Paul Wake

Professor Paul Wake is a faculty member in the Department of English at Manchester Metropolitan University, where he serves as Co-Director of the Manchester Game Centre and Carbon Literacy Champion. He also holds the role of Scientific Lead for the Horizon Europe and Innovate UK-funded STRATEGIES project (2024–2028), focusing on sustainable transitions in the game industries.

• PhD (English), Manchester Metropolitan University, 2004
• MA (Critical Theory), Manchester Metropolitan University, 1998
• BA (Hons) English, Durham University, 1994

His research bridges literary studies (narrative theory, historical fictions) and game studies, emphasizing games as tools for addressing societal challenges like the climate crisis. He is a game designer known for Carbon City Zero and Catan: Global Warming, and co-editor of The Irwell Edition of the Works of Anthony Burgess (Manchester University Press).

• STRATEGIES: Sustainable Transition for Europe’s Game Industries
• Games Imagining the Future: Board games for climate education (2021–2022)
• SMOG: Co-creating a card game on indoor air quality (2022)

As a supervisor, Paul mentors PhD students exploring themes like games and ecophobia, gender performance in LARP, and AI in digital storytelling. His work integrates material game studies and games for social impact, with a focus on board and roleplaying games.