ABSTRACT
Digital games have substantial potential as tools for interacting with the medieval world and these developments may allow more expression of the role of medieval monarchs, not only as rulers of kingdoms, but as crusader kings too. This focus on the crusades provides substantial potential for a deep consideration of the events which could cement a stronger understanding of the period and challenge the misuse of the crusades in the modern world for political means. But, as tends to be the case with games across genres, Grand Strategy Games typically fall short in their representations of the crusades. Grand Strategy Games – which cast the player as the ruler of a kingdom or other medieval polity – vary substantially in their scope, detail and focus but almost invariably equate ‘medieval’ with ‘crusader’. Participants in crusades may earn ‘Crusader Bloodlines’ which provide a range of bonuses to the character and their descendants.
