SP26: Startplay 2026 Aachen, Germany, October 15-16, 2026

Conference website	https://startplay-conference.com/
Submission link	https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=sp26
Abstract registration deadline	May 17, 2026
Submission deadline	August 2, 2026

SP26 (STARTPLAY Conference 2026) is an interdisciplinary conference focusing on gamification, serious games, human-centered work systems, and innovative approaches to learning, engineering, and organizational development.

The conference brings together researchers, industry experts, educators, and practitioners working on the design and application of game-based approaches to improve motivation, engagement, creativity, learning, and performance in business, engineering, education, and work environments.

SP26 aims to provide a platform for presenting scientific results, applied research, practical implementations, and experimental systems related to gamification and game-based methods in professional, academic, and industrial contexts.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Gamified business models and services

• Gamification in digital products, platforms, and services

• Gamification for customer experience and user engagement

• Gamification in innovation processes and engineering

• Serious games and game-based approaches in product development

• Gamification for creativity, ideation, and open innovation

• Gamification in work environments and organizations

• Motivation, engagement, and performance in modern workplaces

• Gamification in agile work methods and organizational change

• Gamification in education and training

• Game-based learning in STEM / MINT education

• Serious games for professional training and competence development

• Gamification in universities, schools, and lifelong learning

• Game-based simulations and learning environments

• Psychological and motivational foundations of gamification

• Design methods and frameworks for gamification systems

More information about the conference can be found at:

Submission Guidelines

All submissions must be original and must not be simultaneously submitted to another journal or conference.

All submissions will undergo a review process by the program committee.Due to the interdisciplinary scope of the conference, additional reviewers may be invited depending on the topic.

Accepted contributions must be presented at the conference.

Selected papers may be considered for publication in the conference proceedings.

The following types of contributions are welcome:

Full papers describing original research results, theoretical approaches, or new methods related to gamification, serious games, learning systems, or human-centered work design.

Short papers describing work in progress, preliminary results, or new concepts.

Posters describing ongoing projects, experimental setups, or applied research.

Industrial contributions describing practical implementations, case studies, or applications of gamification, serious games, or game-based learning.

Demonstrations presenting prototypes, tools, training systems, or gamified applications.

Full-Paper/WiP-Paper

• Abstract Submission Deadline: 17.05.2026
• Abstract Acceptance Notification: 24.05.2026
• Full Paper Submission: 02.08.2026
• Review Period: 02.08.-.30.08.2026
• Notification of Acceptance: 01.09.2026
• Camera-Ready Submission: 30.09.2026

Poster

• Poster Abstract Submission Deadline: 15.08.2026
• Notification of Acceptance: 26.08.2026
• Final Poster Version Deadline: 30.09.2026

Committees

Program Committee

• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Wollert
• Dr. Alexander Schwarz
• Johannes Hug

Organizing committee

• Jan-Philipp Frings
• Johannes Hug

Contact

All questions about submissions should be emailed to info@startplay-conference.com or hug@fh-aachen.de