Call for Projects 2026 – FAQ

General Information

What is Game in Lab? 

Game in Lab is a program co-created by Asmodee and IF-Innovation Factory to support scientific research and knowledge dissemination about board games and play. Its mission is to promote board games as a source of societal value through academic research and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Learn more about our missions

What kind of projects does the call support?

The call supports fundamental or applied scientific research projects related to board games and play, broadly defined. Projects may come from any academic discipline, including social sciences, humanities, education, psychology, health sciences, design studies, and more.

Interdisciplinary proposals are especially encouraged.

Are projects limited to a specific research field?

No. The call is open to all disciplines, provided the project includes a strong scientific research question and demonstrates its relevance to board game studies or the use of games in applied contexts.

What kind of projects does the call support?

The call supports fundamental or applied scientific research projects related to board games and play, broadly defined. Projects may come from any academic discipline, including social sciences, humanities, education, psychology, health sciences, design studies, and more.

Interdisciplinary proposals are especially encouraged.

Are projects limited to a specific research field?

No. The call is open to all disciplines, provided the project includes a strong scientific research question and demonstrates its relevance to board game studies or the use of games in applied contexts.

Research Topics

Are there priority themes for 2026? 

All scientifically robust proposals related to board games are welcome, yet Game in Lab is particularly interested in projects addressing:

• – Sustainability, justice and inclusion
• – Health and Well-Being

Can my project focus on game design or evaluation?

No, projects focused primarily on game design, production, marketing, or evaluation are not eligible. The call does not support evaluations of a single commercial product or tool, especially if those are created by the project’s principal investigator, unless the project addresses broader scientific questions.

Are digital games eligible?

The call specifically focuses on board games and tabletop games. If your project includes digital tools or hybrid experiences, you should clearly explain how it relates to board games and keeps it central to the research.

Eligibility

Who can apply?

The call is open to international research teams that represent any academic discipline, including social sciences, humanities, education, psychology, health sciences, design studies, and more.

Does the principal investigator need a university affiliation?

Yes, at least one project leader must hold an active affiliation with a research institution (public or private) for the entire duration of the project. This affiliation must be confirmed in the letter of commitment provided by the Head of Department or the institution’s leadership.

Can independent researchers apply?

Independent researchers may participate in a project team, but the project must be hosted by an eligible research institution capable of administering the grant.

Are collaborations between academic and non-academic organizations allowed? 

Yes, interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaborations are welcome: partnerships between academic, public, private, and non-profit organizations, …

Funding and Budget

What is the maximum grant amount?

The maximum funding available per project is 20 000€.

How many projects will be funded?

The total budget for the call is 45 000€. The number of funded projects will depend on the funding requested by selected proposals.

What is the maximum project duration?

Projects may last up to 24 months. One renewal of up to 12 additional months may be discussed, depending on progress and circumstances.

What expenses are eligible?

Eligible costs include:

• – Research assistants, interns, contractors, or technical experts
• – Equipment and research materials
• – Fieldwork expenses
• – Travel directly related to the research
• – Legitimate impact and dissemination activities, provided they don’t constitute the majority of the total budget

Can the grant cover salaries?

The grant cannot fund permanent or tenured staff salaries. However, temporary personnel costs are eligible.

Are overhead or administrative fees allowed?

Yes, they must be explicitly included in the budget and cannot exceed 10% of the total requested amount.

Are Open Access publication fees eligible?

Article Processing Charges (APCs) for Open Access publications are not eligible expenses.

Can projects have co-funding?

Projects may include additional funding sources beyond the Game in Lab grant.

Impact and Dissemination

What is meant by “impact”?

Game in Lab defines impact as the potential benefit of research beyond academia, including contributions to society, culture, policy, or the economy.

What should the impact statement include?

Applicants should explain:

• – Who beyond academia could benefit from the research
• – How these stakeholders might benefit
• – What activities or partnerships are planned to support impact and knowledge exchange

The impact statement must not exceed 500 words.

See our dedicated page “What do you mean by impact?”

Will selected teams need to participate in Game in Lab activities?

Yes, funded teams are expected to contribute to dissemination and outreach activities, including articles, events, or public communication initiatives.

Application Process

How do I apply?

Applications must be submitted through the online application platform

Can I edit my application after submission?

Yes, the platform allows applicants to modify or update their submission until the application deadline.

What documents are required?

Applications must include:

• – Project description
• – Impact statement
• – CVs of project leaders
• – Detailed budget
• – Scientific bibliography
• – Ludography
• – Institutional letters of commitment
• – Co-funding letters (if applicable)
• – Any additional supporting documentation

What is a ludography?

A ludography is a curated list of the games included in the research protocol, along with a justification for their selection and relevance to the study. In general, Game in Lab encourages researchers to work with existing commercial games rather than creating games specifically for the project.

What institutional letters are required?

Applicants must provide:

• – A letter from the Head of Department or institutional leadership confirming support for the project
• – A letter from the Administrative or Finance Department confirming they will manage the grant

What happens if some required documents are missing?

Incomplete applications will be excluded from the selection process.

Evaluation

How are proposals evaluated?

Projects are assessed by a selection committee composed of internal members of the Scientific Committee and external reviewers.

Their assessment is based on:

• – Scientific robustness
• – Clarity and relevance of the research question
• – Contribution to board game studies
• – Credibility and specificity of the impact statement
• – Budget eligibility and justification

The committee also aims to maintain disciplinary and thematic diversity across funded projects.

Timeline

What is the application deadline?

Applications must be submitted by 25 September 2026 at noon (Paris time, GMT+2).

When will results be announced?

The list of selected projects will be published in December 2026.

When will funded projects officially start?

Administrative finalization and agreement signing are expected by April 2027.