Popular History in Digital Games Between Mainstreaming and Diversification
B05
Principal Investigators
Team Member
Former Members
Tom Pinsker (Researcher)
Milan Weber (Researcher)
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.
Veranstaltungen
Inszenierung politischer Ordnungsvorstellungen
Workshop
15. April 2024
14:00 – 18:00 Uhr
Raum AH-A 210/211 (Herrengarten)
Transferring History into the Visuals of Assassin’s Creed
Forschungswerkstatt
1. Februar 2024
14:15 – 15:45 Uhr
AH-A 217/18 (Herrengarten)
Popularizing Medieval knowledge in fantasy Worldbuilding
Workshop
12th & 13th June 2023
Universität Siegen
Herrengarten
AH-A 217/18
Citizen Science als Konfliktfeld zwischen Experten- und Laienwissen
Vortrag
25. April 2023
19:00 – 20:30 Uhr
Kulturhaus Lyz (kl. Theater)
DIE ZWERGE - Vom Buch zum Game
Vortrag
Vortrag von Markus Heitz
17. November 2022
14:00 – 16:00 Uhr
Ort: Uni Siegen, US-C 105
Popularizing Violence
Workshop
15.–16. 09. 2022
15.09. | 12:15 Uhr – 19:00 Uhr
16.09. | 09:30 Uhr – 13:30 Uhr
Location: University of Siegen
Herrengarten AH A 217/18
Consulting Scholars
Workshop
07 . September 2022
9:30 – 16:30 Uhr
Ort: Vortragssaal des Museums für Gegenwartskunst
Unteres Schloss 1
57072 Siegen
Erzählen im Imperativ. Zur strukturellen Agonalität von Rollenspielen und mittelhochdeutschen Epen
Vortrag
Gastvortrag von Dr. Franziska Ascher
08. Dezember 2021
18:00 Uhr c.t.
Serialität des Populären: Strukturen. Sammeln. Ökonomien.
Workshop
Serialität des Populären: Strukturen. Sammeln. Ökonomien.
11. - 12. November 2021