“I teach university students, and, my God, they don’t read.” Civilization VII promises to appeal to longtime fans while also becoming a crucial tool for engaging young players, says Dr. Andrew Johnson, Firaxis’ lead historian.

Video games may not teach history in a traditional sense, but they can provide an engaging gateway into the past or serve as an auxiliary tool for teachers. Dr. Andrew Johnson, a senior historian at Firaxis, believes that the Civilization series has long sparked historical curiosity among players. With the release of Civilization 7, nine years after the last installment, Johnson hopes it will inspire even more young people to explore history, particularly as the younger generation’s interest in the past continues to wane.

As a professor at Stockholm University, Johnson hopes the game will encourage players to delve deeper into historical topics through books and other sources. “It’s not a textbook, but it can be a ‘gateway drug’ to explore historical themes that might otherwise be ignored,” he explained in a recent interview.

One standout feature of the Civilization series is its imaginative use of historical leaders, allowing for creative combinations such as Machiavelli leading ancient China. According to Johnson, this is a deliberate choice to spark curiosity among players about figures like Machiavelli, while also introducing lesser-known leaders such as Amina, Queen of Zazzau, and offering insight into nuanced historical contexts like the differences between the Ming and Han dynasties.

Civilization as a Gateway to Complex History

While the foundation of Civilization has remained consistent, the seventh installment aims to address historical challenges with a more nuanced perspective. For example, Johnson noted the effort to portray overlapping borders in Southeast Asia, which historically were more fluid and complex than depicted in the game. The game’s built-in encyclopedia, Civilopedia, complements this approach by encouraging players to learn more about various cultures.

Johnson also highlighted the challenges of engaging young audiences today. “In my other life, I teach college students, and, my God, they don’t read,” he told PC Gamer in an extensive interview. One of the most compelling aspects of Civilization is its attempt to move beyond Eurocentrism. “When today’s history buffs pick a game, it’s often saturated with European history, sometimes East Asian history, but they don’t look beyond that,” Johnson noted. “I wanted to challenge stereotypes of passive, mystical ‘others’ versus active, dynamic Europe.”

Through trade routes in the Indian Ocean, caravans crossing the Sahara, and the Pax Mongolica, players can explore a rich historical narrative where non-European powers played pivotal roles in shaping the world. “I just want people to appreciate how strange and diverse the world is. Understanding how different the past was—or how different other places can be—can change your perspective on daily life. It opens up new possibilities,” Johnson concluded.

Source: 3DJuegos