The Interactive Pasts Conference 4

VALUE Foundation

08-10 October 2025

Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University

Leiden, the Netherlands

Call for Contributions

We are very excited to announce the call for contributions for the Interactive Pasts Conference 4! While this conference builds on the works of the previous three TIPCs (TIPC1, TIPC2, TIPC3), it is also the beginning of a new cycle, as the study of Past and Play enters its second decade! For this reason, the theme of TIPC4 is: The Fellowship of Past and Play (yes, we have run out of Star Wars title inspiration)!

The theme is inspired by the diverse, interdisciplinary, and multi-vocal perspective that has allowed this field to grow and thrive. At the same time, as this year marks 10 years of VALUE, we are also looking to celebrate the friends we have made along this epic journey of past-play discovery. As such, TIPC4 will focus on openness, collaborations, inclusive scholarship, links between researchers and game developers, and all the things that bring us together! Through TIPC4, we are also looking to make new friends moving forward, and for that, we want to particularly encourage contributions by younger scholars, students, early career researchers, and anyone who wishes to join in the exploration of games and the past. 

This is why the TIPC4 programme committee especially welcomes contributions that use diverse, accessible, and inclusive approaches, with collaboration and co-creation in mind. We also encourage new, experimental, and unconventional contributions that have the potential to take the fellowship on new journeys! Your axes, your bows, your swords, and hobbits will also be considered! 

Papers and other types of playful contributions from any related disciplines are welcomed, including but not limited to contributions from academia and the game industry. 

Proposed topics and themes can come from: 

  • Archaeology of and in video games (Archaeogaming)
  • Historical game studies
  • Collaboration, community and network-building
  • Academia-meets-game development
  • Regional and period-based game studies (e.g. medievalism or antiquity in games)
  • Heritage and memory-making in games
  • Indigenous game studies and/or development
  • History in and of Queer Gaming
  • Diversity and ethics in interactive, digital playgrounds
  • Past, Play, and Politics
  • Playsets and toolsets for studying games and the past
  • Video game-based science communication
  • Games as heritage, game preservation, and archiving
  • Games for education, serious games, and other knowledge-sharing game projects centred around the past
  • The experience and representation of past people, places, and practices in video games
  • The development of games and other interactive, digital media set in or inspired by the past

Submissions

The final date for all submissions is 15th March. We run a global playground, so your time zone is our time zone.

Please send a max. 250 word abstract for your proposed 15-minute contribution, along with a title, your name(s), and your affiliation(s) (if applicable) to: info@value-foundation.org. Please also indicate whether you are submitting an on-site or remote contribution. Presentations will take place on the 9th and 10th of October. The 8th of October will consist of a full day of workshops and other activities.

On-site and Remote Contributions

TIPCs have always been shared online, but the focus is on face-to-face encounters. However, to facilitate those of you who would otherwise not be able to contribute, we will accommodate a limited number of pre-recorded video presentations (maximum 4). All other contributors will speak from a lovingly crafted podium in front of a lovely live audience, as well as a camera broadcasting you straight to our Twitch channel (twitch.tv/streamingthepast). Remote contributors will be asked to join us via Discord for a Q&A. All presenters will be asked to sign the corresponding release forms. 

If you have any questions or need any support for the logistics or technical aspects of your presentation, please let us know by e-mail or discord.

Contributor Fund

We will soon announce this year’s available contributor funds, stay tuned! 

Game Exhibit

After the smashing success of the TIPC3 game exhibit, TIPC4 will continue this tradition. We offer the opportunity to exhibit historical and other past-related video games on-site. There will be PCs available on site (specs and other consoles available on request). If you are a developer, a game development company, or have otherwise created a past-related game that you would like to exhibit please contact us at info@value-foundation.org with a max. 150 words description of your game. You can exhibit games, even if you do not submit another contribution.

Getting Creative?

Have an idea for a creative contribution in a different format? Reach out to us to see what we can do! 

Review Process and Programme Committee

There are a lot of awesome people in this fellowship, stay tuned!