History in Games : Contingencies of an Authentic Past

Where do we end up when we enter the time machine that is the digital game? One axiomatic truth of historical research is that the past is the time-space that eludes human intervention. Every account made of the past is therefore only an approximation. But how is it that strolling through ancient Alexandria can feel so real in the virtual world? Claims of authenticity are prominent in discussions surrounding the digital games of our time. What is historical authenticity and does it even matter? When does authenticity or the lack thereof become political? By answering these questions, the book illuminates the ubiquitous category of authenticity from the perspective of historical game studies. Table of Contents Preface and Acknowledgments Introduction History as told by the Game Quarry - Playground - Brand Why History in Digital Games matters Social Practices of History in Digital Possibility Spaces Tracing the Past with Digital Games Authenticity in and of History History in Video Games and the Craze for the Authentic Crusading Icons The Auteur and the 80s Mixtape Queer Authenticity in the History of Games The Politics of Authenticity "If it's a fantasy world, why bother trying to make it realistic?" Constructing and Debating the Middle Ages of THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT How to Get Away with Colonialism Toying with History You Do Have Responsibility! Contributors »Der Band [ist] Leser:innen zu empfehlen, die auf der Suche nach neuen Zugängen (z. B. Nolden) und exemplarischen Fallstudien (z.B. Brandenburg) zum großen Themenbereich von Authentizität und Geschichte sind. Lobenswert ist im Weiteren zudem, dass der Band aufzeigt, dass eine zukünftige historische Beschäftigung mit digitalen Spielen mehr nach der Erzeugung von Authentizitätsmomenten fragen muss (z.B. Brandis, Schwarz, Elliot & Horswell) als sich mit der Bewertung von historischer Korrektheit zu beschäftigen.«Lukas Boch/ Nicolas Huss, www.paidia.de, 18.12.2020O-Ton: »Drei Fragen an ...« - Felix Zimmermann im Interview bei www.nahaufnahmen.ch am 26.10.2020