"Deep Play? Video Games and the Historical Imagination"

Video games earn billions of dollars in revenue, and many of the most popular and enduring games in recent years are set in historical environments. This genre of popular art and entertainment sheds light on the mindset of our era. In his recent article for the American Historical Review, historian Andrew Denning argues that the act of participating in history through virtual forums frames the public’s view of history. The article examines how recent video games that focus on Nazis shape public perceptions of the Third Reich. These games stage who and what matters in history, influencing our conception of how historical change occurs. Historical video games connect the past to present, shaping historical memory and contemporary political debates. Video games are a form of “deep play” that build knowledge of the past and present, but that knowledge must be broadened, Denning argues. Historians should understand how video games shape the wider public’s knowledge and philosophy of history, and they should develop strategies to bring the virtues of play into their own research and teaching.

Meet KU's Authors: Andrew Denning