‘Thinking Through’ Games in the Classroom: Using Discursive Game Design to Play and Engage with Historical Datasets

Discursive Game Design functions as a pedagogical framework that transforms the study of game history from a passive consumption of information into an active, practice-based inquiry. By tasking students with the iterative prototyping of card games based on historical datasets, this approach treats game designs as theoretical objects rather than final products. This methodology encourages students to engage in a quasi-conversational process that interrogates the politics of canonization, revealing how database structures and design choices inherently prioritize specific historical narratives while marginalizing others.

The core findings indicate that this method effectively fosters critical data literacy and historical reflexivity. As students manipulate historical data through game mechanics, they move away from traditional, competitive, winner-take-all models of history. Instead, they develop a more nuanced understanding of history as a genealogical process shaped by subjective, political, and platform-specific affordances. This shift in perspective allows learners to challenge the perceived neutrality of historical data, ultimately promoting more inclusive and collaborative interpretations of the medium’s development.

This pedagogical model is primarily situated within higher education settings, focusing on the intersection of game studies, historiography, and design. By emphasizing the "thinking through" process, the framework successfully mitigates the risks of simulation resignation, where students might otherwise accept historical representations as objective truths. Future applications of this approach aim to integrate digital prototyping tools and continuous modification cycles, further enhancing the capacity for students to engage with the complexities of cultural heritage and the subjective nature of the historical record.