IN-PERSON London Heritages. Section A

Abstract

The potential of video games as preservers and interpreters of cultural heritage gained widespread recognition following Ubisoft’s response to the 2019 Notre-Dame Cathedral fire, where Assassin’s Creed Unity was highlighted for its detailed digital reconstruction of the cathedral. This incident showcased the potential of digital landscapes that serve as cultural archives, enabling players to engage with heritage sites in ways that transcend traditional preservation methods. This research explores how video games could perform as medium of digital indigenous heritage, and create affective landscapes that resonate with cultural authenticity. In video game Never Alone (2014), developed in collaboration with the Iñupiaq community, players navigate an Arctic environment infused with Indigenous narratives, cultural symbols, and mythologies that offer a profound emotional experience grounded in traditional knowledge. Similarly, When Rivers Were Trails (2019), a game centered on the Anishinaabe perspective, immerses players in a journey of displacement and resilience, capturing the lived realities and spiritual connections of Native American communities. This study employs non-representational approaches and affect theories to examine how these games craft digital landscapes where authenticity is not confined to historical accuracy but encompasses the affective dimensions of indigenous memory and experience. By analyzing these games’ interactive mechanics and narratives, this study highlights how video games act as conduits for cultural transmission, providing alternative pathways for engaging with indigenous heritage. This approach underscores the unique role of digital landscapes in shaping our understanding of heritage and identity through player experience and interaction.