Birmingham Universities Turn Shakespeare Into Video Games

October 21, 2026 - 15:37

The University of Birmingham and Aston University are joining forces on a project that will explore how video games can bring Shakespeare's works to new audiences, particularly younger people. The initiative will examine the popularity and creative potential of games as a way to engage those who might not otherwise connect with the plays.

Researchers plan to look at how interactive formats can open up the texts in ways that traditional performances and classroom study may not. Games offer players a direct role in the action, and the project team believes that involvement could make the plays feel more immediate and relevant to people who are new to them.

The work will consider both the artistic possibilities and the practical questions that come with adapting centuries-old drama into an interactive medium. That includes how to keep the language and themes intact while using game mechanics to hold a player's attention. The universities also want to understand what draws young audiences to games in the first place and how those qualities might serve Shakespeare's stories.

The project is expected to produce insights for educators, cultural organisations and developers who are interested in reaching audiences through play. By treating games as a serious route into classic literature rather than a novelty, the two universities hope to show that Shakespeare can hold his own in a digital landscape and that new formats can keep his work alive for generations raised on screens.