Games are no longer merely seen as a leisure activity; they are an important cultural asset. Games with historical themes are particularly popular among players, influencing the way we remember, what we remember and how we conceptualize the past. As such, they are an essential part of our culture of remembrance and historical understanding.
One of the most frequently depicted eras in games is the Early Modern Period (1500-1800) - and for good reason. This era was marked by profound change and upheaval, characterized by crises and ambivalence, of violence and oppression. It was also a time of religious, political and cultural transformation, shaping attitudes, worldviews, lifestyles, languages, social practices and the material world. As a result, the period saw significant advancements in science and the flourishing of art, alongside events of global relevance such as the Reformation movements, colonialism, wars including the Thirty Years' War, revolutions in France, Haiti or what is now the United States, and conflicts both within Europe and expanding as far away as Asia. These historical developments continue to influence our world today, providing rich inspiration for the games played today.
This reality makes it all the more important to analyse these games within the contexts of research and education. Popular titles include games such as the computer game series ‘Assassin's Creed’ and ‘Anno’ as well as ‘Nobunaga's Ambition’ and ‘Pentiment.’ In the field of analogue games, games such as ‘Pizarro & Co.,’ ‘Thurn & Taxis,’ ‘Catan’ and ‘Puerto Rico’ are well-known and demonstrate the widespread appeal of games with historical themes.
Despite the prominence of the Early Modern Period in games, there is a considerable gap and high demand for academic research and education concerning the portrayal of this era in games, which has hardly been investigated. This conference aims to address this gap and to make a vital contribution to the field.
The central research questions of the conference include: What can we learn about past eras such as the Early Modern Period through games and our interactions with them? How can games be analysed in relation to topics such as gender, religion, nature or nationhood? Which methods of analysis are most effective? How can games be integrated in university and school curricula? How can the dialogue between research, education and development be strengthened - and how can this dialogue shape the future of historically-inspired games?
This conference seeks to offer international research on games an important joint forum to enter into an exchange on the potential of researching games as a new historical form and as an important subject of learning and research at universities and schools. Moreover, the conference aims to advocate for greater inclusion of games in educational institutions, research and teaching.
The conference is truly international, featuring speakers from the USA, Canada, Turkey, Great Britain, France, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. The potential of engaging with games for research and history education will also be demonstrated at the conference through interdisciplinary dialogue. The conference will bring together representatives from the fields of history, history didactics, literature, communication, religious studies and art history, as well as educators, those involved in political education and developers from renowned game studios.
The conference will take place at the University of Oldenburg. It will also be streamed live, allowing for online participation. Please register at: lucas.haasis@uni-oldenburg.de