ONGOING
THE ARTISTIC, CULTURAL, AND SOCIAL IMPACT OF GAME ENGINES: Game engines such as Unity and Unreal Engine have expanded far beyond their origins in video game development to become pivotal tools across diverse creative and scientific domains. These platforms are now integral to Hollywood visual effects, virtual production workflows, and architectural pre-visualization. They also play significant roles in contemporary art, the design of immersive training simulations for industries like the military, and beyond. While their adoption has standardized aesthetic and functional practices, it raises critical questions about authorship, diversity, accessibility, and the environmental implications of increased digital consumption. As co-director of the international research initiative Game Engine Culture(s), alongside Paolo Ruffino and Valentino Catricalà, I am critically mapping the integration of game engines into visual arts, bridging media studies, game studies, platform studies, curatorial practice, and art history. Our objective is to engage with a global network of scholars, artists, and practitioners to interrogate the culture. Read more here.
VIDEO GAME CULTURE: My ongoing research in video game culture investigates the intersection of technology, identity, and sociopolitical issues. This includes an examination of toxic behaviors such as trolling, racism, sexism, and homophobia within online multiplayer environments. By exploring these phenomena, I aim to illuminate how digital spaces perpetuate systemic inequities and offer insight into mechanisms of radicalization within gaming communities. I am also deeply invested in analyzing gamification, i.e., the application of game design elements in non-gaming contexts, and its profound influence on user engagement and behavioral conditioning. This research extends to the commodification of gaming practices, particularly in the domains of streaming and content creation on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.
My research outcomes can be found in such books as RESET (2023) and GAME OVER (2020), which discuss, among other things, the relationship between politics and video games.
MACHINIMA: the creative use of video game engines to produce cinematic narratives aka machinima has been a focal point of my scholarly and artistic work since its inception in the 1990s. As a hybrid form of digital storytelling, machinima occupies a unique space between gaming and traditional filmmaking, challenging the boundaries of authorship and audience participation.
Machinima has evolved significantly since its inception, transitioning from a niche interest to a recognized and influential form of digital expression. This medium has garnered substantial academic attention, with researchers exploring its implications for storytelling, visual aesthetics, and the role of user-generated content in the digital age. Studies often focus on machinima’s impact on both the gaming industry and the broader media landscape, examining how it challenges conventional boundaries between creator and audience. My specific angle is on machinima as a genre of video art.
In addition to its academic significance, machinima remains an integral part of my ongoing artistic and curatorial practice. As an artist, I engage with machinima to experiment with narrative techniques and visual styles, pushing the boundaries of traditional film and animation. My curatorial work involves organizing exhibitions and screenings that highlight the artistic potential of machinima, showcasing its diversity and innovation (see, for instance, the Milan Machinima Festival,VRAL, GAME VIDEO ART/A SURVEY, Travelogue, and so on)
This dual engagement with machinima as both a subject of scholarly inquiry and a medium for creative exploration enables me to contribute to a deeper understanding of its role in contemporary media culture. By bridging theoretical research with practical application and curatorial practice I aim to illuminate machinima’s contributions to art and digital storytelling, and to foster a greater appreciation for its artistic and cultural significance.
My research outcomes can be found in such books as Giochi video. Performance, spettacolo, streaming (Ed. with Enrico Gandolfi, 2018, Machinima. Dal videogioco alla videoarte (2017), MACHINIMA. 32 conversazioni sull'arte del videogioco (2017), GAME VIDEO/ART. A SURVEY (Ed. with Vincenzo Trione, 2016), Machinima! Teorie. Pratiche. Dialoghi (Ed. with Henry Lowood, 2013) and the VRAL series.
IN-GAME PHOTOGRAPHY: I am currently engaged in a research project focused on the practice of in-game photography, collaborating with esteemed colleagues Cindy Poremba, Marco De Mutiis, and Sebastian Moring. This interdisciplinary investigation explores how video game environments are utilized as platforms for photographic expression, examining both the artistic and technological dimensions of capturing and sharing images within virtual worlds. Among the notable outcomes of our research are several exhibitions that showcase the innovative potential of in-game photography. One of these exhibitions, The Photographer's Guide to Los Santos (2024, co-curated with Marco De Mutiis), was presented at Fotofestival Lenzburg. This event featured a curated selection of in-game photographs from the fictional city of Los Santos, highlighting the creative ways in which players use the game’s environment to craft compelling visual narratives. The project is ongoing.
Another significant exhibition, How to Win at Photography-Image Making as Play, was staged in Switzerland in 2021 and subsequently in London in 2022. This exhibition, co-curated with Marco De Mutiis, examined the intersection of play and photography, exploring how game mechanics influence the photographic process and the resulting imagery at Fotomuseum Winterthur (2021) and at The Photographer's Gallery in London (2022), all co-curated with Marco De Mutiis.
In addition to these exhibitions, our collaborative work received further support through a research project funded by IULM University in 2023. This two-year project, which I am leading alongside Marco De Mutiis, delves deeper into the practice of in-game photography. It aims to investigate the evolving role of digital environments in shaping photographic practices and to assess the implications of this medium for both art and technology. In March 2024, I organized FOTOLUDICA, the first Italian conference on in-game photography.
Through these initiatives, we seek to advance the understanding of in-game photography, highlighting its significance as a form of creative expression and its impact on contemporary visual culture.
CROSSMEDIA/TRANSMEDIA/INTERMEDIA: I am actively involved in an ongoing research project titled InterArtes at IULM University, which investigates the strategies of translation, adaptation, and transformation of content across various media. This project is at the forefront of exploring how narratives, themes, and artistic elements transition from one medium to another, such as from literature to film, from video games to virtual reality, and from traditional art forms to digital expressions.
The InterArtes project examines how content can be reinterpreted and recontextualized through different media formats, addressing both the challenges and opportunities inherent in these processes. By analyzing the mechanisms of crossmedia, transmedia, and intermedia practices, we aim to understand how content adaptation influences audience engagement and how new media can reshape traditional storytelling methods.
As a key participant in this project, I contribute to both theoretical research and practical applications of these media strategies. My role involves collaborating with fellow researchers to develop frameworks for analyzing media transformations and to explore innovative approaches to content adaptation.
In addition to my research activities, I am a member of the editorial board for the eponymous publication InterArtes.. This journal serves as a platform for disseminating cutting-edge research and discourse on crossmedia and intermedia practices. It features scholarly articles, case studies, and critical analyses that contribute to the broader understanding of how media content evolves through different formats and contexts.
ART/MEDIA ARCHAEOLOGY: Together with Stanford University's Henry Lowood, I have been working on a book that explores early arcade culture in Northern California. Our book examines the historical context of video games and their evolution over time. We are particularly interested in understanding the cultural significance of arcade games and their impact on contemporary video game culture.
RECENT
- PHENOMENOLOGY OF GRAND THEFT AUTO is an interdisciplinary examination of Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto series, culminating with an anthology of essays by international scholar focusing on the game(s) cultural, social, political, and aesthetic implications. The book was released in Italy by Mimesis Edizioni in June 2019. On May 10 2019, IULM University hosted a panel titled Grand Theft Studies.
- GAME VIDEOS: I am investigating audiovisual practices related to gaming, including but not limited to machinima, let’s play videos, walkthrough, speed running videos, tutorials etc. In 2018, I co-edited with Enrico Gandolfi (Kent State University) the first Italian academic book on the topic, featuring contributions from a variety of international scholars.
- MACHINIMA: For the past two decades, I have been studying machinima as a genre of video art. This research took the form of academic books, including MACHINIMA. Dal videogioco alla videoarte (2017) and MACHINIMA! Teorie. Pratiche. Dialoghi (2013, with Henry Lowood), the collection of interviews MACHINIMA. 32 Conversations on the Art of Video Games (2017). My academic research has also translated into curating a series of machinima exhibitions and festivals in Italy and abroad, including GAME VIDEO ESSAY (2019), MILAN MACHINIMA FESTIVAL (2018-), RE/PLAY (2017), GAME VIDEO/ART. A SURVEY (2016), and TRAVELOGUE (2016, also a book).
- CROSSMEDIA/TRANSMEDIA/INTERMEDIA: Between 2017-2019, I took part in a 2-year research project titled InterArtes at IULM University which explored strategies of translation, adaptation, and transformation of content from one medium to another. My case study was a deconstruction of Alan Butler's monumental artwork On Exactitude in Science (2017), a frame-by-frame remake of Godfrey Reggio's Koyaanisqatsi (1982). Read more here.
- GAMES STUDIES: Between 2014-2017, I investigated the racing game genre using the concept of automobility (John Urry, 2004). Racing games have received cursory attention by the game studies community. Through an in depth analysis of Forza Horizon 2 (Playground Games/Turn 10 Studios/Microsoft, 2014), I discussed both the game's underlying ideology, the player's subjectivities, and the rationale behind their engagement. The outcomes of my research include three books and an art exhibition. The first, Orizzonti di Forza. Fenomenologia della guida videoludica, was released in November 2015 by Edizioni Unicopli in the LUDOLOGICA book series. The second, Extra Miles. Estetica della guida videoludica, was released in January 2016 by Concrete Press. The third, BORING POSTCARDS FROM ITALY, a collection of screenshots of Forza Horizon 2 and turned into postcards, was published on December 8, 2016 by Concrete Press. The first two books are available in Italian only, the third in English. I also curated an art exhibition, TRAVELOGUE (Mantua, September 2016), inspired by this research. The catalog was published in May 2019. The goal was to provide a series of insights into the range of cultural, social, artistic, and political issues related to simulated driving.
FIELDS OF RESEARCH ACTIVITY (ACTIVE, IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
- Communication
- Contemporary Art
- Conceptual Writing
- Digital Humanities
- Digital Preservation
- Game Art
- Game Studies
- Media Studies
- Media Histories
- Visual & Critical Studies
CURATORIAL PRACTICE
Playable media, in-game photography, and experimental machinima are no longer fringe practices: they’re shaping the aesthetics and politics of contemporary art. I specialize in curating this emerging field with critical rigor, contextual depth, and curatorial precision. My programming connects historical avant-gardes with digital subcultures, and emphasizes not just what’s new, but what’s worth historicizing. Whether it’s an exhibition, screening program, or commissioned essay, I develop frameworks that allow audiences to think critically about digital images and interactive systems.
ONGOING PROJECTS
ARTCADE (2016-). Indie games in unexpected places.
CONCRETE PRESS (2013-). My own imprint, located in San Francisco, California & Milan, Italy. Fiercely independent, CONCRETE PRESS specializes in art, media, and culture.
COLL.EO (2012-): COLL.EO creates media artworks, mobile sculptures, and conceptual pieces. COLL.EO is Colleen Flaherty and Matteo Bittanti. More information can be found here.
GAMESCENES (2006-): In 2006, I wrote with art critic Domenico Quaranta, GAMESCENES. Art in the Age of Videogames (Johan & Levi), one of the first academic books on videogame-based and videogame-inspired art. Since then, my research has progressed and it has taken different shapes, including GameScenes, a regularly updated blog featuring critical essays, interviews, and news related to this emergent community of practice, and academic courses at California College of Arts and IULM University.
HOW THEY GOT GAME @ Stanford University (2005-): How They Got Game is a research project launched by the Stanford Humanities Lab in 2000 dedicated to the historical investigation of computer games and other related technologies of leisure. It focuses on the history and cultural impact of interactive simulations and video games. It examines the evolution of computer and video game design from its beginnings to the present: storytelling, strategy, simulation, sports, 3D first-person games. It covers the cultural, artistic, economic, and technical perspectives.
AFFILIATIONS & SERVICE TO PROFESSION (SELECTION)
Jury Committee
Teaching European History Through Cinema, Milan, Italy (2018)
Independent Game Festival 2017, Los Angeles, California (2016)
ATOPIC Film Festival, Paris, France (2011)
Review Board
Publishers
MIT PRESS, New media and game studies (2016-ongoing)
Goldsmith University Academic Press, New media and game studies (2018-ongoing)
Routledge, media studies (2017-ongoing)
Journals
Itinera (2024-ongoing)
ROMChip: A Journal of Game Histories (2024-ongoing)
Journal of Interactive Learning Research (2023-ongoing)
Quarterly Review of Film and Video (2021-ongoing)
Poli-Femo (2021-ongoing)
Eracle. Journal of Sports and Social Sciences (2021-ongoing)
AOQU. Achilles Orlando Quixote Ulysses (2020-ongoing)
[in]Transition: Journal of Videographic Film and Moving Image Studies (2020-ongoing)
piano b. Arti e culture visive (2020-ongoing)
New Media and Society (2019-ongoing)
Testo a fronte (2018-ongoing)
Cinergie (2018-ongoing)
Well Played Games (2016-ongoing)
Media and Communication (2013-ongoing)
CCA Arts (2013-ongoing)
G/A/M/E (2012-ongoing)
International Journal of Information Technology (2010-ongoing)
Games & Culture (2010-ongoing)
GameStudies.org (2008-ongoing)
Conferences (reviewer)
DiGRA International (2018, 2009, 2007)
Scientific Board
PhD in Visual and Media Studies, IULM University, Milan (2019-2024)
Triennale Museum of Design, Milan, Triennial International Exhibition (2016-2019)
Digital Entertainment Media & Design Master Program, IULM, Milan (2011-2013)
Advisory Board
CCA Arts (2013-2016)
UCLA Games Festival (2013, advisor), (2017, curator)
Member
How They Got Game Research Project, Stanford University (2005-ongoing)
Digital Game Research Association (DIGRA) (2004-ongoing)
International Game Developers Association (2011-ongoing)
Stanford Humanities Lab, Stanford University (2005-2010)
Digital Youth Project, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, California (2006-2008)
IULM Humanities Lab, IULM University, Milan, member (2005-2010)
Conference Chairing
DiGRA (Turin, 2018, with Riccardo Fassone)
DiGRA Italia (Milan, 2017, with Paolo Ruffino)
MY (OTHER) WEBSITES
MATTSCAPE.ORG
COLL.EO with Colleen Flaherty
GAMEVIDEO/ART. A SURVEY
ARCHIVED/PAST PROJECTS (SELECTED)
M.A. in GAME DESIGN (2017-2021)
IULM University's Master of Arts Program in game design, production, and direction.
Digital Game Canon (Stanford University)
Between 2008 and 2010, I participated in the establishment of the Digital Game Canon, a project undertaken by University of Stanford University and University of Illinois that aims at preserving videogames as historical, cultural, and technical artifacts. The creation of the Digital Game Canon recognizes the importance of digital game culture. The Canon provides a starting-point for the difficult task of preserving this history inspired by the role of that the U.S. National Film Registry has played for film culture and history. It has an international scope. This project was part of a larger initiative called Preserving America, promoted by the White House in cooperation with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
Digital Media Ethnography (UC Berkeley - USC)
Between 2006 and 2008, I took part in the Digital Youth Project, an ambitious three-year ethnographic study, funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and led by by Peter Lyman (University of California, Berkeley) and Mizuko Ito (University of Southern California). The project investigated how young people are communicating, living, and learning with new media in varied settings- at home, in after school programs, and in online spaces. The findings were published as a report (Living and Learning with New Media, 2009) and as a book (Hanging Out, Messing Around, Geeking Out, 2009) by MIT Press. My specific contribution focused on identity and community formation among North American gamers, which I compared and contrasted to European (mainly Italian) players.
LUDOLOGICA (2003-2016)
I spent a significant part of the Zeroes helping to establish Games Studies in Italy, both as an academic discipline and an autonomous field of knowledge. Between 2002-2016, I have co-edited Ludologica with Gianni Canova, the first academic book series dedicated to in-depth, scholarly analyses of digital games. Comprising approximately thirty volumes of monographs and anthologies written by Italian and international scholars, the series examines digital gaming from a variety of perspectives. My own interest focuses on deconstructing the games’ embedded ideologies, rhetoric, and user positions - from urban planning biases in SimCity to the military-entertainment complex(es) of Call of Duty.
videoludica.game culture (Milan)
Edited by Matteo Bittanti, videoludica. game culture (2005-2006) is a series of books about critically acclaimed and much-loved videogames of the past 40 years. By turns passionate, creative, and always informed, the thought-provoking books in this series demonstrate many different styles of writing about videogames. What binds this series together, and what brings it to life, is that all of the authors - academics, scholars, critics, gamers, and writers - are the cultures that these games spawned after their releases. Each meditation revels in the distinct nature of the chosen game - or game series, or even game genre - providing insightful commentary to an overlooked practice. Available in three formats (Monographs, Readers, and Illustrated), these volumes discuss video games from a broad academic and critical perspective, setting characteristics, themes and techniques in context and exploring the game's significance.
Schermi interattivi mapping the connections between videogames and cinema, in Italian, 2005-2009.
ARTCADE