How does history enter digital games with histo­rical settings? The portrayal of history in games is not solely deter­mined by developers and marketing experts but emerges through nego­tiations involving players as well. This subproject investi­gates these negotia­tions over popular historical represen­tations in digital games across two dimensions:
First, through recon­structing the production processes, marketing strategies, and public discourse surrounding popular historical games, we analyze how developers, marketers, and corporate decision-makers shape the creation of historically inspired virtual worlds. These actors determine the direction of popula­rization while responding to shifts in the popularity of historical themes. Beyond producers, gaming journalists in specialist and main­stream media, social media critics, and streamers on major video platforms also influence what becomes popular. Their collective actions steer attention and frame debates. The project focuses precisely on these agendas and on the agency of involved actors as they negotiate popular historical represen­tations.
Parallel to this, an international online survey investi­gates whether historical inter­preta­tions in games are becoming rather main­streamed or diversified. Conducted over two years, this survey allows for cross-cultural compa­risons of these negotia­tions while tracking fluctua­tions in historical themes’ popu­larity within the fast-paced gaming industry. By surveying a poten­tially global English-speaking player base, the project main­tains focus on users’ perspec­tives as a crucial dimen­sion of the multi­layered process through which popular history is debated and constructed.