The official Twitter account of Assassin’s Creed has come up with a question that is more philosophical than anything else. They just posted a single line—’Does living it in an AC game count?’—and then added #anemoia at the end. For those who are not familiar, anemoia is a very particular type of nostalgia… only that it refers to times or places that you have not experienced. For example, a person born in 2005 might suffer from nostalgia for the Roaring Twenties. More or less, the account is inquiring if that sense can be ascribed to us for walking around in a digital Renaissance Florence or Viking England.
It is a tough question, and immediately the gamers dove into the discussions with very passionate opinions. The whole matter is no more about game mechanics or graphics; it is about feeling. Can a virtual world where a hidden blade is worn make one feel more connected to the past? The range of the community’s response has been broad from yes to no, and one user even saying, ‘please fix the motion blur in Mirage.’
First, there are a large number of very vocal gamers who all say a definite YES. One user, (YooHoodY), has even mentioned John Koenig, the person who coined the term that covers the concept of ‘anemoia’ and which, in this case, YuHoodY has referred to in his Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. They said: “Anemoia is my number 1 favorite, I have that feeling nonstop, it’s nice to have a word for it. And yes, Living in an AC Game Counts”. That is quite a strong endorsement. It is like the games have just given the name to the peculiar and melancholic atmosphere that lingers after a long session.
Some other players referred to specific environments that were creating for them that very strong and almost tangible sense of place. For instance, one player said: “Origins. I have been playing it for a year or so that now I even feel I live in Egypt”. Another one talked about the freedom of movement in Unity: “I have been playing ACUnity recently and can’t explain how detailed the parkour is”. And, of course, Odyssey got its compliments too; one gamer said it would still be the best for them “Till I play Shadows.” There has even been some talk about the new locations and “Bagdad. Mirage 😍” and “Valhalla and Shadows” being called the future of the franchise.
On the opposite end of the argument stand a more… pragmatic approach. User Loki Jarson remarked on something that we tend to forget when we are enchanted by the buildings: “Everyone almost assuredly was very dirty at that time, so not quite the same.” Fair. The romanticized version of history has probably ignored the…, um, hygiene part. Another user, sydneysniper88, humorously teased: “Ohhh, so now you want to pretend that your games are representative of historical accuracy 🥴.” Touché.
When the discussion switched from pure nostalgia to the real effect that the experience had, it turned out to be even more interesting. One of the most honest and real comments came from Gro3_, who said, “the line between ‘digital experience’ and ‘actual experience that shapes you’ is thinner than people wanna admit. if an ac game made you feel something, it’s valid.” That’s a thought provoking idea. If the game can induce you to research the particular era, or just let you sit there and watch a digital sunset over the pyramids feeling totally awed, has it not done something real?
Of course, being a gaming community, the thread could not remain strictly philosophical. It quickly became a mini bug-report and request forum, more or less. Some of the replies, like those from Mr_Dave17 and ndyjku5jd, were simply asking for a motion blur fix in AC Mirage. And Ethanmckeegs21 had a very specific problem of not being able to interact with a hare in their hideout on the PS5. The transition from “deep philosophical questions” to “my virtual pet rabbit is broken” is the ultimate expression of gamer energy. Wait, what was I talking about?
Oh yes, the anemoia. It is pretty amazing how a mere tweet has led to this entire debate being opened up. For some, such games are the ultimate way to escape reality. For others, they are the closest thing to a time machine. One player, Assassin’s Creed Unlimited, even proclaimed, “This game has made me want to jump inside it.❤️” That is the ultimate wish, isn’t it? That level of immersion where you don’t just play a location, you inhabit it.
