Call for Abstracts 2025

“Play. Learn. Connect. Esports in Youth Media Practice”

Imagine this: A 17-year-old student wins their school’s first League of Legends tournament. Three years later, they are mentoring younger players, passing on team spirit and communication skills – and gaining valuable experience through an internship with an Esports organiser. Or consider a youth centre where an Esports project reaches teenagers who would otherwise shy away from traditional programmes – providing them with digital skills, a sense of belonging, and the ability to navigate both success and failure.

These fictional scenarios illustrate the transformative potential of Esports in the fields of education and youth work. It is no longer just about winning games – but about developing collaboration, resilience, career opportunities, and social inclusion. Yet despite its growing relevance, Esports remains underrepresented in both educational practice and academic research.

The international conference “FROG – Future and Reality of Gaming 2025” brings together researchers, gamers, educators, game developers and experts from across disciplines to explore Esports in the context of innovative youth media work – framed by the Erasmus+ project “ESPORTS – Esports Professions and Opportunities: Resources and Training for Success.”

At the heart of the conference are questions such as: What competencies can Esports help foster? How can we design inclusive and diverse Esports initiatives? What career pathways does the industry open up for young people – and how can we support a healthy balance between gaming and other aspects of life?

At a time when digital games are central to the everyday lives of many young people, FROG 2025 offers a unique platform for dialogue between science and practice – between critical reflection and forward-looking approaches. We warmly invite you to be part of this conversation and help shape the future of youth media work through the lens of Esports.

Conference Mode

The conference will take place on-site at Vienna City Hall. Online participants will be able to follow all presentations via livestream. Live presentations will only be accepted from speakers attending in person. Authors unable to travel to Vienna may submit a pre-recorded video presentation matching the designated time format. These videos will be published on the FROG YouTube channel (@appliedgames). All accompanying papers will be published by the University for Continuing Education Krems Press, initially in an online rolling publication format, followed by a printed volume once all contributions have been received.

Main Track: Esports in the Context of Youth Media Work and Education

We welcome submissions on (but not limited to) the following topics:

  • Esports and innovative approaches in youth media work
  • Skills development through Esports (e.g., collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking…)
  • Career pathways in the Esports sector
  • Current challenges and developments in Esports from the perspective of game studies
  • Implementation of school and youth Esports leagues; cooperation among educational institutions, youth work, and the Esports industry
  • Esports as a cultural phenomenon
  • The Esports gap: differences between Esports enthusiasts and those unfamiliar or critical of the field
  • Fair play and the handling of online toxicity in Esports
  • Health promotion and the prevention of excessive gaming
  • Inclusion and accessibility for underrepresented groups in Esports

Side Track: Game Studies Perspectives on Youth Media Work

We also invite submissions exploring (but not limited to):

  • Game-based learning and Gamification
  • Digital identities and adolescent experiential worlds
  • Media effects and competence transfer
  • Youth media practices in gaming contexts
  • Cybercrime: radicalisation, cyber grooming, social hacking, bullying
  • Excessive gaming and addiction prevention, particularly in the context of pay-to-win games
  • Ethical considerations in digital games

Virtual “Let’s Play / Poster” Session: “Why I Play!”

Participants are invited to submit a 15-minute video contribution in which they present a game they particularly love or consider pedagogically, socially, or culturally significant. This must be accompanied by an opinion paper with the following title: “My name is [Name or PlayerTag] and I play [Game Title] because…” Apart from the basic formatting template, the paper may be freely designed.

Submission Formats

Main and Side Track:

  • Opinion Papers (editorial review) – 15-minute presentations
  • Research Papers (peer review) – 20-minute presentations

Presentations may be held live on-site or submitted as pre-recorded videos for the YouTube channel.

Virtual Let’s Play Poster Session:

  • Opinion Paper (editorial review)
  • Pre-recorded video presentation (max. 15 minutes)

Submissions may be made in German or English. Submissions in German must include a short abstract in English.

Important Dates:

  • SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 8 September 2025
  • Notification of acceptance: 18 September 2025
  • Conference Dates: 11 & 12 October 2025

Submit your abstract here:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/cyWgRPcsUA

We look forward to receiving a wide range of diverse and inspiring contributions!