The subject of video games

I think it’s safe to say there is a familiarity with video games at this point. Since the launch of the Atari, Sega Genesis, and NES, video games have seen an explosion in interest. Now they seem like a part of everyday life. I’m sure everyone has tried at least some form of video game in their life, be it Pac-Man, Mario Kart, Candy Crush, or anything in between. Video games are extremely accessible, you can emulate games easily on your smartphone using apps from the Google Play Store. Even older and cheaper consoles are available readily online. I was able to get my hands on a custom Game Boy Advanced for $60.00. With that being said, can video games go beyond entertainment? Can video games be utilized as an instructive and informative tool, not just on the scale of history but on a wider one?

The thought process

Originally I was going to write this post about Ubisoft’s project on a simulation of the burning of Notre Dame. I was going to discuss whether or not it’s appropriate for events like that to be displayed in video games that are marketed for a profit. Then I remembered another more interesting, and more important video game project: The Uncensored Library. This project was released by Reporters Without Borders with the help of BlockWorks, DDB Berlin, and MediaMonks. So what exactly is it? It’s a Minecraft server that holds articles banned in countries with heavy censorship. Minecraft is a game that is accessible across the globe and using this platform the creators were able to store articles banned in other countries so people would have access to them. It’s a fight against heavy and restrictive censorship…through Minecraft. (Image credit: the Uncensored Library)

How does this work?

I’m sure there is a degree of familiarity with Minecraft. It’s a fun game based on blocks, sort of like digital lego. You can craft and build things in it, as the name suggests, and try to survive in a hostile, cartoony environment. There have been some incredibly impressive feats in Minecraft. Some have taken it upon themselves to rebuild Tolkien’s Middle Earth, others create huge statues, complicated mechanical builds, and pixelated artwork. One determined player even created a functioning, playable version of Pokemon Red in Minecraft. It’s a platform with a large amount of depth. Someone even figured out how to program a working cell phone and use it to facetime. It’s incredible the things users have come up with. By using it as a platform, Reporters Without Borders were able to create a breathtaking space that is accessible anywhere.

(Image credit: Minecraft Middle-earth)

What does this mean in terms of digital history?

In class, we have discussed the use of digitizing history as a means of giving historians access to materials across the globe. By doing so, historians no longer have a need to travel great distances in order to get their hands on information (at least in general, some things still haven’t been digitized). What this means for digital history is that it can take place on any platform, provided that platform can be altered to support it. Also, digital history is something beyond simulations, and platforms can be used in ways to bridge this kind of access. It also provides spaces for access to history and information otherwise unavailable. It’s like digital emancipation, giving access to information to those without it. This project is almost like a digital Library of Alexandria that can be traversed and explored in a digital space.  I think this is something historians should look at in terms of mediums of history storage and interaction. Not to mention the potential to use it as a teaching device. Minecraft already has an educational mode to teach kids about chemistry, why not use it as a means of displaying history? Or even giving countries with heavy censorship access to history that may be hidden from them.

Overall the project is ambitious, but it’s a creative one that caught me off-guard. I never expected Minecraft to be a platform that media oppressed nations could use to read information for themselves. At the same time, it’s a cautionary tale. I mean, a platform like Minecraft isn’t regulated. Granted, this server is regulated by the creators so there is control over what gets put in. Could video game platforms like Minecraft be used as an information-sharing platform? Is that dangerous in terms of spreading misinformation? I’m not entirely sure. What I am sure of, is that this project is important, it’s a symbol that humanity is resilient, despite the control oppressive governments try to impose.

For more information on the project, check out their official website: https://www.uncensoredlibrary.com/en