A new book examining the relationship between video games and real-world history is set to launch later this year. Playing With History: Volume One will feature over 200 pages of analysis, retrospectives, and interviews with developers and historians. The project is currently in its pre-launch phase on Kickstarter, with a crowdfunding campaign planned for later this spring.
Exploring History Through Video Games
From the D-Day landings in Call of Duty to the grand strategy of Total War, video games have long been a medium for engaging with historical events. Playing With History: Volume One aims to explore how different titles portray historical periods, figures, and civilizations, offering insights into the accuracy, artistic interpretation, and cultural impact of these representations.
The book will be available in both digital and physical formats, including paperback and hardback editions. It will cover a range of well-known titles, including:
- Assassin’s Creed
- Battlefield
- Civilization
- Call of Duty
- Far Cry
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Onimusha
- Sniper Elite
- Tomb Raider
- Total War
Industry and Academic Endorsements
Ahead of its crowdfunding launch, the project has received positive feedback from historians and authors:
“This is an absolutely brilliant idea—not just enormously good fun, but really thoughtful and clever.” – Dominic Sandbrook, historian and 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, author of Northerners: A History
“A brilliant amalgam of the best of combat gaming and pivotal moments in history.” – Douglas Jackson, historical fiction author
The Team Behind the Book
Playing With History is an independent publication by Ade Burrows, a public historian, and Jim Hargreaves, a video game journalist. The project builds on nearly a decade of articles under the same name, examining how historical events and figures have influenced popular games.
