The First World War in Computer Games

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xvi

   PDF

2. Introduction: Opening Up a Digital Front

   • Chris Kempshall

   Pages 1-16

3. ‘You Provide the Pixels and I’ll Provide the War’ — Computer Games, Cinema and Narrative

   • Chris Kempshall

   Pages 17-38

4. ‘Good God, Did We Really Send Players to Fight in That?’ — Landscape and Chronology in First World War Games

   • Chris Kempshall

   Pages 39-57

5. ‘It Takes 15,000 Casualties to Train a Player General’ — Combat in First World War Games

   • Chris Kempshall

   Pages 58-81

6. ‘They Will Not Be Able To Make Us Play It Again Another Day’ — The End in First World War Games

   • Chris Kempshall

   Pages 82-95

7. Conclusion: … To End All War Games

   • Chris Kempshall

   Pages 96-104

8. Back Matter

   Pages 105-118

   PDF

The First World War in Computer Games analyses the depiction of combat, the landscape of the trenches, and concepts of how the war ended through computer games. This book explores how computer games are at the forefront of new representations of the First World War.

• Computer games
• First World War
• players
• trenches
• WW1
• World War One
• chronology
• cinema
• computer
• computer games
• concept
• god
• landscape
• play

“The First World War in Computer Games is an important contribution to a relatively new field of study in the cultural memory of the conflict. … Its interdisciplinary nature means it is useful for those from varying disciplinary backgrounds and is definitely worth consulting. Overall, the book begins an interesting discussion on contemporary representations of the war and shows the need for further research on the topic, especially in the realm of reception studies.” (Amanda Phipps, Cultural History, Vol. 5 (1), 2016) 

“This book is written in an accessible style, equally suitable for undergraduate to postgraduate level. I can see computer gamers interested in the First World War finding the text of interest. I enjoyed reading the work, and it has inspired me to consider how other periods of history have also been represented. This book has examined the contribution of computer games thoroughly and so contributes to the wider literature about the war.” (John Curry, Bath Spa University, Bath, UK)

• University of Sussex, UK

  Chris Kempshall

Chris Kempshall is Associate Tutor at the University of Sussex and Associate Lecturer for the University of Kent, UK, specialising in allied relations on the Western Front and modern representations of the war. He is also on the Academic Advisory Board for the Imperial War Museum's digital centenary projects.

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