Bridging history and gameplay: Lessons from historiographical video game design

The Intersection of Academia and Media

My professional path took a significant turn when I began engaging with the media and later with the world of virtual reality and interactive video games. Upon arriving in London in 2009, I was frequently called upon to answer press and media inquiries about Japanese history. These engagements, ranging from news reports to documentaries, broadened my horizons and provided an opportunity to share my knowledge with a wider audience.

One of the earliest and most memorable of these engagements was as a historical advisor to a major studio film production centered on early modern Japan. This project marked the beginning of my foray into the world of film and screen media. The job was to help maintain the historical accuracy of a fiction-fantasy film set in early modern Japan.

Lessons from the Film Industry

Despite a promising start, the project soon encountered significant challenges, particularly due to cultural miscommunications between the Japanese cast and the Anglo-American production team. Over and again, I tried to emphasize the significance of the Akō Vendetta story, as retold in the classic drama of the Chūshingura (忠臣蔵, The Treasury of Loyal Retainers), which has had a profound cultural and historical impact in Japan since it was first performed in 1748. The Chūshingura embodies themes of loyalty, honor, and sacrifice that have become deeply embedded in contemporary  Japanese culture.

The script of the film I was advising had been originally written by Hossein Amini in consultation with historian Stephen Turnbull. Theirs was an impressive work. However, as pre-production progressed into production, the director cut and restructured the script, resulting in a movie that failed to capture the depth and richness of the historical events upon which it was based. This experience underscored a critical lesson: the importance of balancing historicity with artistic license and commercial viability.

History as Digital Interactive Storytelling

The potential of video games to engage players with history first struck me in the 1980s when I encountered titles like Nobunaga’s Ambition (信長の野望, Nobunaga no Yabō). These early strategy games allowed players to immerse themselves in the political and military machinations of historical periods. Over the decades, the genre evolved significantly, with advances in technology enabling more complex narratives and immersive gameplay experiences.

However, while commercial games often succeed as narrative devices, they frequently prioritize gameplay over historical accuracy. This approach, driven by the commercial pressures of the gaming industry, can lead to a superficial engagement with historical material.

Ghost of Tsushima

Historian Adam Clulow's analysis of Ghost of Tsushima offers important insights for game designers striving to balance historical authenticity with engaging gameplay. Clulow highlights the game’s depiction of the Mongol invasions of Japan in the late 13th century as a prime example of how video games can captivate players while also oversimplifying complex historical events. The game presents a narrative that is visually stunning and immersive, yet it often sacrifices historical precision to enhance the player’s experience. This trade-off, while understandable from a commercial perspective, poses significant challenges for educators and historians who aim to use such games as educational tools.

Ghost of Tsushima is praised for its beautiful recreation of Tsushima Island and its detailed portrayal of samurai culture, but Clulow points out that the game’s narrative choices sometimes create a misleading picture of history. The game frames the Mongol invasion in stark, binary terms—good versus evil, invaders versus defenders—without adequately conveying the nuanced political, cultural, and social dynamics at play during this period. For instance, the game’s portrayal of the samurai as noble warriors defending Japan from barbaric invaders simplifies the complexities of samurai roles and motivations, as well as the internal conflicts within Japanese society at the time.

For game designers, Clulow underscores the importance of critically engaging with the historical sources that inform their narratives. Many historical video games, Ghost of Tsushima included, rely heavily on popular histories or outdated interpretations, which can perpetuate inaccuracies or reinforce simplistic views of the past. Clulow advocates for a more nuanced approach, where game designers collaborate closely with historians to ensure that their games reflect the latest scholarly research and offer players a more accurate and sophisticated understanding of history.

Despite these challenges, Ghost of Tsushima also demonstrates the potential of video games to introduce players to historical settings and events in a way that is both engaging and informative. Clulow suggests that game designers can learn from the game’s success by incorporating more complex and layered narratives that challenge players to think critically about the past. This might involve presenting multiple perspectives on historical events, exploring the motivations of different characters, and highlighting the uncertainties and ambiguities that are inherent in any historical narrative. By doing so, games can not only entertain but also educate, encouraging players to explore history in a deeper and more meaningful way.

Ghost of Tsushima serves as both a model and a cautionary tale for game designers. While it excels in creating an immersive and visually striking historical environment, it also illustrates the dangers of oversimplification and the need for a more critical and informed approach to historical representation in games. Clulow’s work emphasizes that with careful attention to historiography, video games can offer rich and nuanced portrayals of the past that engage and educate players, rather than merely entertain.

Key Takeaways for Game Design:

The HashimaXR Project

My first foray into historiographical video game design was with the HashimaXR Project. This collaboration between game developers, heritage preservationists, and academic scholars aimed to create a digital preserve of Hashima Island’s industrial heritage and coal mining culture, a UNESCO World Heritage site off the coast of Nagasaki, Japan.

This experience was transformative for me, not just in terms of learning new technical skills but also in understanding the complexities involved in digital preservation and representation. The steep learning curve was made more navigable by the incredible team of Unreal Engine designers I worked with. Their expertise in game design and their patience in explaining concepts allowed me to bridge the gap between historical scholarship and digital technology. This collaboration highlighted the importance of having a common lexicon when working on interdisciplinary projects, especially those as complex as historiographical video game design.

One of the most significant challenges was ensuring that the historical narrative remained intact while adapting it to a format that was both engaging and interactive. The game design process required us to make difficult decisions about what historical elements to include and how to present them in a way that would resonate with players. This experience taught me the value of interdisciplinary collaboration and the need for historians to be involved in the game design process from the outset.

Working on HashimaXR also underscored the importance of constant iteration and feedback. We had to continuously test and refine our designs, not just for historical accuracy but also for player engagement. The iterative process was crucial in ensuring that the final product was both educational and enjoyable. This project was a prime example of how digital tools can enhance our understanding of history, offering new ways to explore and interact with the past.

The HashimaXR Project demonstrated the potential of game engines like Unreal as tools for public history. By making the history of Hashima Island accessible to a global audience through an interactive virtual environment, we were able to engage people who might not otherwise have been interested in this aspect of Japanese history. This project has inspired me to continue exploring the possibilities of digital humanities and historiographical video game design as powerful means of education and public engagement.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the HashimaXR Project was witnessing how effectively it engaged a diverse and global audience. The ability to reach people from different cultural backgrounds, who might never visit Hashima Island in person, highlighted the immense power of digital tools in public history. The virtual environment not only captured the attention of gamers but also attracted educators, historians, and casual learners who were curious about the industrial heritage of Japan.

By creating an interactive and immersive experience, we were able to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of Hashima Island’s complex history, demonstrating that video games can be a valuable medium for historical education and engagement. HashimaXR's broad appeal underscores the importance of designing historical video games that are both accessible and educational, showing that when done with care and rigor, video game design can serve as a powerful bridge between academia and the public.

Key Takeaways for Game Design:

Virtual Angkor

HashimaXR was partly inspired by Tom Chandler's Virtual Angkor, a groundbreaking digital humanities project that serves as an exemplar for the integration of historical accuracy and immersive virtual environments in historiographical video game design. By recreating the ancient city of Angkor at its zenith in the 13th century, this project provides a vivid exploration of the Khmer Empire’s urban landscape, architecture, and cultural practices. The success of Virtual Angkor lies not only in its use of cutting-edge technology but also in its rigorous commitment to historical scholarship, making it a valuable case study for game designers interested in creating historically informed virtual worlds.

One of the most striking aspects of Virtual Angkor is its ability to transport users into the past with an unprecedented level of detail and realism. The project utilizes high-detail 3D modeling to reconstruct the intricate urban layout of Angkor, including its majestic temples, bustling marketplaces, and complex waterways. These models are based on extensive archaeological and historical research, incorporating data from LiDAR surveys, excavation reports, and historical texts. This meticulous attention to historical detail allows users to explore Angkor as it might have appeared in 1300 CE, providing a richly immersive experience that brings the history of the Khmer Empire to life.

The interdisciplinary nature of Virtual Angkor is another key factor in its success. The project brings together historians, archaeologists, digital artists, and computer scientists, each contributing their expertise to ensure the historical and technical accuracy of the virtual environment. Tom Chandler, one of the project’s lead developers, emphasizes the importance of this collaborative approach in his article “Reconstructing Angkor: The Role of 3D Modeling in Historical Scholarship.” Chandler discusses how digital tools like 3D modeling can revolutionize the way scholars study and present historical sites, particularly those that have been lost to time. The collaborative efforts behind Virtual Angkor highlight the need for a common lexicon and shared understanding among team members from different disciplines, a lesson that is highly relevant for game designers working on historical projects.

Virtual Angkor also serves as an educational tool, providing a dynamic alternative to traditional textbooks and lectures. The project’s virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) components allow users to “walk” through Angkor, interact with AI-guided characters, and experience daily life in the ancient city. This interactive approach engages users in a way that static images or written descriptions cannot, making it particularly effective for teaching complex historical concepts. By immersing users in the physical and cultural environment of Angkor, the project fosters a deeper understanding of the Khmer Empire’s history and the factors that shaped its development.

For game designers, Virtual Angkor offers several important lessons. First, it demonstrates the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in creating historically informed digital environments. The success of the project is a testament to what can be achieved when experts from different fields work together to create a unified and accurate representation of the past. Second, Virtual Angkor shows the potential of digital reconstruction as a tool for both scholarship and public engagement. By allowing users to explore historical sites in detail, digital models can provide new insights into the past and make history more accessible to a broader audience. Finally, the project underscores the importance of integrating rigorous historical research into the design process. As Virtual Angkor illustrates, the use of advanced technology must be paired with a deep commitment to historical accuracy to create virtual environments that are not only immersive but also educational.

Virtual Angkor stands as a model for how digital technology can be used to bring history to life in ways that are both engaging and informative. For game designers, the project offers valuable insights into the potential of 3D modeling and virtual environments to enhance the historical authenticity of their games. By learning from the successes of Virtual Angkor, designers can create games that not only entertain but also educate, providing players with a deeper understanding of the past.

Key Takeaways for Game Design:

Past Meets Pixel

Inspired by our experiences with the HashimaXR Project, my colleagues and I recently launched the Past Meets Pixel Project as a forum for exploring the complex relationship between memory and history through interactive media. The objective is to foster discussion and collaboration on making games that educate players about significant historical events and cultural practices while promoting dialogue about the complexity of historical perspectives.

Past Meets Pixel is growing into a vibrant Substack forum for historians, game designers, and educators to exchange ideas and collaborate on the development of historiographical video games. We aim to foster a community of diverse individuals who are passionate about designing video games as a medium for exploring the past.

The forum’s success will rely on bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise. Historians provide scholarly rigor. Game developers contribute their creativity and design skills. Educators help shape the discussion of games as effective teaching tools. Together we can design games that are not only educational but also engaging and fun to play.

Historical video games do not need to compromise entertainment value to be informed and informative. We can create better historical games by integrating well-researched narratives with compelling gameplay mechanics. The success of commercial games like Assassin’s Creed, which blends historical settings with engaging storylines, demonstrates that there is a significant market for deeply informed historical games.

The development and implementation of historiographical video games represent a significant step forward in how we engage with and understand history. By combining rigorous historical scholarship with the immersive and interactive capabilities of advanced gaming technology, we have a unique opportunity to make the past more accessible to a broader audience.

Past meets Pixel is a research hub that incubates collaborations between historians and game developers, leading to innovative approaches that benefit both education and entertainment sectors. By viewing educational content as an enhancement rather than a limitation, game developers can explore new markets and appeal to a broader demographic, including schools, museums, and history enthusiasts.

References

Bazile, J. (2022). An Alternative to the Pen: Perspectives for the Design of Historiographical Videogames. Digital Humanities Quarterly, 16(2), 45-67. Available at https://www.digitalhumanities.org/dhq/vol/16/2/000401/000401.html  

Chandler, T. (2019). Reconstructing Angkor: The Role of 3D Modeling in Historical Scholarship. Digital Humanities Quarterly, 13(1). Available at https://www.digitalhumanities.org/dhq/vol/13/1/000401/000401.html 

Clulow, A. (2023). From Shōgun to Ghost of Tsushima: Using and Challenging Historical Video Games. The Journal of Japanese Studies, 49(2), 395-416. Available at Project MUSE: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/898720