I'm a philosopher whose work combines methods and ideas from phenomenology, existentialism, post-structuralism, philosophy of technology, and game studies to explore how digital games illuminate core philosophical questions about meaning, freedom, embodiment, and human existence - not only through narrative, but also through their design and mechanics.
I have a forthcoming monograph called 'Breaking the Game: Playable Philosophy in the Digital Age' (Play Story Press, 2026), and I edited 'The Rise of the Roguelite: Inside a Gaming Phenomenon' (Taylor and Francis / CRC Press, 2025). I have also published widely in leading journals such as Synthese, Games and Culture, Game Studies, and Philosophy and Technology, with work ranging from philosophical and political readings of Dwarf Fortress, Darkest Dungeon, UFO 50, Metal Gear Solid, and Quasimorph to conceptual interventions in genre theory, immersion, enactive cognition, interpretation, and nostalgia.
My earlier doctoral work at the Central European University focused on Heidegger’s existential phenomenology, offering a reinterpretation of his philosophy as a form of philosophical anthropology and developing an original account of revelatory moods such as anxiety, boredom, and joy. Since then I have held fellowships in Vienna, Milan, and Bratislava, alongside visiting professorships and teaching roles at CEU, Eötvös Loránd University, and in access programmes for refugees and asylum seekers.
Alongside academic publications, I am committed to public philosophy. My YouTube channel 'Breaking the Game' brings philosophical analysis of games to broader audiences:
https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingZGame
