HIST 395: Topics in Digital History
HIST 395-001: History and Video Games
(Spring 2026)
03:00 PM to 04:15 PM TR
Horizon Hall 5018
Section Information for Spring 2026
What does history look like when you can play it? From dying of dysentery on the Oregon Trail to building empires in Civilization or parkouring across Renaissance Florence in Assassin’s Creed II, video games shape how millions of people imagine the past. As one of the most popular media in the world, games don’t just entertain—they invite players to re-create, re-interpret, and even rewrite history. This course investigates how history is mediated through video games with a focus on the medieval and Renaissance periods, combining theoretical readings with hands-on analysis and play. Together we will ask: What does it mean to depict history interactively? How do mechanics, narrative, and design choices shape the stories games tell about the past? Students will play and analyze titles such as Europa Universalis, Age of Empires, and Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, while also engaging with scholarship on history and digital media. Assignments will include reviews, critical reflections, and a final project in which students design their own proposal for a historically inspired game.
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Course Information from the University Catalog
Credits: 3
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
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