Status: In preparation
Expected publication: Winter 2026/2027
Authors: Hanjun Shi
Abstract
This chapter aims to reference previous studies on the temporality within games and analyse both the kairotic and the chronologic temporalities within historical games. It will show that historical games have the potential to compress and simulate the large scale of time into a playable, interactive experience for players. Three historical games will serve as examples in a case study to support the argument: Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, Civilisation VI , and Pentiment. This chapter will also collect useful research materials and online resources as an appendix for scholars who are interested in temporality and time compression in historical games to reference.
Keywords: temporality, historical games, historical reception, kairotic, chronologic
Hanjun Shi
is a PhD student at the University of the Arts London, specialising in the study of classical and medieval receptions in digital games, especially in the game Genshin Impact. Previously, they presented several research papers on Pentiment and Genshin Impact during the 2024 and 2026 DiGRA Conferences, the Gacha Con conference, and the Classical Association Conference in 2026.