TTRPGs as Research Methods

The World is the Data: Exploring Tabletop Role-Playing Games as Methods for Worldbuilding, Speculative Inquiry, and Social Connection

This workshop explores how tabletop role-playing games can be used as tools for research, participation, and design inquiry. We are interested in how collaborative worldbuilding, role-play, and emergent storytelling can help researchers explore complex social questions, imagine alternative futures, and co-create knowledge with participants.

This space brings together resources, games, methods, and outcomes from our first workshop.

To express your interest, please email ttrpgchiplay@gmail.com by 2nd October 2026 with:

Your name

Your affiliation

A short paragraph explaining why you are interested in participating

We also love alternative formats: please submit a character sheet of your research profile, your research interests or similar. If you need a template, please let us know; we can send you one.

This will be a hybrid workshop, held on 2nd November 2026, from 1-5pm, York, UK.

Post-workshop follow-up activities includes writing a manifesto which will be posted on itch.io. Future workshops and activities will be discussed, and maybe we can also craft a paper together.

If you love TTRPGs and will be attending CHIPLAY, this is your chance :) We hope to see you there!

Organisers:

Jess McGowan <jm572@st-andrews.ac.uk>

Marie Jarrell <M.A.Jarrell@soton.ac.uk>

Miriam Sturdee <ms535@st-andrews.ac.uk>

Vanissa Wanick <v.wanick@soton.ac.uk>