Festival of History and Heritage in Games

Can Games Teach Us About the Past?

Join researchers, game designers, heritage professionals, and fellow gamers for a three-day knowledge-exchange event around how we can build better games inspired by history and heritage, from the Classical to medieval worlds.

Festival Overview

A collaborative, interdisciplinary event bringing together the heritage sector, the gaming industry, and leading researchers to explore the educational potential of games through a series of structured interventions.

Through talks, panels, workshops, and handson play, we’ll‑ investigate how interactive media can help us think differently about history and heritage, and how we might design better experiences for the future.

This Festival is part of a wider series exploring the guiding question “Can games teach?”. Now in its second iteration, this year’s event focuses on the classical to medieval periods.

Key Features

Knowledge Exchange

A collaborative space where researchers, designers, and heritage practitioners share insights, compare methods, and spark new ideas. Expect lively conversation and crosssector‑ discovery.

Presentations & Talks

Hear from experts exploring how history and heritage are represented, interpreted, and reimagined in games. Sessions highlight design processes, research approaches, and the challenges of historical storytelling.

Panel Discussions

Unique crosssector panels bring together historians, developers, educators, and curators to discuss the educational potential of games and the responsibilities of representing the past virtually.

Slow Game Jam

A hands-on three-day game jam built around the question “Can games teach?” Participants will collaborate through daily workshops, exploring how game design, narrative, and player experience can communicate history and heritage.

Active Gameplay Sessions

Play historical games in a collaborative environment. Share reactions in real time, compare interpretations, and contribute to a collective exploration of how audiences engage with the past in games.

Programme

The programme will be announced closer to the date of the Festival. Keep an eye on this space!

Meet the Presenters

Our speaker list will continue to grow as we confirm presenters in the coming weeks. Keep an eye on this space for more information about the speakers and their contributions.

Our confirmed list of speakers:

• Dr. Ben Angell – Capture Age

• Richard Blows – Time Machine Designs 

• Dr. Hamish Cameron – Victoria University of Wellington
• Dr. Richard Cole – Bristol Digital Game Lab

• Dr. Kate Cook – King’s College London 

• Dr. Jennifer Cromwell – Manchester Metropolitan University

• Dr. Lucas Haasis – Gamelab Oldenburg University
• Dr. Luke Holmes – Creative Assembly

• Dr. Robert Houghton – University of Winchester (Organiser for ‘Middle Ages in Modern Games Asynchronous Conference’) 

• Will Humphrey – Sugar Creative

• Dr. Michał Mochocki – University of Gdansk

• Dr. Colleen Morgan – University of York 

• Dr. Holly Nielsen – Freelance Game Developer, Writer, and Historian
• Dr. Andrew Roberts – English Heritage

• Betty Robertson – Freelance Narrative Designer (credits include Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey and Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla)
• Demetri Sofides – Developer of upcoming archaeology game 'Strange Finds'

• Savinay Sood – Postgraduate Student at University of Glasgow 

• Dr. Alexander Vandewalle – Ghent University (Paizomen Database of Classical Antiquity Games)

• Dr. Nick Webber – Birmingham City University (Historical Games Network) 

• Dr. Esther Wright – Cardiff University (Historical Games Network)

Who Should Attend?

• Game designers & developers

• Historians & heritage professionals

• Educators & researchers

• Students of history, media, or game design

• Anyone curious about how games shape our understanding of the past

Why This Festival Matters

Games are one of the most powerful storytelling tools of our time. By bringing together experts from across sectors, this festival creates a rare space to share insights and co-create new ways to explore history and heritage in interactive media.

Join Us April 27-29 2026

Be part of a creative, interdisciplinary community shaping the future of historical storytelling through play.

FAQ

Will the event be catered?

Yes, the event will be fully catered. We will be providing pastries for breakfast/snacks, lunch, and dinner on Monday and Tuesday, and all meals except dinner on the Wednesday, as the Festival will end at 5.30 PM. Please let us know of any dietary requirements.

Do I need to attend all three days?

You can attend one day of the Festival, two days, or all three, depending on what best fits your schedule. Of course, we recommend attending all three days to get the most out of the event, as we will be engaging in a three-day, slow game jam over the course of the event. 

What accessibility features does the venue have?

The BDFI building is fully accessible to all. There are lifts available to access the Neutral Lab, where the Festival will take place. A quiet room will also be available to all participants throughout the course of the Festival, to use as needed.