Fictional, fake, nonexistent, nonactual, imaginary, impossible and unplayable games

Some games were never meant to be played. So far, these have mostly been looked at as fictional games, but this workshop broadens the scope to include similar kinds of games: fake, nonexistent, nonactual, imaginary, impossible, and unplayable games. Though these categories overlap, they also have meaningful differences worth exploring. This discussion-based workshop will feature plenary discussions of key concepts and split participants in small groups to examine themes like the boundaries of the concepts of 'games' and 'play,' the significance of fictional games in the real world, and their place in game studies. The purpose is to establish links between the burgeoning study of fictional games and other fields and sites of enquiry, such as media studies, narratology, philosophy of fiction and imagination, literary theory, and speculative design. Additionally, we will explore potential next steps, including the possibility of an edited volume to which participants will be invited to contribute.