I have always loved history. Growing up in Serbia, a country where rich history defines our identity and pride, I was surrounded by stories of empires, wars, and cultural legacies. It was impossible not to be fascinated by the past. But as much as I loved history, I never imagined that video games would become my way of preserving it.
Like many others, I was drawn to games for the thrill of discovery—the ability to step into another world, another era. I played Assassin’s Creed, where running through Renaissance Italy or Ancient Egypt felt like walking through a digital museum. It was more than entertainment; it was a living, breathing history lesson. But the moment that truly changed everything for me was when I experienced Showdown Cinematic VR for the first time. That was when I realized this could be something much bigger.
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The First Idea: Bringing WWI Battles to Life
After that VR experience, a thought struck me: What if we could recreate historical battles in VR? Serbia played a major role in World War I, yet many of those battles are only remembered through books and old photographs. What if we could use VR and gaming technology to bring them closer to people, making history something they could experience, not just read about?
That idea stayed with me for months. And then, an opportunity came: I was tasked with creating a medieval city from the 15th century, using nothing but a drawing from a book as a reference. It was a challenge, but also a realization—this was the starting point of Pixels2Pixels’ journey into gamifying history and cultural heritage.
Walking Through a Painting: The Kovačica VR Project
One of the most surreal projects we worked on at Pixels2Pixels Studio was bringing paintings to life. Kovačica, a small Serbian town known for its Naïve art, is home to a unique painting style—one that tells the story of its Slovak heritage through vivid colors and simple yet powerful imagery. But Naïve art isn’t something you’d typically associate with digital technology.
And yet, VR changed that. Instead of just looking at these paintings, we asked: What if you could step inside them? We used Unreal Engine to turn these paintings into an explorable world. You could walk through a Kovačica village, meet the people from the artwork, and experience the traditions depicted on the canvas. It felt surreal, like time traveling through a brushstroke.
Painting by Ivana Svetlik “Kovacica a place where fairytales are painted”
Reviving Ruins: The Šabac Fortress Project
Not all history is kept in paintings—some of it is buried under centuries of decay. That’s what we found when we started working on the Šabac Fortress project. The medieval fortress once stood strong but is now mostly ruins, its history known only to scholars and a handful of locals.
Sabac Fortress 1493. Nuremberg Chronicle
With the help of game technology and historical records, we reconstructed it in VR, making it possible for people to explore the fortress as it once was. Instead of just imagining the battles fought there, users could walk the stone corridors, stand atop the walls, and even see a digital recreation of past events. It was a mix of gaming, storytelling, and education, all in one.
The Bigger Picture: Video Games as Historical Tools
Our projects are just a small part of a bigger movement. Around the world, game developers and historians are using game engines to breathe life into history. We see it in projects like:
- Ubisoft’s Discovery Tour, which turns Assassin’s Creed maps into educational tools for learning about ancient civilizations.
- Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, which beautifully blends history and mythology to give players a look into the past.
- VR museum exhibits, where users can walk through lost temples, ancient battlefields, or cities that no longer exist.
The potential is limitless. Imagine using VR to explore the lost Roman cities of Serbia, walking through the Imperial Palace in Sirmium, or even experiencing moments in history as they happened. The technology is here—we just need to use it.
Why This Matters
History is fragile. It fades, it crumbles, it gets rewritten. But video games and interactive technology offer something different: a way to make history feel real again. Instead of flipping through dusty textbooks or staring at static exhibits, we can experience history firsthand. We can walk through it, engage with it, and, most importantly, preserve it for the future.
For me, this journey started with playing games. Now, it’s about creating them in a way that leaves something behind—a digital monument to the past, built with the tools of the future.
And I can’t think of a better way to tell a story than that.
Preserving History Through Play: How Video Games Bring the Past to Life
We’ve all had that moment in a video game—the one where the world feels so real that you forget you’re holding a controller. Maybe it was scaling the pyramids in Assassin’s Creed: Origins, exploring the Viking world in Valhalla, or stepping into the eerie, historical landscapes of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. These aren’t just games; they’re digital time machines, giving us a glimpse into the lives, struggles, and triumphs of those who came before us.
For me, that realization hit hardest the first time I played Showdown Cinematic VR. The immersive experience made a game feel alive in a way I’d never felt before. It was more than just watching—it was being there. And that’s when the idea took hold: What if we could use this technology to preserve history, not just tell it?
From a Passion for Play to a Mission for Preservation
Growing up in Serbia, history was everywhere. It’s woven into our identity, our culture, our pride. Stories of empires, wars, and legacies surrounded me, but they mostly lived in books, museums, and the memories of older generations. I never imagined that video games would become my way of keeping those stories alive.
But the more I played, the more I saw the potential. Video games weren’t just entertainment—they were powerful storytelling tools. They allowed people to experience history, not just read about it. And that’s what set me on this path.
Walking Through History: How Pixels2Pixels is Bringing the Past to Life
Recreating WWI Battles in VR
Serbia played a major role in World War I, yet much of that history is only remembered through textbooks and black-and-white photographs. What if people could step into those battles instead of just reading about them? What if they could see what it was like to stand in the trenches, hear the sounds of war, and witness the struggles of soldiers firsthand?
That question led me to explore historical VR projects, combining historical accuracy with interactive storytelling. And soon, I found myself working on something even more surreal.
Walking Through a Painting: The Kovačica VR Project
Kovačica, a small town in Serbia, is famous for its Naïve art—a painting style that captures the Slovak heritage of its people in vivid colors and powerful simplicity. But art, like history, often stays trapped in frames and galleries.
So we asked: What if you could step into the painting?
Using Unreal Engine, we turned Kovačica’s paintings into a living world. Players could walk through a digital recreation of a Slovak village, meet the people depicted in the artwork, and experience their traditions in a way that was both interactive and deeply personal. It was like time traveling through a brushstroke.
Reviving Ruins: The Šabac Fortress Project
Not all history is kept in paintings—some of it is buried beneath centuries of decay. That’s what we found when working on the Šabac Fortress project. Once a mighty stronghold, the medieval fortress had crumbled into ruins, its history known only to scholars and a few locals.
But with game technology, we could restore it. By using historical records, we reconstructed the fortress in VR, allowing people to explore it as it once stood. Visitors could walk the stone corridors, stand atop the walls, and even witness historical events through digital reimaginings. Instead of just imagining the past, they could live it.
How Do You Best Experience History?
These projects are just a small part of a much bigger movement. Developers around the world are using game technology to bridge the gap between past and present:
- Assassin’s Creed: Discovery Tour turns massive game worlds into interactive history lessons.
- Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice brings ancient mythology and history to life through immersive storytelling.
- VR museum exhibits let users explore lost cities, ancient battlefields, and civilizations long gone.
But this raises an important question: What is the best way to experience history? Should it be passive—something we read or watch? Or should it be active—something we engage with?
And more importantly—how do you preserve your own history?
Why This Matters
History is fragile. It fades, it crumbles, it gets rewritten. But video games and interactive technology offer something different: a way to make history feel real again.
Instead of flipping through dusty textbooks or staring at static exhibits, we can walk through history. We can engage with it. And in doing so, we can ensure it isn’t lost.
For me, this journey started with playing games. Now, it’s about creating them—turning history into an experience that lives on, long after the last book is closed.
And maybe, just maybe, it will inspire others to do the same.
