Frequently Asked Questions
The most-asked questions about alternate history video games.
What is an alternate history video game?
It is a game set in a timeline where one or more real historical events unfolded differently, and the player explores the consequences of that divergence. The premise can appear in any mechanical genre—shooter, strategy, RPG—so long as the core world rests on a changed past.
What are the most well-known examples of the genre?
The Wolfenstein franchise, from the 2009 original through MachineGames' 2014, 2017, and 2020 entries, is the most prominent, depicting a world where Nazi Germany won World War II. On the strategy side, Paradox's Hearts of Iron series serves as a popular base for alternate-history mods such as Kaiserreich and The New Order: Last Days of Europe.
How is alternate history different from a standard historical strategy game?
A historical strategy game asks you to replay events that actually occurred, while an alternate history game starts from a 'what if' premise and builds a self-consistent fictional world around it. The player is reacting to a world that never existed rather than re-enacting recorded events.
What is a 'point of divergence'?
It is the specific moment in real history where the game's timeline splits—for example, the Axis winning WWII or Germany surviving WWI. Every political boundary, technology level, and social structure in the game flows from that single changed outcome.
Who are the key creators and studios associated with the genre?
MachineGames is the most recognized developer, responsible for the modern Wolfenstein titles. Paradox Interactive's Hearts of Iron line and its vibrant modding community, home to projects like Kaiserreich and TNO, form the strategy pillar of the genre.
Where should a newcomer start if they've never played an alternate history game?
Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014) is the most accessible entry point, offering a fast-paced single-player campaign with a clear narrative and minimal learning curve. For strategy players, loading the Kaiserreich mod into Hearts of Iron IV provides a deep sandbox-style 'what if Germany won WWI' experience.
What are the most common divergence scenarios explored in the genre?
The Axis winning World War II is by far the most frequent premise, followed by Germany's victory in World War I. Other recurring scenarios include a different outcome to the American Civil War, the survival of the Roman Empire, or the non-existence of the Soviet Union.
Do fan-made mods count as part of the alternate history genre?
Absolutely—much of the genre's most celebrated content, especially in strategy, exists as community mods rather than standalone commercial releases. Projects like TNO and Kaiserreich have millions of downloads and are widely discussed as major works within the genre.
What themes and tropes recur across alternate history games?
Resistance and survival under totalitarian occupation are nearly universal, particularly in WWII-divergence titles. Other common threads include the moral weight of a villainous past, the tension between pragmatism and idealism in a broken world, and the question of whether the player is restoring history or building something new.
Is alternate history a standalone genre or a subcategory?
It functions as a thematic subcategory that cuts across multiple mechanical genres rather than a single genre of its own. A Wolfenstein title is a first-person shooter, a Hearts of Iron mod is a grand-strategy game, and an alternate-history RPG would be yet another experience—yet all share the 'changed past' premise.