Georgia Southern University Digital Commons@Georgia Southern Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies, Jack N. Averitt College of Fall 2012 Leaving in the Past: The Role History Plays in Video Games Joseph Fordham Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd Part of the Education Commons, Film and Media Studies Commons, and the History Commons Recommended Citation Fordham, Joseph, "Leaving in the Past: The Role History Plays in Video Games" (2012). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 4. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/4 This thesis (open access) is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies, Jack N. Averitt College of at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. LEAVING IN THE PAST: THE ROLE HISTORY PLAYS IN VIDEO GAMES by JOSEPH FORDHAM (Under the Direction of Craig Roell) ABSTRACT How can something considered by many within academia as childish or a waste of time be potentially useful in presenting or even studying history? Not only has the video game industry grown into one of the largest forms of media in the world, but these games are also finding use as a training aid for the military and major companies, as an advertising medium, and, most importantly, as a tool for teaching. As developmental capabilities improve with new generations of graphics hardware, video games are turning towards the recreation of real-world and historical events. This drive towards realism and accuracy also brings an increase in the amount of historical research done in order to insure the accuracy of a game’s content.