Video game developers have the freedom to create their work as historically accurate as possible. They can base locations or events from history and make them work to fit the game’s narrative. One video game that has come up regarding historical accuracy is Assassin’s Creed. But there was one article that has medieval historians questioning the credibility of the author’s views when it comes to Assassin’s Creed in the middle ages.
The Assassin’s Creed in The Middle Ages Article
Assassin’s Creed is known to have some historical semblance in its series. For example, some historical figures and locations were featured in the franchise. And it was discussed in a now-deleted article in Medievalists. There, the author discussed certain events in the game and compared them to history, and cited some works that may or may not fully represent Medieval history.
That said, medieval historians called out Medievalists for publishing the article, since the writer’s views seem to lean on far-right perspectives, white supremacy, and Islamophobia. After the backlash Medievalists received, they took down the article.
Peter from Medievalists has said that they will no longer publish the article and won’t have the author continue with his column. And he promises to vet contributors in the future.
Twitter Responses About The Assassin’s Creed in The Middle Ages Article
Medieval history Twitter was vocal over the published contribution to the Medievalist. One of them was Ludohistory, who created a thread regarding the article. He further elaborated his stance on Twitch.
He argues that the writer seemed to have views of Islamophobia, considering how they wrote about Saladin– a character in the Assassin’s Creed series. In addition, it appears as though the writer may have praised or lifted up certain white figures but criticized Saladin.
And as his stream continued, Ludohistory encouraged his viewers to read books and scholarly journals from historians, one of them being Andrew Elliott. Elliott wrote the book, Medievalism, Politics, and Mass Media: Appropriating Middle Ages in the Twenty-First Century. Another book he recommended was by Amy Kaufman and Paul Sturtevant was The Devil’s Historians.
Twitter user women_1000 has also weighed in on the article. Once she read the phrase “relatively accurate”, she states that the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is not accurate at all. Plus, she has also touched on the subject of religion and the Vikings, the character of Eivor, and Alfred the Great. You can read the Twitter threads here:
Another prominent voice in Medieval history Twitter was Dr. MRO (ISASaxonists). Aside from agreeing with ludohistory and women_1000, she has also called out that it wasn’t the first time the Medievalists had published an article with alt-right views. And she had questioned the vetting process for articles published on the site and the people Medievalists follow on Twitter.
Should Games Be Historically Accurate?
In that light, should game developers ensure that history should be depicted accurately? Most would say no. Ludohistory shares in his Twitch stream that video game developers or companies get a construct from different places and other elements like “musical, aesthetic, and narrative tropes and modern storytelling techniques.”
In one survey conducted by The Conversation, 58% of their respondents have said they would prefer a historically accurate video game or reduce any historical change. That’s where historians can come in and consult for these video game developers or companies. But as The Conversation also pointed out, these video game developers should draw a line between catering to the players’ desire to have a historically accurate video game and adding fabricated elements.
How accurate is Assassin’s Creed?
One thing’s for sure: Ubisoft has done their homework by bringing historians to their research team. For Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, they brought in Thierry Noël to the team. For Odyssey, it was Dr. Stéphanie-Anne Ruatta. Whereas for Assassins’ Creed Origins, it was Evelyne Ferron.
Of course, Ubisoft has creative liberties with several elements in the game. But they ensure several historical figures, events, and places are accurate while putting their own spin on storytelling.
And if you want to know more about the history and its accuracy in Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, you can read this Ask Me Anything hosted by historians.
