First Author: 21CCGC WU Shuangfei

Conference Name: 2025 Digital Games Research Association

Title: History Reloaded: How Players Co-Create the Song Dynasty in Justice Mobile

Abstract: Digital games have redefined how historical texts are adapted, transforming static records into interactive narratives that resonate with modern players. This study focuses on how Justice Mobile (《逆水寒》, NetEase 2023) adapts historical records into gameplay narratives, using two missions—“Butterfly and Dust” (蝶与尘) and “Yunchuan Xueqing” (云川雪青) as case studies. These missions are based on documented cases from Song Hui Yao Ji Gao and The History of the Song Dynasty, providing distinct levels of historical detail that offer a foundation for examining the relationship between historical content and narrative adaptation. This study addresses two key questions: (1) What is the relationship between video game narratives and historical records? (2) How do players interpret and engage with these adaptations? To analyze these questions, this study employs Chapman’s (2016, 2019) narrative framework, focusing on the interplay between framing narratives and ludonarratives, and Fairclough’s (1992, 2013) Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to examine how these narratives shape and are shaped by player interaction. By combining these approaches, this study aims to demonstrate how Justice Mobile balances historical fidelity with creative storytelling, offering insights into the broader potential of video games for historical dissemination and engagement.

指导老师：Dr. Sam Mengqi LI