This talk with situate commercial historical board wargames within the context of colonialism. The talk will explore the means through which postcolonial perspectives are being achieved through contemporary designs, what can be gained from these perspectives, and why they are likely here to stay. The talk will also explore the origins of the postcoloniality in wargames.
Maurice Suckling has spent over 25 years writing for video games, including Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, Killing Floor 2, and Civilization VI. He now designs commercial historical board wargames, including the 2021 Charles S. Roberts Award-winning Chancellorsville: 1863. He holds a PhD in Creative Writing and an M.A. in Global History. He is an Assistant Professor in the Games and Simulation Arts and Sciences program at RPI in Upstate New York, where he teaches and researches on games writing and historical simulations.