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Author Guidelines

Authors are invited to make a submission to this journal. All submissions will be assessed by an editor to determine whether they meet the aims and scope of this journal. Those considered to be a good fit will be sent for peer review before determining whether they will be accepted or rejected.

Before making a submission, authors are responsible for obtaining permission to publish any material included with the submission, such as photos, documents and datasets. All authors identified on the submission must consent to be identified as an author. Where appropriate, research should be approved by an appropriate ethics committee in accordance with the legal requirements of the study's country.

An editor may desk reject a submission if it does not meet minimum standards of quality. Before submitting, please ensure that the study design and research argument are structured and articulated properly. The title should be concise and the abstract should be able to stand on its own. This will increase the likelihood of reviewers agreeing to review the paper. When you're satisfied that your submission meets this standard, please follow the checklist below to prepare your submission.

J-GAMES publishes peer-reviewed research on games, player behavior, game-based learning, and the use of data and artificial intelligence in game-based contexts. Authors are encouraged to ensure that submissions clearly align with the journal’s Aims & Scope before submission.

Article Types

J-GAMES publishes the following article types:

Research Articles

Research Articles present empirical investigations of games and player outcomes, including learning, engagement, performance, skill development, or interpretable player behavior. Studies may employ quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods. Manuscripts that include the design or implementation of game systems are suitable as Research Articles only when supported by substantial data analysis and interpretation.

Methodological or Analytical Studies

Methodological or Analytical Studies focus on methods, analytics, models, or computational approaches applied to games or player data. These papers should make a clear methodological contribution, such as the introduction or validation of analytical techniques, metrics, models, or AI-based approaches, and should demonstrate relevance through application to game-based data or contexts.

 

Paper Length

Manuscripts may be submitted as Short or Long papers:

Short Papers: 3,000–4,500 words (excluding references). Short papers report focused contributions, pilot studies, proof-of-concept analyses, or early-stage empirical or methodological work.

Long Papers: 6,000–12,000 words (excluding references). Long papers present mature, comprehensive studies with substantial data, analysis, and discussion.

Short and Long papers undergo the same peer review process and are evaluated according to their intended scope.

 

Submission Preparation Checklist

All submissions must meet the following requirements.

  • This submission meets the requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines.
  • This submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration.
  • All references have been checked for accuracy and completeness.
  • All tables and figures have been numbered and labeled.
  • Permission has been obtained to publish all photos, datasets and other material provided with this submission.

Submission Requirements

Submissions must be original and not under consideration elsewhere. Manuscripts should clearly describe their research questions, methods, data sources, and analysis. Where applicable, authors must include statements regarding ethical approval and informed consent.

Authors are encouraged to share data, code, or materials where possible, or to clearly state any restrictions on availability.

Formatting and Language

These guidelines describe the recommended formatting and referencing standards for submissions to J-GAMES. The journal prioritises clarity, consistency, and accessibility, particularly during its early stages.

  • General Formatting
    • Manuscripts should be written in clear, concise English. A low standard of English will result in a desk rejection. 
    • Submissions may be prepared in Microsoft Word or LaTeX.
    • Pages should be A4 size with standard margins (approximately 2.5 cm / 1 inch).
    • Use a readable font (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, or similar) at 11–12 pt size.
    • Line spacing should be 1.15–1.5.
    • Page numbers should be included.
    • Figures and tables should be embedded near their first reference in the text.
  • Manuscript Structure
    • Title
    • Abstract (150–250 words)
    • Keywords (4–6)
    • Introduction
    • Related Work / Background
    • Methods / Methodology
    • Results / Analysis
    • Discussion
    • Conclusion
    • References
  • Referencing Style
    • J-GAMES uses the Harvard (author–date) referencing style.
    • In-text citations should follow the format:
      • (Smith, 2022)  
      • (Smith and Jones, 2021)
      • (Smith et al., 2020)
    • The reference list should be ordered alphabetically by author surname.
    • Examples:
    • Journal article:
      • Smith, J. and Jones, A. (2021) ‘Player behaviour analysis in serious games’, Journal of Game Studies, 15(2), pp. 45–62.
    • Conference paper: 
      • Brown, L. (2020) ‘Learning analytics in digital games’, in Proceedings of the International Conference on Game-Based Learning, pp. 112–120.
    • Book:
      • Keller, J.M. (2010) Motivational design for learning and performance. New York: Springer.
    • Figures, Tables, and Data:
      • - All figures and tables must be numbered and include descriptive captions.
      • - Figures should be of sufficient resolution for publication.
      • - Data sources must be clearly cited.
      • - Authors are encouraged to make data and code available where possible.
  • Suggested LaTeX / Overleaf Template
    • Until a dedicated J-GAMES template is released, authors using LaTeX are encouraged to use the ACM Conference Proceedings Primary Article Template available on Overleaf.
    • Authors should:
      • Use double-column format for review
      • Remove ACM-specific metadata (conference name, copyright statements)
      • Treat the template as a structural guide only
      • Authors submitting in Word may use a standard academic article layout.
  • Final Notes
    • Strict adherence to formatting requirements is not required at initial submission. Manuscripts are evaluated primarily on relevance, quality, and contribution. Accepted papers may be requested to conform to a journal-specific template at a later stage.

 

Articles

Section default policy

Privacy Statement

Privacy and Data Protection Policy (J-GAMES)

This Privacy and Data Protection Policy explains how J-GAMES collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data in connection with its journal operations, including manuscript submission, peer review, and website usage. J-GAMES is committed to protecting personal data and complying with applicable data protection regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) where applicable.

  1. Data Controller

J-GAMES is operated by an independent commercial publisher. The publisher acts as the data controller for personal data collected through the journal website and submission system.

  1. Personal Data We Collect

J-GAMES collects only the personal data necessary for the operation of the journal. This may include:

  • Names, institutional affiliations, and contact details of authors, reviewers, and editors
  • ORCID identifiers (where provided)
  • Manuscript files and associated metadata
  • Peer review reports and editorial correspondence
  • Login credentials and system-generated identifiers
  • Technical data such as IP addresses and browser information for security and analytics purposes
  1. Purpose of Data Processing

Personal data are processed solely for legitimate academic and operational purposes, including:

  • Managing manuscript submission, peer review, and editorial decision-making
  • Communicating with authors, reviewers, and editors
  • Publishing accepted articles
  • Maintaining the integrity and security of the journal platform
  • Complying with legal and ethical obligations
  1. Legal Basis for Processing
  • Personal data are processed on the following legal bases:
  • Performance of a contract (e.g., processing submissions and reviews)
  • Legitimate interests related to scholarly publishing
  • Consent, where explicitly provided
  • Compliance with legal obligations, where applicable
  1. Data Sharing and Disclosure

Personal data are not sold or shared with third parties for commercial purposes.

Data may be shared only where necessary with:

  • Editors and reviewers involved in the peer review process
  • Service providers supporting journal infrastructure (e.g., hosting, DOI registration)
  • Indexing and archiving services for published articles

All such parties are required to handle data securely and in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

  1. Data Retention

Personal data are retained only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which they were collected.

  • Submission and review records are retained to maintain the scholarly record
  • Published article metadata are retained indefinitely for citation and archiving purposes
  • User account data may be retained until deletion is requested or the account becomes inactive
  1. Data Security

J-GAMES implements appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. These measures include secure hosting, access controls, and regular system updates.

  1. Cookies and Tracking

The journal website may use essential cookies required for system functionality, such as user login and session management. J-GAMES does not use cookies for advertising or profiling purposes.

  1. Rights of Data Subjects

Individuals whose data are processed by J-GAMES have the right to:

  • Access their personal data
  • Request correction of inaccurate data
  • Request deletion of personal data, where appropriate
  • Restrict or object to certain types of processing
  • Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

Requests may be made by contacting the journal using the contact details provided on the website.

  1. International Data Transfers

Where data are processed or stored outside the European Economic Area, J-GAMES ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

  1. Policy Updates

This Privacy and Data Protection Policy may be updated periodically. Any material changes will be published on the journal website.