Beginning with my first public writing on historical games in history education, I adopted the term "defensible models" (I don't think I called it models in 2010, but that came). This is a VERY VERY off-the-top-of-my-head rough and unpolished draft exploring defensible models of a game's historical (and agential) problem spaces as an effective criterion instead of "historical accuracy".

I have entered in orange the areas to develop thanks to commenters -- haven't had time to revise anything yet. Since pulling defensible models out of my books and articles and laying it out seems to be helpful, I will pick at this. If enough of you (the most vocal 🙂 ) wish, get it into article state at some point. Otherwise I'll just let it sit on Gamingthepast.

In short, constructive criticism most welcome! Even just impressions. Unless they're just mean. Who needs that?

https://gamingthepast.net/2026/03/23/considering-the-evidence-based-validity-of-a-historical-game-defensible-models-and-why-we-should-care/

BTW friends interested in historical game mechanics & how historical games present history (an important area in Historical Game Studies), Gaming the Past 1st Edition (2011) & Gaming the Past 2nd Edition, definitely Historical Game Studies books even though the primary audience is educators. https://www.routledge.com/Gaming-the-Past-Using-Video-Games-to-Teach-Secondary-History/McCall/p/book/9781032223483

Is it shameless self-promotion when you point our your own works because they are seemingly unique, people seem to find them helpful, and few are aware of them? Gosh I hope not (truly). Makes me nervous each time I post a post like the last one. 😱
Just in case you forgot I have impostor syndrome too

Hi! Some know I use phrase/standard "Does this historical game have defensible models about the past?" with the Historical Problem Space framework. With (newer) Agential Problem Space framework one can ask "Does this agential game have defensible models about the world?". I use that instead of "is the game (historically) accurate?".

Since I've deepened "defensible models" since posing the term in GTP 1st Ed. (2011) up to the upcoming Designing Historical Games, just wanted to run through my current understanding. I've pinned it to the historical/agential problem space of a game, because historical games present problem spaces. So ... A game has defensible models to the extent evidence supports (and here the repeated THIS means "the game"):

"Some agents in a place like THIS, had goals like THIS, in a world system like THIS, and were able to make action-choices like THIS."

1/

Becoming Saint now available on Android. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.OpenLab.BecomingSaint

I admit it's an acquired taste & hecka quirky, bt there's just nothing like this topically in historical games. Can't guarantee you'll like it, bt I'm charmed by the effort & want to support devs. I suspect $4.99 Android (+Apple) will be a better match