Public history

Cracking the code of videogame history: perspectives on videogame preservation and researching the medium's history

17 November 2022 bis 18 November 2022

Cracking the code of videogame history: perspectives on videogame preservation and researching the medium's history
Lecture by Dany Guay-Bélanger Université de Montréal, Canada

Scholars from across disciplinary boundaries have attempted to crack the code of videogame history and preservation for the last decade. Yet, much of what is published on these topics is still dominated by journalistic accounts. As such, game scholars and historians should build bridges and collaborate. This presentation will give an overview of videogame history and preservation, the field game studies, and an oral history methodology tailored specifically to videogames. 

The following day, our guest speaker will conduct a workshop to provide a hands-on demonstration of the research methodology illustrated by his talk.

The workshop will involve testing a set of videogames for historical research and archival purposes. Some of these games may involve difficult moral choices or display outdated stereotypical representations and content that could be regarded as offensive or distressing by some audiences.

Dany Guay-Bélanger is a PhD candidate in Game Studies at the Université de Montréal and holds a master’s degree in Public History from Carleton University. His research aims to develop a holistic approach for the preservation and study of videogames as cultural heritage artefacts in order to allow players and researchers, present and future, to access games from every eras of this medium’s history. Dany also interned and was the Garth Wilson Fellow at the Canada Science and Technology Museum. He is currently the Francophone Representative of the Canadian Game Studies Association and the Video Game Observation and Documentation University Lab Coordinator (LUDOV).

 

LECTURE:

Thursday, 17 November 2022

17.00 – 18.15

Maison du Savoir, Auditoire 3.040, Belval Campus

and online (please contact vanessa.napolitano@uni.lu to receive the link)

 

The lecture will be followed by a reception.

 

WORKSHOP:

Friday, 18 November 2022

15.00-18.00

Maison des Sciences Humaines, Floor 1, Room 2.0 GIS - GIS – 060

Belval Campus

Limited places: max 16 people, first come, first served.

 

Please confirm your participation before 10 November 2022 at vanessa.napolitano@uni.lu