Many historians from a certain generation openly credit a specific video game with igniting their passion for history and guiding them towards careers in the field. In a recent conversation, four of them shared their personal experiences about how gaming drew them into the realm of history.

Holly Nielsen, a historian, reflects on her father’s dedication to gaming. While she enjoys exploring various game genres, her father immerses himself deeply in the ones he loves. “When people ask, ‘Who finishes these massive games?’ I can confidently say it’s my dad—a Geordie man in his 60s who loves Lego and has a unique flair for creative swearing,” she laughs. “Age of Empires II had him hooked for over a decade.”

This iconic game debuted in 1999, the same year Holly turned five. She recalls how it was a staple in their household until she moved out thirteen years later, with the only change being the sleekness of the laptops her dad used. “The sound effects, especially the famous ‘wololo’ from the priests and the villagers cheerfully acknowledging tasks like chopping wood, became the soundtrack of my childhood,” she says.

As she grew older, Holly found herself increasingly captivated by her father’s enthusiasm for the game. “It was one of my first encounters with historical media, and I genuinely believe it sparked my interest in history, eventually leading me to become a historian myself,” she explains. Many of her colleagues echo this sentiment; at conferences where she discusses history and gaming, several historians from her generation confess that Age of Empires II played a role in their career choices.

Greg Jenner, a public historian and the host of the BBC Four podcast “You’re Dead to Me,” is one of them. He played the game during his A-level studies and found it to be a source of inspiration for his historical imagination, complementing his academic pursuits. “The game definitely fueled my passion for history, broadened my historical vocabulary, and introduced me to world figures like Genghis Khan that I wasn’t learning about in school,” he shares.

Greg was particularly fascinated by the game’s technology tree, which outlines the various technologies and units players can use. “Now, as a historian, I view the tech tree with a sense of caution. But looking back, it truly resonated with my historical interests,” he admits.

Holly, who specializes in social and cultural history, mentions that playing Age of Empires II revealed her true fascinations—not the knights or castles, but the villagers. “I always arranged my houses and farms to enhance the quality of life for these little characters, even though they mostly existed to generate resources for warfare. It was frustrating when enemies attacked my towns and destroyed my crops,” she says, drawing parallels to her current focus on ordinary lives in history.

Dr. Agnes Arnold-Forster, a historian of medicine at Edinburgh University, had a similar experience. “I loved using the map editor to build towns and create stories about the villagers without having to engage in combat,” she explains. Agnes, who studies nostalgia, believes the game significantly influenced her historical interests. “Many professional historians, including myself, start as nostalgics—yearning for periods we haven’t lived through. Age of Empires and similar games really indulge that nostalgia. Ultimately, it’s about engaging with the past, which mirrors what historians do for a living.”

Mathew Lyons, another historian and author, poetically reflects on his experience with the game. “Discovering Age of Empires through the perspective of parenthood was a wonderful and unexpected gift,” he shares. “It allowed me to explore the concept of empires rising and falling while tying it to the enduring love of parenthood.”

It seems that play acts as a powerful channel for connection—bridging the past with the present and linking individuals with one another. Now, 25 years after its launch, many people fondly contemplate the legacy of Age of Empires II. While it certainly has its flaws in historical representation, for Holly and countless others of her generation, it kindled a joy that blossomed into a lifelong passion. For that, she is profoundly grateful, especially for the bond it created with her father, who enjoyed the game for two decades.