The medieval world was one of rich culture, constant change, and inevitable conflict. As such, it serves as a great escape from the modern world. The popularity of media inspired by the period, such as Game of Thrones and Skyrim has caused an influx of interest in the real Middle Ages, with fantasy serving as a kind of gateway drug to real history.
While many video games with a purely medieval backdrop such as Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Crusader Kings 3, and certain Assassin's Creed installments have enjoyed success, the breadth of the medieval world means that there is still so much to be explored.
7 War-torn 1360s France
Although any period of medieval France's history, especially the 14th century as a whole, could serve as the backdrop for a game, perhaps the best for a gritty open-world experience would be the early 1360s. With the Black Death only a decade in the past, a recent peasant revolt, and frequent incursions by the English in response to failed treatises, it is hard to imagine France in a worse state.
And yet the continued presence of English, German, and even French freebooters, the remnants of war with no directive, proved more devastating still. The ravaged landscape these companies created would allow for plenty of action and deep storylines following those affected, or perhaps even those responsible.
6 Medieval China
The potential for games set in medieval China is truly endless with a wide variety of unexplored periods matched by the breadth of the region. The success of Japanese-inspired games such as Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Ghost of Tsushima highlights an interest in eastern medieval settings, but China holds the potential for even more.
There are many periods in Chinese history where multiple factions were fighting at once for pre-eminence, any one of these eras could provide the backstory for an incredible campaign or open world.
5 Black Death Sim Management
The Black Death of the mid-14th century was arguably the greatest calamity in human history, and, as such, would provide the perfect setting for a dark and challenging sim management game. Taking on the role of mayor of hard-hit London, for example, players would have to tackle the deadly plague and all the effects it brought about, whilst running a city or larger region as usual.
From disposing of the dead and preventing further infections to managing an ever-shrinking workforce, this management game would be a race against time and provide a twist on the start-from-nothing structure of the genre.
4 The Iberian Peninsula
The medieval Iberian Peninsula was the epicenter where cultures and religions collided, cooperated, and melded together. Such diversity and tension could set up a truly riveting story with unlikely friendships, betrayals and so much more.
While the Crusader Kings 3 DLC Fate of Iberia showed off the complexity and characters of Iberia, it is incredible to think that a region so fraught with conflict and intrigue has never received dedicated attention. Open-world games often have distinct regions so that players can have unique experiences. This is very easy to pull off in a fantasy world, but there are few settings in the real world that could deliver such variety in one map.
3 Mansa Musa's 14th-Century Mali Empire
Games that are rich in detail and visually stunning are able to draw players in and retain their attention. Nowhere would this be easier than with a game set during Mansa Musa's reign over his Mali Empire in Western Africa.
Famous for being the wealthiest person who ever lived, Mansa Musa would have decorated his palaces lavishly and is also known for funding many building projects. With so few games set in Africa, never mind medieval Africa, this would provide a new experience and broaden the cultural horizons of many players.
2 Medieval Naval Combat
Medieval naval combat often gets overlooked, especially in favor of open battles, which any medievalist will point out weren't actually all that common, in comparison to sieges. However, battles at sea were often highly influential in conflict and even featured their own land battles per se, on the decks of ships.
With the naval combat genre having found success and its own fanbase, the groundwork has already been laid down for a medieval take on the genre. Given how beloved the Middle Ages are these days, new players from around the world could be drawn in.
1 The Tournaments of Edward III
For a game revolving around jousts and tournaments, there would be no better setting than during the reign of King Edward III of England. After taking full control of the kingdom in 1330, Edward soon set about fostering a culture of chivalry and camaraderie among his peers, primarily through his love of tournaments.
These tournaments were not only extremely frequent but also involved so much more than just knights jousting. Knights were often dressed as characters, from popes to merchants, with intertwined stories and music making for a true spectacle. With an incredibly rich backdrop all set and ready, developers could then focus on making the most exhilarating jousting experience possible.