Supported by
The support of the Scottish Funding Council is vital to our work to inspire and share knowledge with audiences, local communities, and future generations.
Playing the nation: Identity, culture, and power in video games
When
Friday 11 September 2026
18:00 - 19:30
Where
The Royal Society of Edinburgh
22-26 George St, Edinburgh EH2 2PQ
View directions on Google Maps
Format
Hybrid
Access
Hearing loop, Wheelchair access, Wheelchair accessible toilets
Age
Suitable for ages 16+
Cost
Free to book
About this event
How is national identity encoded into video games played all around the world?
Join the Historical Games Network as they explore how video games construct, negotiate, and contest national identity across production, representation and play. From historically grounded titles to globally distributed franchises, games often bring in specific narratives of nationhood, cultural memory, and belonging, all while navigating a global market.
During this talk, you can expect to hear how national identity is encoded through setting, character, language, and mechanics, and how players interpret or resist these framings in diverse contexts. We’ll dive into tensions between authenticity and commercialisation, the role of satire and critique, and the ways in which games participate in broader cultural and political discourses.
By bringing together perspectives from game studies, media studies, and cultural history, you’ll be joining a critical space to reflect on how interactive media shapes, and is shaped by, evolving understandings of ‘the nation’ in a globalised industry.
After the talk, there will be a Q&A with the chance to ask your questions to the panel.
Note for attendees: Possible discussion of sensitive and traumatic historical topics might come up in the discussion (war and conflict, civilian harms) and particular historical events – e.g., The Holocaust; examples of historical genocide and contemporary conflicts (e.g., Ukraine)
In collaboration with
The Historical Games Network brings together academics, game makers and other cultural workers to explore the relationship between history and games of all kinds.
Event type
Curious
Talk
Contributors
Maria O’Brien
Lecturer, University of GalwaySPEAKER
Dr Maria O’Brien is a lecturer in taxation in University of Galway. Having worked as a lawyer in Dublin and London for 10 years, she then undertook graduate study in the field of taxation and creative industries policy. Her monograph on tax incentives for film and games was published by Palgrave in 2025.
Malath Abbas
Director, Biome CollectiveSPEAKER
Malath Abbas is a creative producer, game designer and Director of Biome Collective, a games and creative technology studio based in Dundee. His work explores games as cultural and artistic practice, spanning public art, immersive experiences and socially engaged play. He has led projects across heritage, health, climate justice and civic participation, and is particularly interested in how games shape identity, memory and collective experience. Malath also serves on the board of Creative Scotland and regularly collaborates with cultural organisations, researchers and communities to develop experimental and public-facing work.
Alison Stevenson
Director of Collections, Access and Research, National Library of ScotlandSPEAKER
Alison Stevenson is Director of Collections, Access and Research at the National Library of Scotland. In this role she leads teams to develop, protect and share the 61 million items in the national collections widely and to a diverse range of users, for learning, research and enjoyment
Geoffrey Belknap
Keeper of Science at Technology, National Museums ScotlandSPEAKER
Dr Geoffrey Belknap is Keeper of Science at Technology at National Museums Scotland. He is a historian of photography, science and visual culture in the 19th century and a museum professional with particular interests in participatory practice and digital humanities. He led the Game On exhibition at National Museums Scotland in 2024 and is currently developing a framework for collecting video game heritage in Scotland.
Ian Donald
Lecturer, Edinburgh Napier UniversityCHAIR
Dr Iain Donald is a lecturer in Design and User Experience at Edinburgh Napier University. His research examines the intersection of games, digital media and history with a focus on commemoration and memorialisation. Using game design and technology to explore collective and communal memory in communities and virtual worlds. Iain is also co-convenor of the Historical Games Network.
Contact us
If you have an event enquiry, please email us on public_engagement@theRSE.org.uk.Event testimonial
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What is Curious?
Curious is the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s (RSE) free festival that celebrates the research, ideas and knowledge shaping society today.
Each year, Curious brings a packed programme of free in-person and online events covering themes from the arts, humanities, policy, science and more. To date, we’ve welcomed over 10,000 attendees for talks, workshops, exhibitions and discussions where you can learn from and speak with Scotland’s leading thinkers. As part of the RSE’s mission to make knowledge useful and accessible for everyone, Curious is open to anyone who wants to learn more about the world around them. No specialist knowledge is needed, just bring your curiosity.
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