Hi there!

My name is Mela. Welcome to my playground.

I have been overheard saying that „I do everything for research“. Actually, this is pretty much true when it involves play, and games. For example, I did a looooot for research when writing my dissertation, „Follow the pixel rabbit. Aesthetics and narrativity of digital games“ (Zurich 2007). In German here or here: Pixelkaninchen.

I also got really involved into the world of Alternate Reality Games between 2009-2011 – nothing beats super-involved field research in combination with theoretical-aesthetic distance when researching a new game genre. For example, during my SNF-funded post-doc research stay at the University of California, San Diego, I got flown to Berlin for a showdown of an Alternate Reality Game – invited by a fictional game character who had paid flight, hotel and car for me (respectively my game agent „PinkCloud„) and a colleague in advance. Who would deny herself such an experience?

These and other experiences you also find in a neat professional format in my CV.

Anyways, I am searching for the thrill (as an adrenalin junkie) as well as for boredom (as a contemplation fan). I seriously love games (or: to play?), and I despite most serious games, even though I’m currently working on one. It’s a jungle, baby.

I started *pixelidentities* while living in California 2009-2001 – having encountered so many elements of the ridiculous, bizarre and beautiful I just wanted to put them down in words. Several crashes of diverse nature later, I decided it was time to start the website fresh. And that’s where we are now.