Theses

There has been great numbers of PhD and Master’s Theses carried out in Gamelab, first in Hypermedia and in collaboration with the Media Culture, then within the Information Studies and Interactive Media degree program. Since 2019, Game Studies has been a specialization at Bachelor’s level in the Communication Sciences (VIMO) program, as well as having a dedicated, international Master’s Degree Program of its own (since 2013; see for the more complete history here).

PhD theses from the Game Research Lab researchers:

  1. Aki Järvinen, Games without Frontiers. Theories and Methods for Game Studies and Design (2008) [link]
  2. Olli Sotamaa, The Player’s Game: Towards Understanding Player Production Among Computer Game Cultures (2010) [link]
  3. Markus Montola, On the Edge of the Magic Circle: Understanding Pervasive Games and Role-Playing (2012) [link]
  4. J. Tuomas Harviainen, Systemic Perspectives on Information in Physically Performed Role-play (2012) [link]
  5. Timo Nummenmaa, Executable Formal Specifications in Game Development: Design, Validation and Evolution (2013) [link]
  6. Jaakko Stenros, Playfulness, Play, and Games: A Constructionist Ludology Approach (2015) [link]
  7. Jonna Koivisto, Gamification: A study on users, benefits and literature (2017) [link]
  8. Annakaisa Kultima, Game Design Praxiology (2018) [link]
  9. Niklas Nylund, Game Heritage: Digital Games in Museum Collections and Exhibitions (2020) [link]
  10. Heikki Tyni, Games Crowdfunding as a Form of Platformised Cultural Production (2020) [link]
  11. Kati Alha, The Rise of Free-to-Play: How the Revenue Model Changed Games and Playing (2020) [link]
  12. Jani Kinnunen,  Rahat, peli ja rahapelaamisen sosiaaliset palkkiot (2021) [link]

Master’s Theses from the Information Studies and Interactive Media / Internet and Game Studies / Game Studies degree program [full texts available in trepo.tuni.fi archive, please use the search function]:

  1. Henrik Saari, Itsensä esittäminen Facebookissa: eri-ikäisten käyttäjien käsitykset ja kokemukset verkostopalvelussa esiintymisestä (Self-representation in Facebook: the experiences of users of different ages about performing in online networking service) (2010)
  2. Eva Leppänen, A Study of Views of Facebook Users on the Role of Haptics in Social Network Systems (2010)
  3. Matti Linna, Trotting the Globe: Evaluating and Categorizing Playful User Experiences of Google Earth (2010)
  4. Kati Alha, Concepts of Game Innovation: A View from the History of Digital Games (2011)
  5. Mika Mustikkamäki, Digitaaliset pelit ja pelilukutaito (Digital games and games literacy) (2011)
  6. Tuuli Saarinen, Emotional Matters: Delineating Game Industry Professional’s View on Emotion in Video Games (2011)
  7. Erkka Rautio, Suomalaisten pokeriharrastajien odotuksia ja kokemuksia Raha-automaattiyhdistyksen nettipokeripalvelusta (Finnish poker gamers’ expectations and experiences of RAY online poker service) (2012)
  8. Sari Eskelinen, Tampereen yliopiston intran käytettävyys ja käyttäjäkokemus (The usability and user experience of the intranet of University of Tampere) (2012)
  9. Heikki Tyni, Extended or Exhausted: The Production, Form, and Reception of Downloadable Content in Skate 3 (2012)
  10. Yrjö Lappalainen, Verkkosivuston informaatioarkkitehtuurin heuristinen evaluointi: PIKI-verkkokirjasto (The heuristic evaluation of web site’s information architecture: case PIKI online library) (2012)
  11. Teija Kouvo, Kuvien kuvailu: tutkimus suomalaisista Flickr-kuvapalvelun käyttäjistä (Description of images: study of the Finnish users of Flickr) (2013)
  12. Riikka Venetjoki, Verkkoviestinnän seuranta ja arviointi suomalaisissa julkisissa organisaatioissa (Tracking and evaluation of online communications in Finnish public organisations) (2013)
  13. Tero Huttunen, Hiljaiset pojat: haastattelututkimus ongelmapelaajista osana sosiaali- ja terveysalan sekä nuorisotyön ammattilaisten asiakaskuntaa (Interview study of problem gamers as parts of the clientele of health and youth work professionals) (2013)
  14. Heidi Vaarala, Sosiaalisen median yhdistäminen digitaaliseen portfolioon käyttömotivaation näkökulmasta (Combining social media to digital portfolio, from the perspective of user motivations) (2013)
  15. Esko Vankka, Free-to-Play Games: Professionals’ Perceptions (2014)
  16. Mika Uusi-Kilponen, Viestinsidos: tutkimus 18–40-vuotiaiden suomalaisten internetin käyttötarkoituksista ja käyttötavoista (Communication connection: study of 18-40-year-old Finns’ use purposes and use manners for the Internet) (2014)
  17. Juha-Matti Pulkkinen, Design values of digital role-playing games (2014)
  18. Riikka Järvinen, “Täähän avaa koko mailman” – kokemuksia mobiiliteknologian käytöstä yläkoulussa (Experiences from the use of mobile technology in upper comprehensive school) (2015)
  19. Tiina Malinen, “Siitä tulee vähä niinku julmempaa. Pelaajien käsityksiä videopeleistä ja lautapeleistä” (Players’ experiences of video games and board games) (2015)
  20. Juhani Tamminen, Gamification and the User Engagement in Self-Learning Software (2015)
  21. Jouni Peltokangas, Suunnittelijan ja pelaajan käsityksiä pelikokemuksesta – Cabals: Magic & Battle Cards -pelin tarkastelu kokemuskäyrien avulla (Designer’s and player’s views of the game play experience – analysing Cabals: Magic & Battle game with the user experience curve method) (2015)
  22. Joni Alava, Kirjasto pelissä: pelit ja pelaaminen Suomen yleisissä kirjastoissa (Games and playing in public libraries in Finland) (2015)
  23. Johanna Nevalainen, Kuvien kuvailun ja -hallinnan kehittäminen: tapauksena Tampereen yliopiston viestintäyksikön digitaalinen kuva-arkisto (Improving the description and management of images: the case of digital photo archive in the University of Tampere Press and Information Office) (2015)
  24. Laura Hämäläinen, Queer ja pelit (Queer and games) (2015)
  25. Saila Kurtti, Näppäimiltä kosketukselle – tabletilla pelaaminen (Playing games with tablet devices) (2015)
  26. Jorma Riihikoski, Verkkotyökalujen ja sosiaalisen median hyödyntäminen lähidemokratiassa ja kunnallisessa päätöksenteossa (Online tools and social media in local democracy and municipal decision-making) (2015)
  27. Karoliina Korppoo, Designing Game Analytics for a City-Builder Game (2015)
  28. Titi Tamminen, Syntyykö verkostoissa yhteisöllistä tietämystä? Eri organisaatioissa ja maantieteellisesti eri paikoissa toimivien asiantuntijoiden verkostojen tiedonluomisesta, case-AVO (Collective knowledge creation in a distributed expert network, case AVO) (2015)
  29. Teemu Nieminen, Pelittääkö? Tutkimus opettajien asenteista digitaalisten pelien käyttöön perusopetuksessa (Study of teachers’ attitudes towards the use of games in comprehensive school) (2015)
  30. Ville Kankainen, Kahden maailman vuorovaikutuksessa: tapaustutkimus Blood Bowl -lautapelin ja sen digitaalisten versioiden tarjoamista pelikokemuksista (Case study comparing the player experiences provided by the Blood Bowl board game and its digital versions) (2015)
  31. Katri Mäkelä, Videopelien interaktiivisuus ja pelaajan tekemät valinnat sekä niiden merkitys (The interactivity of video games, players’ choices and their meaning) (2015)
  32. Tuulia Nevala, Pelaamisen elinkaari: 1978-1985 syntyneiden pelihistoriaa Etelä-Pohjanmaalta (The life-cycle of gaming: the game history of persons born in 1978-1985 in South Ostrobothnia) (2015)
  33. Aleksi Vesanen, Games Literacy and Gaming Capital: A Theoretical and Practical Examination (2015)
  34. Kristian Haaga, Verkkopelialan tulevaisuuden näkymiä (Future views of the online gaming) (2016)
  35. Minna Helynen, Nuorisotakuutoimijoiden Internetin ja sosiaalisen median työkäyttö Pirkanmaalla (The use of Internet and social media by youth guarantee actors in Pirkanmaa) (2016)
  36. Olli-Poika Parviainen, Digitaalinen pelaaminen ikäihmisten elämässä (Digital game playing in the everyday lives of elderly persons) (2016)
  37. Esko Ronimus, Verkkoroolipelien toteutuksen haasteet pelaajien näkökulmasta (The challenges of designing online role-playing games from the players’ perspectives) (2016)
  38. Anu Valli, The Generations in the Frontline. From early to current: The Baby Boomers and Gen Xers socialized the Internet as part of our everyday life (2016)
  39. Nikola Anna Adamus, Fantasy Miniature Wargames and Their players: A Study of Finnish Wargamers in Tampere (2016)
  40. Marita Neenberg, Introduction to the Diversity of Community Created Levels and Themes in LittleBigPlanet 2 (2016)
  41. Joseph Macey, Heuristics for Evaluating Video Games: A Two-Tier Set Incorporating Universal and Genre-Specific Elements (2016)
  42. Tuomas Alahäivälä: Designing a Persuasive Game for Children’s Safety Awareness (2017)
  43. Henrietta Jylhä: An icon that everyone wants to click on – an empirical study on the relationship between consumer perceptions and mobile game icon successfulness (2017)
  44. Henry Korkeila: The relationship between avatar’s capital and player’s gaming orientation: A study in Final Fantasy XIV (2017)
  45. Xiaozhou Li: Motivation-oriented Scenario-based Gamification Design Method using the User Requirements Notation Modeling (2017)
  46. Karoliina Riitamaa: The Development of Online Trolling. Towards understanding online trolling as a socially acceptable and amusing phenomenon in a suitable context (2017)
  47. Ari Levola: Hakukoneoptimointialan kehitys ja toimijoiden vuorovaikutus (Development and interactions among the actors in the search engine optimization business) (2017)
  48. Noora Suorsa: Independent game development – Developers’ reflections in postmortems (2017)
  49. Pasi Kangas: The pleasures of puzzle-solving in adventure games: close reading Day of the Tentacle (2017)
  50. Marc Llovet Ferrer: Representations of Japan by the video game industry: the case of Ôkami from a Japanophile perspective (2017)
  51. Tero Leppäsalko: Simple gambling or sophisticated gaming? Applying game analysis methods to modern video slot machine games (2017)
  52. Viveka Laaksonen: How practicing in virtual reality affects learning experience and could it enhance the transfer of training (2018)
  53. Juuso Nousiainen: Mobiilipelaajien turvallisuus lokaatiopohjaisissa peleissä. Case: Pokémon Go (The player safety in location based games – case: Pokémon Go) (2018)
  54. Juha Syrjä: Modding in Massively Multiplayer Online Games – A Case Study of Elite: Dangerous (2018)
  55. Klaus Törnkvist: ”Sun pitää pelata oppiakses eikä pelata voittaakses” – Haastattelututkimus tamperelaisten harrastajien kehittymisestä elektronisessa urheilussa (2018)
  56. Mila Bujić, Being there: An experiment on experience of presence in immersive journalism (2018)
  57. Aleksi Ruuhilahti, Empowering potentials of open data? A study examining individual open data utilization in Finland (2018)
  58. Elisa Wiik, Game-centric transmedia audience experiences: Case of Quantum Break and Defiance (2018)
  59. Simo Hakalisto, Immersion in interactive documentaries: A game-studies-driven approach in a case study of Bear 71 (2018)
  60. Minna Joosela, “On hyvä olla siellä missä asiakkaatkin ovat” – Yleiset kirjastot sosiaalisessa mediassa (2018)
  61. Pauliina Baltzar, Ei Kimblessä tapeta, siinä vaan syödään: Erot vanhempien suhtautumisessa digitaaliseen pelaamiseen ja lautapelaamiseen (2019)
  62. Daniel Fernandez-Galeote, Climate Change at Play: A Compilation of Video Games and Analysis of Selected Works (2019)
  63. Niko Riissanen, Meaningful gameplay experience eliciting suspense: A qualitative textual analysis of The Walking Dead: Season 1 (2019)
  64. Lauri Komulainen, IGDA Finland Hubs and Their Effects on Local Game Development: An Ethnographic Study of Tampere and Kajaani (2019)
  65. Matias Puronlahti, The WoW factor: A study on player motivations in World of Warcraft (2019)
  66. Siiri Paananen, Building fictional worlds: Case Overwatch (2019)
  67. Tuomas Ahola, Tarinan seuraajasta sen ohjaajaksi: Käyttäjäkokemus videopelien interaktiivisessa tarinankerronnassa (2019)
  68. Roope Mattila, Motivating Sustainability Through Gamification: Expert Opinions on Inspiring Pro-Environmental Actions (2019)
  69. Soile Kolehma, Henkilöbrändäys sosiaalisessa mediassa: Teemahaastattelu sosiaalista mediaa kouluttaville (2019)
  70. Taru Lepistö, Liveroolipelin hyödyntäminen uskonnonopetuksessa: Tapaustutkimus lukiossa (2020)
  71. Janne Helminen, Effects of Failure and Avatar Death in Multiplayer Online Shooter Games (2020)
  72. Essi Jämsä, In-app purchases, internet gaming disorder and impulsivity: A look at the player base of Mystic Messenger (2020)
  73. Juliana Vaculíková, Affordances in Avatar Customization and Creative Player Expression: A Case Study of Nexon’s MapleStory 2 (2020)
  74. Mikko Tsokkinen, Tracking based virtual reality player experience measurement method (2020)
  75. Edward Morrell, Player Decentered Design (2020)
  76. Brandi Brace, The Experience of Character and the Framework of an Ideal Player: An Enactivist Approach to Character and Theme in The Last of Us (2020)
  77. Yuk Chuen Adrian Lui, Rationalization and Modern Play in Local Esports Events (2020)
  78. Leland Masek, Playfulness as an Organization of Experience: Prioritizing Engagement over Realness, Relevance, or Consequence (2020)
  79. Oskari Vaaras, Neljännen seinän rikkominen kauhun tehokeinona digitaalisissa peleissä: Metafiktiivisyys Doki Doki Literature Club!:ssa (2020)
  80. Saila Juuti, Heuristics evaluation of learning engagement based on psychological need fulfillment model (2020)
  81. Dimitra Panopoulou-Huovila, Gamification For Libraries: Improving information retrieval teaching through gamification (2020)
  82. Aleksi Kesseli, Ludological learning: Presenting an evaluation framework for analysis, design and improvement of gamification of education (2020)
  83. Juho Tuominen, Rockstar’s Open World Video Games as Ideological Apparatuses: A Case Study of Red Dead Redemption (2020)
  84. Jerkko Hietanen, The strategies, myths and practices of open data : Analysis of access to open data in three countries (2020)
  85. Joni-Tatu Rannanpiha, “Meidän poikia onnisti”: Suomalainen peliteollisuus Pelit-lehden vuosina 1992 – 2014 julkaisemien artikkelien kautta tarkasteltuna (2020)
  86. Sami Kepsu, Choosing Between One Evil and Another: The Motivations of Let’s Players (2021)
  87. Topias Mattinen, “Online Abuse & Age in Dota 2”: An article-based master’s thesis (2021)
  88. Niina Hautala, Creating Emotional VR Game Narrative : Experimental Game Design Research (2021)
  89. Henna Tuominen, Idol World in Mobile Games : A look into Japanese idol games and the world built in them (2021)
  90. Hor Ying Jie, Gamifying Innovation: Effect of Collaborative and Competitive Gamification (2021)
  91. Heidi Mäenpää, Augmented Reality Value Creation: A Conceptual Framework for Augmented Reality Social Media Advergames (2021)
  92. Samuel Poirier-Poulin, The Wounds That Never Healed : An Analysis of Videoludic Trauma in Cry of Fear (2021)
  93. Hannes Pasanen, Moving for Pokémon : Physical Activity Through Digital Gameplay – Case: Pokemón GO (2021)
  94. Juhana Ojala, Role Ambiguity and Athlete Satisfaction in Team Esports: A Study on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (2021)
  95. Doruk Balcı, Playing with Rules: Exploring Practical and Theoretical Potentials of Rules as a Play-Centric Tool (2022)
  96. Valerii Kucheba, The Process of Video Game Localisation: Case Study of Metro Exodus (2022)
  97. Juuso Kuivila, Perceiving Playful Photography (2022)
  98. Christopher Aylott, Partner Choices and Social Connections Among American Wargamers (2022)
  99. Syksy Johanna Siitari, Enjoying the Unpleasant: An Autoethnography of Bloodborne (2022)
  100. Aleksi Ahonen, “Player Perceptions of Battle Passes and Loot Boxes: Exploring how monetization strategies have affected player perceptions of monetization” (2022)
  101. Lassi Nieminen, “Towards Stardom: Qualitative analysis of free-to-play match-3 mobile game reviews” (2022)
  102. Johanna Kaipainen, ”Sulla ei ois yhtään pelikavereita, jos sulla ei ois tissejä”: Naispelaajiin kohdistuva häirintä verkkomoninpeliympäristöissä (2022)
  103. Benjamin Puha, “‘Everything Seems to Be More Final in Live Matches’: Player Experience of Over the Board Chess and Digital Chess” (2023)
  104. Pyry Hakala, “Audience Reception of the Marketing of Japanese Role-playing Games: Comments on English Trailers of Shin Megami Tensei V” (2023)
  105. Pekka Nordlund, “Appeals of Video Games in Game Reviews: The Differences Between Long- and Short-form Reviews” (2023)
  106. Teodora Mansikkamäki, “Take me to your leader: A deep dive into leader roles in World of Warcraft raiding guilds” (2023)
  107. Markus Kämäräinen, “The Play Experiences of Disabled Players: Dealing with accessibility barriers and solutions” (2023)
  108. Julián Alejandro Gutiérrez Carrera, “Play Within Play: The Form of Videogames Within Videogames” (2023)
  109. Krista Kanerva, “On the Tour Through Control: In-game guidance, Map and Navigation” (2023)
  110. Nevena Sicevic, “Game-based Learning in Youth Work: Practitioners’ Perspectives” (2023)
  111. Laura Halén, “A chance for the community to affect game development: Incorporating player feedback to game development during Early Access” (2023)
  112. Kemchanin Pornpipatsakul, “The Game of Life and neoliberalism: An analysis of neoliberal characteristics and ideology in The Game of Life rule book versions 1999 and 2021” (2023)
  113. Oskari Kuusela, “Perceptions of game writing: Exploring Inspiration and Conceptions of Writing from Creative Exercises” (2023)
  114. Pietari Majuri, “Narrative in Magic: The Gathering: A Case Study on Invested MTG Players” (2023)
  115. Eini Iso-Ettala, “Self-Extension by Means of Board Gaming Hobby” (2023)
  116. Adam Finn, “Titans of T-Posing: So-Bad-It’s-Good in Deadly Premonition” (2023)
  117. Samppa Penttinen, “Cheating in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive: An interview study” (2023)
  118. Aleksandra Filatova, “Wellbeing: Designing a gamified application to motivate a better sitting posture” (2023)
  119. Markku Vesa, “Meeples Alone: The importance of materiality and paratextuality for play experience in the solo mode of Resident Evil 3: The Board Game” (2024)
  120. Uriel Nyffenegger, “Riding a Complex Rollercoaster: Challenge and Emotional Experience in Elden Ring” (2024)
  121. Maximilian Solala, “Designing for Inclusion: On Diversity, Characters, and Tools : A Critical Reflection on the King’s Diversity Space” (2024)
  122. Viktória Siváková, “‘Relax and chill with the cute baby animals’: Exploratory study on relaxing mobile games” (2024)
  123. Jouko Loijas, “How Gamification Shapes Learning and Interaction in Virtual Educational Events: Insights from Finnish event industry professionals (2024)
  124. Tudor Mihai, “Randomness in Apex Legends: Influences on Player and Esports Viewer Experiences: A Study on User Retention and the Effects of RNG” (2024)
  125. Joanna Avellan, “Estrangement and Focalization in NieR Automata” (2024)
  126. Yilin Li, “Disaster education games: Exploring the status and future potential of disaster education games” (2024)