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Press Start 2 Brings Together Experts to Discuss Games, Law and Technology

Wednesday, 19 August, 2026

ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ welcomed academics, game developers, policymakers, legal professionals, researchers and students for Press Start 2: Embracing the Absurd, a conference exploring the relationship between video games, law and emerging technologies. 

Hosted by our Business School, in collaboration with University of Glasgow's CREATe and with support from Lewis Silkin. The event brought together delegates from across the UK and beyond to discuss the legal, social and cultural issues shaping the games industry. Topics included copyright, online platforms, virtual worlds and digital regulation. 

Reflecting on this year's theme, conference organiser Sevara Guzel said: 

"This year's theme, Embracing the Absurd, was partly about recognising the strange position many of us occupy trying to regulate, critique and understand digital environments that continuously transform faster than law, policy and academia can comfortably respond to. Yet the event reminded us why withdrawal is not an option. Despite the absurdity of trying to keep pace with platforms, AI, regulation and digital culture, people still came together to try anyway." 

The day featured workshops, lightning talks, demonstrations and networking opportunities, giving attendees the chance to share ideas and build new connections across academia, industry and the public sector. 

A series of lightning talks from PhD students and early career researchers showcased new work on topics including fan-made games, intellectual property, competition law, user-generated content and virtual worlds. The conference also featured discussions on artificial intelligence, digital regulation and the growing importance of public-private cooperation in education, exploring how collaboration between universities, industry and policymakers can support innovation in the games sector. 

One of the highlights of the event was a demonstration of Cyberpunk Noodle Bar by Kristofer Erickson and Felix Perez, which encouraged discussion around games, technology and digital culture. Attendees also celebrated the launch of Copyright, Contract, and Video Games: Terms of Play by ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿'s Dr Amy Thomas, followed by a discussion on the future of games law. 

Press Start has grown beyond a single conference into an academic network that brings together researchers, practitioners and educators with a shared interest in video games, interactive media and the legal challenges they present. The network encourages collaboration, supports new research and creates opportunities for people working in the field to connect and share ideas. 

As technology continues to evolve, Press Start 2 highlighted the importance of bringing together different perspectives to tackle complex challenges. Through events such as Press Start, BSU continues to create opportunities for collaboration between academia, industry and policymakers, supporting research that helps shape the future of games, digital culture and technology.