Virtual Excavations: A study on how video game mechanics influence the portrayal of archaeology in games

Video games have grown significantly over the past few decades, into largely influential popular media of the twenty-first century. Due to this, their representations of archaeology and the past are increasingly important to shaping the understanding of the public. While archaeology occasionally appears in historical games, it is often reduced into adventure and discovery. This thesis examines how archaeology is portrayed, enacted and reimagined in contemporary video games, communicated not only through narrative or imagery but actively through game mechanics, shaping the perception of players. Through a mixed methods approach, a quantitative analysis studied video games tagged as “historical” within the digital distribution platform Steam, combined with qualitative case studies which focused on game mechanics. From Steam, 60 games were reviewed to identify broader patterns in how archaeology is portrayed across genres and historical settings. The majority of reviewed games did not...Show moreVideo games have grown significantly over the past few decades, into largely influential popular media of the twenty-first century. Due to this, their representations of archaeology and the past are increasingly important to shaping the understanding of the public. While archaeology occasionally appears in historical games, it is often reduced into adventure and discovery. This thesis examines how archaeology is portrayed, enacted and reimagined in contemporary video games, communicated not only through narrative or imagery but actively through game mechanics, shaping the perception of players. Through a mixed methods approach, a quantitative analysis studied video games tagged as “historical” within the digital distribution platform Steam, combined with qualitative case studies which focused on game mechanics. From Steam, 60 games were reviewed to identify broader patterns in how archaeology is portrayed across genres and historical settings. The majority of reviewed games did not portray archaeology in any capacity, and when it did appear it took a context-specific role. Based on this analysis, a tripartite framework was created to categorize each game on the role of archaeology in it. It distinguishes archaeology as identity (archaeologists as characters), ability (performing archaeology), and engagement (portraying heritage institutions such as museums). This was then applied to a close reading of three case studies selected from my initial database: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Civilization VII, and Workers and Resources: Soviet Republic. The findings demonstrate that archaeology in video games is experienced mainly through player actions. While these expose players to aspects of archaeology, its practices are simplified, portraying archaeology as something to extract and compete over. Additionally, the study highlights the potential games have as tools for public engagement with archaeology. By focusing on what players do over what games depict, this thesis contributes to the field of archaeogaming by focusing on game mechanics and their impact on portraying the discipline, showing how digital play both distorts and reflects public perception.Show less

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Virtual Excavations: A study on how video game mechanics influence the portrayal of archaeology in games