Computer game Battlefield 1, 2016

Battlefield 1 is the fifteenth game in the Battlefield series from Electronic Arts, and the numbering refers to the historical setting: the First World War. However, the game starts differently to its predecessors: In the prologue of Battlefield 1, it is impossible for players to let their characters survive – as soon as they are killed, their names and life data are displayed and the players are spawned into another character. This departure from the usual game mechanics can serve to sensitize players to the mass deaths in the First World War.

The rest of the game follows the usual game mechanism, in which a position can be repeated until successful. In multiplayer mode, players can operate or fight against numerous tanks from the First World War. In one of the six single-player campaigns, the focus is on the tank crew of a British Mark V. In “Through Mud and Blood”, players take on the role of an inexperienced tank driver. Over the course of the story, the crew fends off various attacks and ultimately takes part in the second battle for Cambrai in 1918. The central theme is the unreliability of the new tank technology, so the players often have to carry out repairs, and in one level the tank is completely unusable.

Computer games are increasingly becoming an important medium for history education and are shaping their players’ perception of the past. Battlefield 1 was released in the midst of years of heightened public awareness of the First World War, as it marked its 100th anniversary. One year after its release, it had over 21 million registered players across all platforms. Battlefield 1 was advertised as “Experience the full scale of war”. Players experience the story from the first-person perspective of the characters and the game design recreates the look of battlefields, uniforms and vehicles in great detail. Together with historical characters and battles as well as complex sound design, these details give many players the impression that this is a ‘realistic’ impression of war. As an entertainment medium, however, it is of course designed to be fun. Nevertheless, games in historical settings can offer insights into historical contexts and motivate players to take a closer look at them. Many of the multiplayer maps in Battlefield 1 depict First World War locations that are not set on the Western Front, which is the dominant front in our memories. For example, there are maps set in Gallipoli, on the Eastern Front or in Italy.

Object of the month

(short) stories from the depot

Unfortunately, many objects cannot currently be shown in the exhibition for conservation reasons. Here you will find unusual objects and exciting stories of special pieces from the depot