpenter's The Fog, Peckinpah's Straw Dogs or Tarkovsky's Stalker.
What brought you into game studies in the first place?
