About the Chapter
Founded in 2025, DiGRA Central Asia brings together game studies researchers, game developers, and educators from across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and beyond. Initiated by GameLab KBTU, a video games research and development lab based at the Kazakh-British Technical University in Almaty, the chapter addresses the need for a collaborative, institutionalized network in the Central Asian region.
Mission and Objectives
DiGRA Central Asia aims to:
- Connect and support scholars and practitioners in game studies across Central Asia
- Serve as a multilingual platform for collaboration in the region
- Promote interdisciplinary research, combining media studies, game design, AI, and immersive technologies
- Host academic meetups, roundtables, and conferences to consolidate regional research
Founding Organization & Committee
Chair: Alexandra Knysheva, Head of GameLab KBTU, senior lecturer at the Kazakh-British Technical University, ambassador of Women in Games in Kazakhstan.
Secretary: Nazym Zhumabayeva, Junior Researcher at GameLab KBTU, founder and narrative designer at Umai Gaming Studio.
Initial Institutional Members
- GameLab KBTU, Kazakh-British Technical University (Kazakhstan)
- Mixed Reality Laboratory, International IT University (Kazakhstan)
- Portal College of Game Development (Kyrgyzstan)
- Bucheon University in Tashkent (Uzbekistan)
Membership
To become a member of DiGRA Central Asia, you must first be a member of the global Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA). Membership conditions and registration details are available on the official DiGRA website.
Once you are a global DiGRA member, you can join our regional chapter by filling out this form.
We welcome researchers, educators, and practitioners passionate about game studies and committed to strengthening the regional dialogue.