(image showing the execution of Louis XVI, AC Unity)

I will preface this by stating, I am not a French, and this is not a critique of the French politics or social issues, which are entirely the country’s own business.

This past weekend, news of violent riots and looting across France shocked the world. As the proud Republic treads a tenuous ground, images of chaos and disorder reminded me of the French Revolution. It’s a pivotal moment in history that many of us have witnessed, in a sense, through Assassin’s Creed Unity.

AC the franchise is much maligned today, so it’s easy to forget how successful they have been in depicting history as entertainment. From the beheading of Louis XVI to the Boston Tea Party, we had a first person view on some of the most critical events in the history of the Western world. Not only is that rare in gaming - even AC itself has somewhat moved away from that approach.

I made this post to argue that, there is a place in gaming to record and reenact history, and to position itself as a powerful medium to engage the public in understanding the experience and lessons of the past. I don’t mean just starting a new Civ campaign or BF match. I mean truly living and witnessing the movement, the people, the ideas and the outcomes as a protagonist,

Very few games embrace that potential, which imo can help foster stronger interest in a subject matter that, well, most of us slept through in school 🤣 And that form of preservation is important because the digital/AI era will distort our social memories and national identities in precedented ways. Having well researched and narrated history in the most popular form of entertainment in the world offers at least one more solution to that problem. It is a luxury, but also a necessity imo.

Anyway just some quick thoughts. Don’t let them bother you if it’s not your cup of tea lol. Have a good one - and my best wishes to the people of France.