Video Games That Teach History: What the Research Says and What to Play

Published · By Alehundred Studios

Video games that teach history work best when they let you explore a carefully researched world and then think about what you saw, and the research backs them up: in a University of Montreal study of Assassin's Creed Origins' Discovery Tour, students who learned from the game improved their knowledge by 44%, close to the 51% gain of students taught by a teacher. Below is what the studies actually show, which video games teach history best, the history games for adults worth your time, and how to get real knowledge out of every session.

Can video games really teach you history?

Yes. Video games can teach real history, especially names, places, daily life and the feel of an era, and they teach even more when you talk about them or read further afterward.

Most people already believe it. In the Entertainment Software Association's 2026 Essential Facts survey, 74% of American adults agreed that video games "Can be educational."

Historians are taking games seriously too. Researchers from Macquarie University and Deakin University argue in Game Studies that historical games are a form of public history, the kind of history people meet outside school, in museums, films and books. Their starting point is simple: "Videogames are a common way that members of the general public engage with historical material." They add that "a game typically takes longer to play than a film does to watch, a museum to visit or a book to read," which means a game can keep you inside a period for dozens of hours.

What does the research say about learning history with video games?

The research says games teach facts almost as well as a short lesson, and that they teach best when someone guides the discussion afterward.

The Discovery Tour study. Variety reported on a study by University of Montreal professor Marc-André Éthier, presented with Ubisoft historian Maxime Durand at the Games for Change Festival. Éthier split 40 students into two groups: 20 played a Discovery Tour on one topic and the other 20 received a 12-minute lecture on the same topic from a teacher. The result: "those instructed by the game saw a 44% improvement of their knowledge and those lectured by a teacher saw a 51% improvement." Éthier also said he thinks the tour "could be more effective when used in conjunction with a teacher, rather than on its own."

Durand summed up the first results in an interview with Ubisoft Montreal: "When you compare the results of students in a traditional classroom with those of students who did a Discovery Tour, the outcome is practically identical, even though the DT students didn't have a teacher helping them." He was clear about the role of people: "In my opinion, games could never replace human beings."

Commercial games in a history class. A study in Frontiers in Psychology by Marco Rüth and Kai Kaspar of the University of Cologne brought a regular commercial game, Valiant Hearts: The Great War, into a 12th-grade advanced history course with 17 students. After playing, the class discussed the game. Students argued the game belonged in history lessons because it "shows different viewpoints, provides topic-related information," and they also spotted its limits, describing some events as "partially imprecise or simplified." That critical eye is the point. The authors concluded: "Overall, our findings illustrate the educational value of using commercial video games as objects of reflection."

The same paper points to a wider pattern from earlier meta-analyses: "teacher-provided forms of guidance had the largest effect on students' learning outcomes in digital game-based contexts." In plain words, playing teaches, and playing plus talking teaches more.

What kinds of history do video games teach best?

Video games teach best the history you can walk through: landscapes, cities, objects, daily routines and the human side of big events.

The Game Studies researchers describe three ways games do this:

Historian Ylva Grufstedt, introducing the field of historical game studies in the Lund University journal Scandia, adds that players are not passive: "players actively interpret and renegotiate the historical content." She also notes that "Practices such as modding, streaming, and participating in online forums show that players constitute active co-creators of historical narratives."

Strategy games teach a different skill: cause and effect. Grufstedt points out that games use counterfactual scenarios "to test alternative historical developments," which makes you ask why things really happened the way they did.

What are the best video games that teach history?

The best video games that teach history mix a researched setting with room to explore. These are the strongest picks.

  1. Assassin's Creed Discovery Tour. Ubisoft's Discovery Tour series lets players "explore Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt, the Viking Age, Medieval Baghdad and AlUla, in Saudi Arabia, to learn more about their history and daily life." In the games, players "can embark on guided tours and stories curated by historians and experts," and Ubisoft says it has "partnered with McGill university, Technology Learning & Cognition Lab to create curriculum guides for Discovery Tour!" There is "no combat nor violence of any kind in the Discovery Tours."
  2. Valiant Hearts: The Great War. The World War I adventure studied in both the Frontiers and Game Studies papers. Its Steam page says it revisits "historical battles on the Western Front, such as the Battle of the Marne or the Battle of the Somme!"
  3. Crusader Kings III. Medieval politics as a family saga. Crusader Kings III lets you "expand your dynasty through a meticulously researched Middle Ages" and "Begin in 867, 1066 or 1178."
  4. Sid Meier's Civilization VII. The classic way to learn the sweep of world history. In Civilization VII you "Rule as legendary leaders from throughout history" across the Antiquity, Exploration and Modern Ages.
  5. Through the Darkest of Times. A sobering strategy game about ordinary Berliners resisting the Nazi regime. Its Steam page describes "a historical resistance strategy game, focusing on conveying the somber mood of the period and the very real struggles of average people living in the 3rd Reich."

Are there good history games for adults?

Yes. Many of the most thoughtful history games are made with adults in mind, from grand strategy to mature narrative games.

Adults are also the core audience. The ESA's full 2026 report says the average American video game player is 37 years old.

How can you learn more history from a video game?

You learn more when you play with a question in mind and finish with a conversation or a bit of reading.

  1. Pick one period you are curious about. Interest keeps you playing, and playing keeps you learning.
  2. Use the guided content. Tours, codex entries and in-game signs are where the researched facts live.
  3. Notice what feels invented. The Frontiers students did this naturally when they called some events "partially imprecise or simplified."
  4. Talk about it. The research is consistent that guidance and discussion boost learning, so play with friends and compare what you each found.
  5. Read one real source afterward. A museum page or encyclopedia entry on the place you just explored turns a memory into knowledge.

Where does Coins Catcher: Co-op Lands fit?

Coins Catcher: Co-op Lands brings bite-sized history into an online co-op 3D platformer for up to 8 players. You stand about 10 cm (4 inches) tall and travel through magic portals into giant dioramas of seven real historical eras: Italy 1956 (Riomaggiore), Wild West 1885, Caribbean 1704 (Hispaniola), Kyoto 1503, York 1062, Hatra 201 AD and Alexandria 300 BC.

Each diorama has 8 signs with real historical curiosities, 56 in total, written like a tour guide for adventurers, so you pick up facts about each place while you play. The rest is friendly chaos: collect themed coins with friends, spend them on talents, defeat the enemies and the giant beast of each era, and when the group gathers 100 coins, race up the era's tower for the Magic Gem that opens the next era. Voice chat is on for everyone, and PC, mobile and VR players join the same match. It is in Early Access on Steam, open to suggestions from the community.

FAQ

What video games teach you history?

The Assassin's Creed Discovery Tour series, Valiant Hearts: The Great War, Crusader Kings III, Civilization VII and Through the Darkest of Times are strong picks. They combine researched settings with guided content or historical events you can explore.

Can you learn history from Assassin's Creed?

Yes, especially from its Discovery Tour mode. In a University of Montreal study, students who used the Discovery Tour improved their knowledge by 44%, compared with 51% for students taught by a teacher.

Are video games about history accurate?

They are accurate in many details and simplified in others. Students in a Frontiers in Psychology study praised Valiant Hearts for showing different viewpoints and also called some events partially imprecise or simplified, which is a healthy way to play any history game.

What are good history games for adults?

Crusader Kings III for medieval intrigue, Civilization VII for the sweep of world history, Through the Darkest of Times for life under the Nazi regime, and the Discovery Tour for peaceful exploration of ancient worlds.

Are video games educational?

Many are. According to the ESA's 2026 Essential Facts survey, 74% of American adults agree that video games can be educational, and research shows learning grows when play is followed by discussion.

Sources

  1. Crecente B. Teachers Still More Effective at Educating Than 'Assassin's Creed'. Variety, 2018.
  2. Ubisoft Montréal. Discovery Tour Ancient Greece: a behind the scene look with Maxime Durand. Ubisoft Montréal, 2019.
  3. Ubisoft. Assassin's Creed Discovery Tour. Ubisoft, 2026.
  4. Rüth M, Kaspar K. Commercial Video Games in School Teaching: Two Mixed Methods Case Studies on Students' Reflection Processes. Frontiers in Psychology, 11:594013, 2021.
  5. Hartman A, Tulloch R, Young H. Video Games as Public History: Archives, Empathy and Affinity. Game Studies, 21(4), 2021.
  6. Grufstedt Y. Scandia introduces: Historical game studies. History in, with, and of (digital) games. Scandia, 91(2), 2025.
  7. Entertainment Software Association. 2026 Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry. ESA, 2026. Full report (PDF).
  8. Ubisoft Montpellier. Valiant Hearts: The Great War. Steam store page.
  9. Paradox Development Studio. Crusader Kings III. Steam store page.
  10. Firaxis Games. Sid Meier's Civilization VII. Steam store page.
  11. Paintbucket Games. Through the Darkest of Times. Steam store page.