That game-based technologies have found a place in the wider world (beyond interactive entertainment) is now beyond question, with topics such as gameification and interactive storytelling becoming accepted in many application fields. VSGames 2016 aims to continue the series’ overall goals of developing and nurturing theoretical and academic rigour in the discussion of serious games and virtual worlds.

As previous conferences in the series have noted, such development is made difficult by the ever-expanding horizons offered by new hardware and technological solutions. The 2016 edition aims to address this challenge head-on by particularly encouraging submissions related to the application and impact of new technologies related to Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR).

VS-Games 2016 will be held in Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona is not only one of the jewels of the mediterranean, it is also a vibrant hub for game-based research and development, with several AAA studios, dozens of startups, and several university courses focusing on games.