The second half of 2025 was marked by too little capacity for freelance work and a well-intentioned attempt to find a generic use case for »AI«/LLMs that would create additional capacity for freelance work. Long story short: my curiosity as a cultural and media scholar has been satisfied, but the results are generally useless, rarely sufficient, never good, or immediately usable. Unless, of course, you allow yourself to be lulled by artificial flattery (»Thank you for the clear pointers!«) and are satisfied with self-assured vagueness. Anyway, here is my retrospective for 2025, powered by »AI«, combined with a not insignificant amount of extra effort [corrections/comments marked in bold]:
In 2025, much of my focus remained on digital games – though less on high scores [🙄] and more on issues of memory, political education, and cultural responsibility. I spoke with editorial teams, participated in expert debates, published articles, and discussed games, history, and disinformation on stage. As always, here is a curated review of the year, grouped by topic and sorted chronologically.
NDR Kultur: »Games mit Lerneffekt – Wie digitale Spiele zur Erinnerungskultur beitragen«
In an online radio feature for NDR Kultur, I explained how digital games can be understood as part of contemporary memory culture. The text The interview classifies games from a cultural studies perspective and discusses the role they play in communicating historical topics—both in education and in public discourse. More specifically, it also deals with the use of games in the historical and political education of young people, for example at memorial sites.
Deutsche Welle: »History goes interactive«
For a video feature by Deutsche Welle, I spoke about how interactive media – especially digital games – bring historical content to life as part of my work at the Digital Game Culture Foundation. The feature uses specific examples such as The Darkest of Files to show [from 08:36] how history is conveyed through playful interaction and what special features and limitations this medium has compared to traditional forms of history teaching.
re:publica 25: Lecture on games and historical disinformation
At re:publica 25, I gave a talk entitled »Based on a true story«, in which I examined the representation of history in digital games – in particular, the question of how historical narratives in games can be distorted, simplified, or deliberately manipulated. The lecture examines problematic examples – specifically Dreams on a Pillow, which is still in development, and the completely revised WARSAW RISING: City of Heroes – and discusses how such strategies can be recognized and classified.
Digital Memory Lab: Veranstaltungen zu digitaler Erinnerung Connective Holocaust Commemoration Expo 2025
As part of the Landecker Digital Memory Lab, in July 2025 I was involved in several events the Connective Holocaust Commemoration Expo 2025 in Sussex, which dealt with digital memory culture, interactive formats, and new approaches to remembrance in the digital space. The Lab connects actors from science, culture, and practice and serves as a platform for interdisciplinary exchange. At the Expo, I was chair for the Let’s Play track, here is the session on The Darkest Files:
Stiftung Digitale Spielekultur: Rundgang auf der gamescom
Together with As an employee of the Foundation for Digital Game Culture, I participated in moderated the thematic tour foundations@gamescom at gamescom together with my colleagues, which was aimed at executives from foundations. The focus was on discussions about the cultural significance of digital games and their role in the foundation and cultural sectors.
»Bits, Buffs und Bildung«: Shaping school with games
I was a guest on the podcast Bits, Buffs und Bildung on behalf of the Foundation for Digital Game Culture to talk about the project »Schule mit Games gestalten NRW – Demokratie und Teilhabe spielend fördern« in my capacity as project manager. The episode focuses on the use of digital games in a school context, issues of democracy education, and practical experiences from the collaboration between education professionals and gaming experts use of games in the classroom.
Deutschlandfunk: »Die klassische Killerspieldebatte ist vorbei«
In another audio feature for interview with Deutschlandfunk, I commented on the development of the social debate about digital games release of Battlefield 6, and the question of depictions of war in times of real conflict. The piece examines how the discussion about violence, impact, and responsibility in games has changed and why previous patterns of interpretation are hardly relevant today the content and mechanics of first-person shooters differ from reality, what experiences they offer instead, and where the proximity to real war becomes too great.
»Handbuch Gaming & Rechtsextremismus« (Federal Agency for Civic Education)
In 2025, the Federal Agency for Civic Education published the »Handbuch Gaming & Rechtsextremismus«. The volume brings together articles that deal with right-wing extremist strategies in the gaming context, codes, communication spaces, and counterstrategies. I was involved in the content work and contributed perspectives from cultural and media studies presented the project »Let’s Remember! Erinnerungskultur mit Games vor Ort« for the Foundation for Digital Game Culture.
»Handbuch Gameskultur 2.0« (German Cultural Council & game)
The »Handbuch Gameskultur 2.0« was published in 2025 by the German Cultural Council in collaboration with the industry association game – Verband der deutschen Games-Branche. The publication brings together articles on the cultural, political, and social significance of digital games. I was involved in the editorial work and contributed to the content.
The handbook is accompanied by the Handbuch Gameskultur Podcast, which explores individual topics and perspectives from the volume in greater depth:
Looking ahead
That was 2025: lots of conversations, lots of contexts, lots of attempts to take a serious and nuanced look at digital games – as a cultural form, as a political medium, and as part of our present. Many thanks to all the editorial teams, institutions, and discussion partners for their trust and exchange.
For 2026, I wish us all enough time to play, think, and discuss – and maybe even the occasional successful save point [🙄].
Happy New Year and all the best for 2026! 🎮✨
(A New Year’s Eve GIF in the style of a »Continue?« screen or pixelated fireworks would be perfect here.) [🙄]
Wow, that was a tough nut to crack – a D- at best. But seriously, here once again, organically and with a real GIF:
Happy New Year and all the best for 2026! 🕹️
