Byzantine history is gaining more exposure in the realm of video games. Civilization VII, with its new civ switching mechanic, will most certainly have the Byzantine Empire as a choice in the game. Yet, this inclusion of the Byzantines still regards civilization as the secondary presence. They are still in the shadow of Rome. In Latin Europe and Abbasid Caliphate, the Byzantines were seen as an Empire of great wealth and influence, a continuation of Rome. Even with the cooling of relations between the Latins and the Orthodox in the 12th century, they were still held in high esteem and seen as fellow Christians.

A Byzantine game where the Byzantines are the subject of a game still hasn’t really been made by any video game company in this industry; however, I believe we are entering a time where new ideas are going to start being embraced, especially in an industry which has become so stagnant and lacking in innovation.

Beyond the City Builder Game

I made a post about a Byzantine city builder a couple months ago and it is an idea that would give more life into the city building genre, freeing it from the constraints of having to focus on Ancient Rome as the only reference. However, there is a need for Byzantium as a civilization to be given some more respect. A city builder isn’t enough; it is too niche. While these are entertaining and engaging games, city builders are unable to give us the truly intimate inspections of other eras of human civilization. he The game genre that would truly make Byzantium stand out in a video game would be an RPG game. Such a game would be on the scale of the Elder Scrolls games, and I think it would be a great way to introduce this age to more people.

Historical RPGS have been done before, such as the exemplary Kingdom Come Deliverance, which is also due to have a sequel. Warhorse, the studio which made these games, is a Czech company that has brought the life of 15^th Century Bohemia to life and shows its culture and issues. There are many quests in the game that are slices of life in Bohemia, providing insights into a period of history and area of Europe that is hardly ever really covered by pop culture or historians on YouTube or other area of cyberspace. I believe that it would great to see game in the style of Kingdom Come: Deliverance but in the era of the Byzantine Empire.

What era should it be set in?

A hypothetical RPG should be set in the era of the Macedonian Emperors. Justinian’s reign is also another worthy candidate in my opinion, but I believe that it is too well-known and will probably get stuck in tropes that we see with Ancient Rome. The Macedonians are well known enough but obscure enough that I think having them in a video game would be profitable but also bring some new ideas into the historical video game space, which always seems to focus on either Arthurian style fantasy or an amalgamation of cliché stories that come from multiple sources in Victorian and Early 20^th century novels.

The Byzantine era, especially showing the Macedonian aesthetic would be a great way to showcase the beauty of that age. Paradox Interactive, with the release of their new expansion for the strategy game, Crusader Kings III, has also shown this aesthetic. In the journals which are showing how the game is made, the video game makers explained their process of making the religious imagery in the game. They even made new paintings that show Christ that had its inspiration from historical art that was prominent in that era. It is very successful attempt and shows a respect for history and tradition.

I believe that the Macedonian era is the right era for a Byzantine RPG to be set in. It would make the game have a more interesting aesthetic and also be unfamiliar enough to be original enough so that players don’t feel fatigue when approaching the game.

How much money should be spent on it?

Any game that is going to replicate reality according to the specific sociopolitical circumstances of any era is going to probably be a AAA or AA in the size of its budget in comparison to other games. I don’t believe that an independent video game studio can really take on this historical era without there being some cuts in the artistic vision what the game could be. In this sense, a video game set in this unfamiliar setting is going to require some outside help and greater attention to the historical aspects in it to get the game to have some standing among video gamers.

Will any company actually care to construct the game?

While it seems unlikely now, it would be great to see a studio to take up this, not as well-known historical era. Black Myth Wukong show by Game Science shows that there is a possibility of previously unseen eras being brought to the computer screen. Chinese Mythology has much support and funding in China through various mediums. Surely, we can probably have something akin to that to make Byzantine-oriented video games. It’s a tall order, but with the rise of independent game studios, it is possible to have a new era of games that give us a view into other eras of human endeavors and civilization.