Video Games Could Be Serious Tools for Historical Research

An undergraduate history course incorporating strategy games is just the beginning: computer simulations are allowing people to study the past in ways that have never been possible

One of the extraordinary consequences of computer modeling techniques is that they make it possible to simulate various real-world phenomena in fantastic detail.

Computer fluid dynamics, for example, has largely replaced the use of wind tunnels in many applications. Social-network simulations have changed the way we understand traffic jams and crowd control as well as the spread of fake news and infectious diseases. And many games, such as the Grand Theft Auto series, Second Life, and many others, re-create the real world in ways that allow players to experiment with alternate realities.

But while this phenomenon has had a huge influence on science, its impact on the humanities — and in particular on the study of history — has been less marked. Which creates something of an opportunity for enterprising historians. Various computer games simulate past events in ever-increasing detail, allowing players to better understand the forces at work and explore alternative histories.