MA Student Morgan Pearce Speaks at Game Studies Conference
English M.A. student Morgan Pearce presents her research on "Writing History in Pentiment: Medieval Manuscripts, Historical Accuracy, and the Politics of Representation" at the , hosted this year by the Games Institute at the 免费福利资源在线看片 of Waterloo, March 3 through March 6, 2025.
The theme of the conference is "Adapt, Adopt, Adjust: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Adaptation, Storytelling, and Simulation" and Pearce's presentation will be on the final day of the conference, March 6 from 15:30 to 16:30 EST (13:30-24:30 MST). The conference is hybrid and .
Abstract
This paper examines how Pentiment (Obsidian Entertainment, 2023) uses medieval manuscript aesthetics and a complex system of fonts and visual cues to challenge conventional ideas of 鈥渉istorical accuracy鈥 in video games, particularly regarding the Middle Ages. By embedding the game within the pages of a manuscript, it highlights how history is selectively written, omitted, and rewritten to suit specific audiences. More than a stylistic choice, its approach to writing鈥攁nalyzed through medieval paleographic studies鈥攃onveys characters鈥 social status, education, and emotions, while also reinforcing the game鈥檚 broader critique of historical narratives.
Pentiment questions assumptions that portray the Middle Ages as a dystopian era of violence, oppression, and chaos, exposing how these tropes persist in media as politically neutral 鈥渇acts.鈥 As Esther Wright suggests, the game takes a deconstructionist approach to history, subverting entrenched notions of accuracy that privilege a white, cis-male, heteronormative perspective. By centering manuscript culture as a core mechanic, Pentiment reflects on how history is constructed鈥攚hat is recorded, erased, and shaped by power. Ultimately, the game prompts players to reconsider the foundations of historical storytelling.