About the Lab

Hi there 👋

My name is James and I work at Meiji University, where I teach and research the topic of ludic approaches1 to education. I run the York Game Lab.

📸 Follow us on Instagram, if you like.

My personal socials:

I am available for:

  • Workshops
  • Consultations
  • Game design collaborations
  • Event organising
  • Training sessions

What is the York Game Lab?

As part of my work at Meiji University, students and I (and you?! Get in touch) are developing games for educational purposes. The York Game Lab is a place for us to publish our games.

🎲 We are always accepting offers to make original games!

So if you have an idea you’d like to design for you, please let us know.

Here are some of the events that we have been a part of:

Public events

  • Play & Learn 2024 #2 [link]
  • The Sumidagawa River Open Terrace
    隅田川オープンテラス [link (JP)]
  • After-school puzzle solving events
    児童館謎解きイベント [Poster (JP)]
  • Helping foreign exchange students learn Japanese
    留学生日本語学習会 [Poster (JP)]

Our games

You can learn more about our games here:

  • From Conkers to Code: The Making of Bonkers 4 Conkers

    From Conkers to Code: The Making of Bonkers 4 Conkers

    Heads up: this is not super educational in the way that is generally understood in the “educational games” narrative. It is not designed to teach something, but I learned a LOT as part of its creation. So, making this game was educational for me. And, as I will be teaching a class on digital game…

    Read more

  • KEI-GO!

    KEI-GO!

    Details How to play In this game, players have a “role” which is simply a number from 1 to 4. The number indicates seniority or social standing in general so that the person who has the 4-role is the most senior and the person with 1-role is the least travelled up the social ladder. (Respect…

    Read more


  1. I define ludic as “being playful,” which includes playful objects and playful dispositions to teaching. Learn more here. ↩︎