Year of Games

Year of Games

A University of Chicago-wide celebration of play, creativity, and collaboration unfolding throughout the 2025-26 academic year.

Where Fun

Comes to 🎲

The Year of Games is a university-wide initiative celebrating the vibrant culture of games and play at the University of Chicago. Taking place throughout the 2025–26 academic year, this collaborative effort will feature a dynamic series of events, exhibits, and activities. From game design showcases and scholarly panels to film series, exhibits, and playful public gatherings, The Year of Games invites students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to explore how games shape culture, spark creativity, and foster connection. 

 

More than a celebration, The Year of Games is a call to play and a platform for collaboration, highlighting the diverse ways games and play are studied, created, and experienced. Whether you’re a seasoned designer, a scholar of play, someone who loves to play or watch games of any kind, or simply curious about the world of games on campus, there’s a place for you in The Year of Games. 

Upcoming Events

Charting Imaginary
Worlds

Fall Quarter
The Regenstein Library

Charting Imaginary Worlds: Three Fantasy Films

Fall Quarter
Doc Films, Max Palevsky Cinema in Ida Noyes Hall

International Game Day

Nov 15 2025
American Library Association’s global celebration of play

Ghosts in the Machine: Experimental Variations on Play

November 13 2025
Cobb Lecture Hall

UChicago Game Music Ensemble Fall Concert

Nov 16 2025
Logan Center, Performance Penthouse

Medievalists
Design Games

Dec 5-7 2025
The Franke Institute + Weston Game Lab

Year of Games Mailing List

Want to follow along as the Year of Games unfolds? Join our mailing list and receive updates about upcoming events, programming highlights, and opportunities to get involved.

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