Ethical Principles

Game Nexus is firmly committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct, academic integrity, transparency, and accountability in all stages of the publication process. The journal adheres to internationally recognized guidelines and ethical frameworks, including those established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The following Publication Ethics statement outlines the responsibilities, expectations, and obligations of authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers to ensure a fair, transparent, and responsible scholarly environment.

Publication integrity is foundational to Game Nexus. Because game studies is a field that includes multidisciplinary research—from psychology and computer science to media studies, design, engineering, sociology, and cultural theory—the journal places particular emphasis on ethical rigor, methodological transparency, accurate reporting, and intellectual honesty.

This policy applies to all manuscripts submitted to Game Nexus, including research articles, reviews, case studies, technical reports, design notes, conceptual papers, and multimedia materials.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting to Game Nexus must uphold the highest ethical standards in research design, manuscript preparation, reporting, and communication with the journal.

1.1 Originality and Avoiding Plagiarism

  • All submissions must be original works that have not been previously published, in whole or in part, in any language or format.

  • Plagiarism—direct copying, paraphrasing without attribution, mosaic plagiarism, self-plagiarism, recycling of one’s own previously published text, and data fabrication—is strictly prohibited.

  • Every manuscript undergoes a mandatory similarity check using iThenticate.

  • Authors must appropriately cite all sources, theoretical frameworks, methodological tools, data sets, games, software, and graphics used.

1.2 Data Integrity, Accuracy, and Transparency

Authors are responsible for the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of their research data.

They must ensure:

  • No fabrication, falsification, manipulation, or selective omission of data.

  • Transparency in describing methods, tools, algorithms, instruments, and software.

  • Availability of raw data upon request by editors or reviewers, unless restricted by confidentiality or legal agreements.

  • Proper reporting of ethical approval for studies involving human participants, players, game users, interviews, or surveys.

  • Ethical treatment of participants, including informed consent, confidentiality, and data protection.

1.3 Redundant or Duplicate Publication

Authors must ensure:

  • The manuscript is not under consideration by another journal simultaneously.

  • Substantial overlap with previously published work is clearly declared.

  • Any reused text, models, or methods from previous works by the same authors must be explicitly referenced.

Submitting the same or similar manuscript to multiple journals is considered unethical and grounds for immediate rejection.

1.4 Authorship and Contribution

Authorship should accurately reflect intellectual contributions.

Each author must meet all of the following criteria:

  1. Significant contribution to conception, design, data collection, analysis, or interpretation.

  2. Participation in drafting or critically revising the manuscript.

  3. Approval of the final version before submission.

  4. Agreement to be accountable for the integrity of the work.

The following do not qualify for authorship:

  • Technical assistance

  • Financial support alone

  • Superficial editing or proofreading

  • Providing access to equipment or software

Gift authorship, honorary authorship, ghost authorship, or coercive authorship is strictly prohibited.

1.5 Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any potential conflicts that could influence their research or interpretation, including:

  • Financial ties

  • Employment or consulting relationships

  • Ownership of game development companies or related technologies

  • Personal relationships

  • Academic or intellectual conflicts

Failure to disclose conflicts may lead to rejection, correction, or retraction.

1.6 Ethical Use of AI Tools

When using AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, game engine auto-generators, image generators), authors must:

  • Declare the use of AI in the Methods or Acknowledgments

  • Ensure accuracy and originality of content

  • Avoid delegating writing responsibilities that compromise authorship criteria

  • Confirm that no copyrighted materials were reproduced without permission

1.7 Corrections, Retractions, and Accountability

If authors discover an error or inaccuracy after publication, they must:

  • Immediately notify the editors

  • Cooperate in issuing corrections, retractions, or clarifications as needed

Failure to comply may result in sanctions, including publication bans.

2. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play an essential role in maintaining scholarly quality. By agreeing to evaluate a manuscript, reviewers commit to confidentiality, fairness, and professionalism.

2.1 Confidentiality

  • Manuscripts sent for review are confidential documents.

  • Reviewers must not share, distribute, or discuss any part of the content with third parties.

  • Review materials must be securely deleted after the review process.

2.2 Objectivity and Fairness

  • Reviews must be objective, constructive, and free of personal criticism.

  • Reviewers must evaluate the manuscript solely on scholarly merit, relevance, and methodological quality.

  • Prejudice against authors’ nationality, gender, identity, institutional affiliation, or theoretical stance is strictly prohibited.

2.3 Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers must decline to review if:

  • There is financial, academic, personal, or professional conflict

  • They are collaborating or have collaborated with the authors

  • They cannot provide an objective review

2.4 Ethical Evaluation

Reviewers should alert editors if they identify:

  • Plagiarism or significant similarity to other works

  • Data manipulation or ethical concerns

  • Violations of participant rights in user studies or psychological research

  • Incorrect or misleading citations

2.5 Timeliness

  • Reviewers should complete evaluations within the specified timeline.

  • If unable to complete, reviewers must notify the editor promptly.

3. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors of Game Nexus ensure fairness, transparency, and academic quality throughout the editorial process.

3.1 Editorial Independence

Editors make decisions based on:

  • Scientific validity

  • Originality

  • Contribution to the field

  • Alignment with journal scope

Editorial decisions are not influenced by:

  • Authors’ identity or reputation

  • Institutional affiliations

  • Nationality, race, gender, or theoretical standpoint

  • Political, financial, or personal pressures

3.2 Ensuring Fair Review

Editors must ensure:

  • A rigorous and unbiased double-blind review process

  • Reviewers are qualified experts

  • Conflicts of interest are avoided

  • Review comments are constructive and free from inappropriate language

3.3 Managing Misconduct

Editors are responsible for identifying and responding to misconduct, including:

  • Plagiarism

  • Fabrication or falsification

  • Unethical research practices

  • Duplicate submissions

  • Authorship disputes

  • AI-generated deception

Actions may include:

  • Requesting clarifications

  • Issuing corrections

  • Rejecting manuscripts

  • Retracting published articles

  • Banning authors from future submissions

3.4 Transparency and Communication

Editors must:

  • Communicate decisions clearly and constructively

  • Maintain confidentiality

  • Ensure all editorial policies are publicly accessible

  • Provide authors with opportunities to respond to reviewer comments

4. Publisher Responsibilities

The publisher of Game Nexus is committed to upholding the integrity of the academic record by:

4.1 Ensuring Preservation

  • Maintaining long-term digital archiving

  • Guaranteeing accessibility even in the event of discontinuation

4.2 Supporting Ethical Conduct

  • Providing tools for plagiarism checks (iThenticate)

  • Ensuring compliance with COPE guidelines

  • Facilitating transparent editorial processes

4.3 Safeguarding Research Integrity

  • Working with editors to investigate unethical behavior

  • Publishing corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary

5. Handling Ethical Misconduct

Game Nexus follows COPE’s official procedures for addressing misconduct. Actions may include:

5.1 Before Publication

  • Rejection of the manuscript

  • Notification of authors’ institution

  • Blacklisting of authors

5.2 After Publication

  • Corrections or errata

  • Expression of concern

  • Retraction

  • Removal in extreme legal cases

5.3 Types of Misconduct Handled

  • Plagiarism or self-plagiarism

  • Fake authorship or ghostwriting

  • Data fabrication or falsification

  • Manipulation of peer review

  • Unethical human participant research

  • Image/game asset manipulation without disclosure

  • Failure to declare conflicts of interest

All decisions follow documented COPE flowcharts and ethical frameworks.

6. Ethical Considerations for Special Cases

6.1 Research Involving Human Participants

Studies involving interviews, focus groups, playtesting, psychology experiments, surveys, or game-based user studies must:

  • Provide informed consent

  • Ensure participant privacy

  • Follow national and international research ethics laws

  • Obtain ethics committee/institutional review board approval

6.2 Research Involving Minors

Special protections apply when research includes children or adolescents playing games or interacting with interactive systems.
Consent must be obtained from both guardians and participants.

6.3 Use of Proprietary Assets or Game Content

Authors must:

  • Respect copyright restrictions

  • Obtain permission for copyrighted images, screenshots, or assets

  • Follow fair use guidelines

6.4 AI-Generated Content

Use of AI tools must be transparent. AI cannot be listed as an author.

7. Commitment to Ethical Publishing

Game Nexus aims to create a responsible academic community by promoting openness, transparency, and accountability in all research stages. Every participant—authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers—is expected to uphold these ethical principles to ensure the journal’s credibility and the advancement of knowledge in game studies.