The Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Research at the University of Winchester is pleased to sponsor The Middle Ages in Modern Games strand at the Middle Ages in the Modern World, 22 to 24 June 2027. While we will consider any papers relating to the Middle Ages in modern games, we are particularly interested in abstracts around the themes of ‘Abstraction’ and ‘Translation’.
Adaptation and Translation play an increasingly important role within medievalist games. Medieval texts and medievalist books and films have been adapted to produce a growing range of games with recent titles influenced by such diverse texts as Beowulf, Dante, Kingdom of Heaven and the Name of the Rose. Recent years have also seen a growing trend towards the translation of medievalist games into multiple languages, often introducing different perspectives of the period to new audiences. Modders and homebrew game designers have often taken the lead on both these developments, while translation and linguistic boundaries have appeared as a game mechanic in several medievalist games. Meanwhile, studies into medievalist games have continued to fall into distinct schools divided by language.
This strand addresses engagement with adaptation and translation within and around games. We invite papers of 20 minutes addressing any aspects of the medieval period or medievalism in any forms of digital or tabletop games, but we particularly welcome contributions which engage with ‘Adaptation’ and ‘Translation’ broadly defined.
Topics may include (but are not restricted to):
- Translation as game mechanic
- Adaptation of medievalist works to ludic format
- Game mods
- Translating medievalist games
- Scholarship across languages
- Roleplay
- Transposing games into different periods
- Global approaches to medievalist games
- Ludic medievalist influences beyond games
- Pedagogy through commercial games
- Medieval and ancient languages in games
- Cultural appropriation and reclamation
- Queering medievalist stories through play
We encourage submissions from medievalists or games and media scholars and professionals at any point in their career—Postgraduate Students, Early Career Researchers, Independent Scholars and members of any groups under-represented within the academy are particularly welcome.
The strand will be submitted to the Middle Ages in the Modern World, hosted in 2027 by Lincoln College Oxford and participation will be subject to the terms and conditions of this wider event. There is a preference for in-person participation.
Please send abstracts of no more than 300 words and brief biographies as Word Documents to midagesmodgames@gmail.com by Sunday 13 September.
