Welcome to the home pages of Frans Mäyrä

Research into digital culture, game studies – as well as science fiction, fantasy and horror. These pages contain some information about my research, list of my publications (also PDF versions for download), information about my lectures and other teaching activities, CV, link to my blog, digital photo archives, as well as some other materials, related to my writing and role-playing activities, among others.
 

News, media, interviews:

• A video interview where I am talking about my work has been published by Professoriliitto
• Pelaajabarometri 2011 provides a comprehensive view into the role of play (digital or not) to Finnish people
• Interview about research into playfulness and gamification (in Finnish) / haastattelu leikillisyyden ja pelillisyyden tutkimuksesta löytyy Aikalaisesta
• My new blog site: http://fransmayra.fi
• Three issues already available: Pelitutkimuksen vuosikirja 2011, Pelitutkimuksen vuosikirja 2010 and Pelitutkimuksen vuosikirja 2009 collect together an interesting view about Game Studies, its evolution in Finland, and current state
• Pelaajabarometri 2009 reports an overall view of playing (digital and traditional) in Finland
• YLE news: "kännykkä on arjen kaukosäädin" ("mobile phone is the remote control for everyday life")
• Pelitieto.net: an online course for Finnish educators on games literacy has been opened (see also: HS, Digitoday, etc.)
• Interview comments on elder people becoming interested in digital play (YLE; suomeksi)
• "The Serious Side of Gameplay", a profile interview by University of Tampere research services: http://www.uta.fi/english/news/researcher_profiles/mayra.html [also in Finnish/suomeksi]
• YLE Pop Uutiset interview: http://pop.yle.fi/artikkelit/2008-11-07/pelit-ovat-edelleen-populaarikulttuurin-pohjasakkaa
• "Whole Life is Game for a Games Researcher" (a profile interview in Finnish) by Tekniikka & Talous: http://www.tekniikkatalous.fi/tyo/article77453.ece
• Helsingin Sanomat, a short interview (in Finnish) on adult gamers: http://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/artikkeli/Yhä+useampi+kolmikymppinen+pelaa+videopelejä/1135242055714
• IT-viikko news about hypermedia master's degree studies starting: http://www.itviikko.fi/ihmiset-ja-ura/2008/02/08/tampereen-yliopisto-kouluttaa-hypermedian-maisteriksi/20083950/7
• Helsingin Sanomat, a short interview (in Finnish) on digital games divide: http://www.hs.fi/omaelama/artikkeli/Nuoren+nettipelejä++ei+kannata+kieltää/HS20061108SI2YO02af6
• A video interview about games literacy and interactive, online media cultures by YLE (Finnish national broadcaster), in YLE educational video archive: http://opettajatv.yle.fi/artikkeli?id=5949 [part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6]
• Tietokone magazine on online games: http://www.tietokone.fi/lukusali/artikkelit/2005tk07/nettipelit.htm
• Digitoday interview on the popularity of digital gaming: http://www.digitoday.fi/viihde/2007/10/25/suomalainen-ei-viela-suostu-maksamaan-digipeleistaan/200726687/66
• Tietokone magazine on casual games: http://www.tietokone.fi/lukusali/artikkelit/2007tk13/haastattelu.htm
• IT-viikko interview on elder people's interest to games: http://www.itviikko.fi/uutiset/2007/05/14/korttipakka-vaihtuu-pelikonsoliin-vanhuksilla/200711792/7
• MikroBitti on Second Life: http://www.mbnet.fi/lukusali/juttu.aspx?juttuid=2030
• IT-viikko on social gaming: http://www.itviikko.com/talous/2006/11/29/videopeli-maustaa-yhteiset-hetket/200621976/7
• Tekniikka & Talous on social gaming: http://www.tekniikkatalous.fi/viihde/article191036.ece
• Digitoday interview on Finnish game industy and need for education: http://www.digitoday.fi/data/2006/02/16/tietokonepelin-kehitystyo-on-harras-ammatti/20064862/66
• SKR grant to the study of games cultures, news by Digitoday: http://www.digitoday.fi/page.php?page_id=66&news_id=20065188

Info bulletins:

• Hypermedia Laboratory is now part of the new Department of Information Studies and Interactive Media (starting 1.1.2009)
• information about my textbook An Introduction to Game Studies: http://gamestudiesbook.net/
• new games research projects starting in 2009: the Creation of Games Cultures (Academy of Finland) and Transformation of Digital Play (TDP/GaIn+SoPlay; Tekes & consortium of companies, jointly with University of Jyväskylä)
• news item about the CG-Cult project starting: http://www.uta.fi/ajankohtaista/tiedotteet/2008/100.html
• a VePe research report published: study of online poker players' experiences
• new research projects probe the future of games as services, skill gaming with money in the Internet (more in Finnish)
• info bulletin about an average Finnish gamer being c. 37 year old, and Windows Solitaire being the most
• all visiting lecture announcements and other updates are usually quickly available in my blog
• regular updates in Publications (with dowload links) and CV pages, the latter including conference activities
• a seminar of game studies announced (pelitutkimuksen seminaari käynnistyy)
• A new short paper on the developments of online gaming (Internet-pelaamisen muodonmuutos)
• my book Demonic Texts and Textual Demons is again available
• please note also my article in Aamulehti about the development of games (in Finnish): http://www.uta.fi/~tlilma/pelikehitys_aamulehti.pdf

Contact details:

Frans Ilkka Mäyrä
Professor of Hypermedia, esp. Digital Culture and Game Studies
Information Studies and Interactive Media
School of Information Sciences
FIN-33014 University of Tampere
Finland

Visiting address:
Pinni A Building, Room A4080
Kanslerinrinne 1
University of Tampere, Tampere

Telephone:
+358 50 336 7650
email: frans.mayra {at} uta.fi
Skype: franswork

Personal website: www.unet.fi

"Etsin kovasti jotain, kunnes aloin silmäillä ympärilleni.
Suuret puut huojuivat, tuuli puhui niiden latvustoissa
ja tuntui että pian ymmärtäisin, mitä ne sanoivat.
Jossain kaukana näin laakson, laakson takana uusia metsiä
ja etäisyydessä vielä vuorten huippuja. Vaelsin yhä syvemmälle
puiden varjoihin ja hengitin kosteaa sammaleen tuoksua.
Olin eksynyt valtakuntaan, jota opin nimittämään
Vapaudeksi."