Video games have long been a powerful medium for exploring real-world history, from the gritty realism of Call of Duty’s D-Day landings to the power fantasy of ruling vast kingdoms in Total War. Now, a new book titled Playing With History is set to delve into this fascinating intersection, launching its first volume later this year. Packed with over 200 pages of deep dives and interviews, the project has entered its pre-launch phase on Kickstarter, with a crowdfunding campaign going live later this Spring.
Playing With History: Volume One will take readers on a journey through the past, analyzing how games portray different historical eras, figures, and civilizations. This debut volume features retrospectives and exclusive interviews with both developers and historians, offering fresh insights into how history is woven into the fabric of fan-favorite video games.
The book will be available both digitally and physically, in paperback and hardback, and will include in-depth articles on popular titles such as:
- Assassin’s Creed
- Battlefield
- Civilization
- Call of Duty
- Far Cry
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Onimusha
- Sniper Elite
- Tomb Raider
- Total War
Meticulously researched, Playing With History promises to appeal to both gamers and history buffs, providing an in-depth look at the historical accuracy, artistic liberties, and cultural significance of these titles and more.
The project has already garnered praise from prominent historians and authors:
- “This is an absolutely brilliant idea – not just enormously good fun, but really thoughtful and clever.” – Dominic Sandbrook, Best-Selling Author & Co-Host of The Rest is History Podcast
- “A ground-breaking tome that promises to be essential reading.” – David Bishop, Award-Winning Author
- “A fantastic idea linking great video games with fascinating history.” – Brian Groom, Best-Selling Author of Northerners: A History
- “A brilliant amalgam of the best of combat gaming and pivotal moments in history.” – Douglas Jackson, Historical Fiction Author
Playing With History is an independent publication created by writers Ade Burrows and Jim Hargreaves. For the best part of a decade, an article series under the same name has explored history through the lens of video games, studying the real-world events and people that inspired beloved interactive blockbusters. Ade Burrows, a public historian, and Jim Hargreaves, a seasoned video game journalist, have combined their talents to form the perfect time-traveling tag-team.
