A broad definition of historical video games might include any game that uses historically accurate worlds, places, or time periods – Civilization, Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed, Crusader Kings II, Europa Universalis – though in practice the category is far more narrow. By using real names, visuals and symbols, as well as history-specific gameplay mechanics and rules, all these games make implicit claims to being historical, to conforming with scholarship about the past – though of course this level of accuracy can vary widely within and between games.
Video games are designed as entertainment media, and as such their makers must often balance the desire to present a compelling narrative with the need for a user-friendly experience. This often comes into conflict with literal historical accuracy. In the case of historical games, this can lead to games that are largely free from historical error in terms of their visuals and gameplay but take liberties with the historical content.
While many of these games will never be truly historically accurate, it is also important to recognize that it is unrealistic to expect them to meet the high standards of accuracy expected from other historical representations, such as academic writing or film. This is not because of some inherent limitation of games that prevents them from being genuinely historical, but rather because of the pressures that exist on all entertainment media to appeal to players and meet sales goals.
When games do take liberties with historical accuracy, they can still help to illuminate particular historical eras and events. However, some games take this too far and present ideas about the past that are distorted or inaccurate. For example, the Oregon Trail video game was renowned for its dated and offensive portrayal of Native Americans. More recently, Red Dead Redemption 2 made headlines for its racist and sexist depictions of the American West.
Many historical games deal in counterfactual history, allowing the player to make choices and learn a no-risk gambling guide.
The reality is that most historical games, regardless of their genre or medium, will always be imperfect and inaccurate. The vast majority will have some inaccuracies, but this should be viewed as a positive, as it allows the player to engage with the history of these worlds and learn from the mistakes and distortions of their designers. Ultimately, this is no different from the way that all history is a mixture of fact and fiction. Historians can help to bridge this gap by working with developers, playing their games and engaging in constructive criticism. In doing so, we can ensure that these games are not only entertaining but also informative and educational. This can help to make sure that historical games remain a useful form of historical representation for future generations. Historians can also help to highlight misconceptions, provide contextual information and correct errors in games that have already been released.
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