Glaire Anderson

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Dr Glaire Anderson, of Edinburgh College of Art’s School of History of Art, has helped build the immersive digital world of ninth-century Baghdad for the latest instalment in the global video game phenomenon, Assassin’s Creed. Dr Anderson, who specialises in the history of medieval Islamic art and architecture, was one of four key advisors on Assassin’s Creed Mirage, the latest instalment in the game developer Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed® franchise, which launched worldwide in October 2023. Mirage follows the early years of protagonist Basim Ibn Is’haq in the capital of the medieval Abbasid caliphate.

Dr Anderson provided expertise on medieval Islamic history, art, architecture, archaeology and civilisation to Ubisoft’s in-house history team, and contributed to ‘History of Baghdad’, a new interactive educational feature that enables players to discover sixty-six historical sites throughout the in-game world of Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Each site acts as a portal, providing insights about the era across five categories: Art & Science; Beliefs and Daily Life; Court Life; Economy; and Government.

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Dr Anderson originally used video game engines during her research as a way to visualise historic environments and architecture. She said:

“I showed my work to my son, who was about 11 at the time, and he said, ‘Oh Mom, if you’re interested in that kind of stuff you should check out Assassin’s Creed!’ I did, and I loved how they were visualising medieval Islamic monuments and urban environments.

“Then, when I learned they were engaging with museums and academics to enhance the educational aspects of their games, I reached out to Ubisoft’s head of world-building, historian Maxime Durand.”

Dr Anderson felt confident in approaching Ubisoft because she had received industry engagement training and business development support from Edinburgh Innovations (EI), the University’s commercialisation service. These services, which are available to all University staff, helped Dr Anderson to hone her research ideas and identify potential industry connections, as well as giving her a clear introduction to business concepts, language and processes that can otherwise feel intimidating.

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When it came to formalising her relationship with Ubisoft, Dr Anderson was again able to draw on the expertise of EI.  She says:

“The team at Edinburgh Innovations helped me with everything from contractual negotiations and funding applications to support the collaboration, to invoicing and navigating Non-Disclosure Agreements.”

When it finally came time for Ubisoft and Dr Anderson to shout about their achievement on the launch of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, EI helped prepare Dr Anderson to engage with the media, which resulted in widespread coverage and even TV appearances on the BBC and STV.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage launched to critical and commercial success, bringing ninth-century Baghdad to life for a sizeable and diverse audience. Dr Anderson adds:

“I've taught approximately three or four thousand university students in the US and the UK about the architecture, art, and history of the caliphal period over the course of my career. That's ordinary impact. Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed games have introduced millions of players of all ages around the globe to medieval Islamic art, architecture, and history. That's extraordinary impact.”

Aileen Appleyard, Edinburgh Innovations’ Head of Business Development for the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Science, said:

“We’re very proud to have supported Glaire in her work on Assassin’s Creed Mirage. It’s a brilliant example of the knowledge and expertise our CAHSS academics can bring to a whole range of industry applications – from gaming to international law to sustainable finance. We encourage others to get in touch with us at EI to discuss consultancy and other collaborative opportunities.”

After a very successful two-year engagement with Ubisoft, Dr Anderson is now exploring further commercial prospects for her team’s work, and she is attracting interest from the wider games development community.

“The impact on my work has been dramatic. Collaborating with Ubisoft has allowed me to bring my work out of the University and share it with a broader audience of people of all ages who play video games. I respect what Ubisoft have achieved and how they are helping people engage with history.”

And what would she say to fellow academics who may not know how to go about taking their research further than the University?

“I’d wholeheartedly encourage any academic who is even remotely curious about engaging with industry to contact EI – it’s made a huge difference for me in supporting my aim to use my academic mission to make a positive social impact beyond the academy.”