Source Material and the Problem of Authenticity in Historical Game Development.

This article examines the challenge of authenticity in the development of historical digital games, focusing on the divergent goals of academic historians—who seek rigorous, interpretive historical accounts—and game developers—who prioritize engaging gameplay often framed by commercial pressures. Drawing on their experience as academic historians leading the indie game Strange Sickness, the authors argue that embracing the contingent, authored nature of historical interpretation can bridge this gap, offering a form of authenticity appealing to players while reflecting modern historical practice. They discuss how Strange Sickness integrates historical sources through narrative-driven interactive fiction, an independent aesthetic, and transparent paratexts, contrasting this with common industry approaches that often present history as fixed fact without source referencing. The article highlights that foregrounding the historian's role and the interpretive process in game design can foster player engagement with history as a dynamic, evidence-based practice rather than a static recreation of the past.