Awesome, but Impractical? Deeper Engagement with the Middle Ages through Commercial Digital Games

Abstract

Medievalist computer games possess a vast reach and potent influence over their audience, but this influence often runs counter to the goals of heritage and teaching practitioners. This piece argues that while the commercial and mechanical requirements of computer games limit the utility of these games as heritage and educational tools on the macro scale, these same qualities enable computer games to engage their players with the Middle Ages in a different manner from other heritage platforms which can be of substantial value.To this end, the piece will first highlight the similarities and differences between computer games and other means of engaging with history and heritage. It will proceed to consider the pressures these differences exert on the representation of history within games alongside the impact of the expectations of audiences and developers about this form of history and about the Middle Ages. Finally, the piece will discuss how these difficulties may be overcome, alleviated or embraced to support broader and deeper engagement with the medieval period and history more generally. Banner image taken from Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Gold Edition Press kit, Ubisoft, 2020.