On July 17, 2024, our research network hosted the workshop Digital Labor Practices and the Gig Economy in Digital Game Cultures at the University of Milan, supported by a 4EU+ academic mini grant 2024. This event brought together scholars from communication studies, game studies, and sociology to explore the complexities of digital labor in games.

While initially focused on developing new data collection methods, the 1.5-day workshop shifted to addressing challenges in advancing theories about digital labor. Participants noted how the rapidly changing socio-technological landscape has made it difficult for existing frameworks to keep up.

Keynote speaker Kylie Jarret highlighted how game studies have been a leading field in understanding digital labor, inspiring research on platforms like Uber and Deliveroo. She emphasized that game studies might also provide useful insights for understanding changes in newer platforms such as TikTok.

The workshop showcased the importance of collaboration across disciplines to better understand the evolving nature of digital labor in gaming and beyond.

Workshop participants:

• Daniel Nielsen, PhD Candidate, Co-organizer, Charles University
• Anne Mette Thorhauge, Associate Prof., Co-organizer, University of Copenhagen
• Alessandro Gandini, Associate Prof., Co-organizer, University of Milan
• Kylie Jarret, Professor, Keynote, University College Dublin
• Gaia Cassagrande, Post-doc, Participant, University of Milan
• Gianmarco Peterlongo, Post-doc, Participant, University of Milan
• Jamie Woodcock, Senior Lecturer, Participant, King’s College London
• Joshua Jarret, Senior Lecturer, Participant, University of Staffordshire
• Ergin Bulut, Senior Lecturer, Participant, Gold Smith University of London