A new game called Relooted, developed by an African gaming studio, casts players as a crew staging a heist to reclaim authentic African artifacts currently housed in Western collections.
South African gaming studio Nyamakop unveiled the new project during the Day of the Devs livestream. Relooted takes place in a near-future world. In the game, a global treaty demands the return of African artifacts displayed publicly. Many Western institutions avoid compliance by moving items into private collections. Players are tasked with infiltrating these private facilities and reclaiming artifacts, returning them to their countries of origin.
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Myres, CEO and creative director of Nyamakop, says the game is one of wits. There is no violence in the reclamation. Instead, gamers are invited to “outsmart” those who succeeded in violent conquest.“We wanted to contrast the very violent way the artifacts were often taken. The way the artifacts are reclaimed is not through brute force and overpowering but outsmarting the very same systems and institutions that took the artifacts,” Myres told CNN.
Relooted features 70 real-world artifacts as mission targets. Players must conduct planning, reconnaissance, and stealth phases before extraction and escape. The game combines narrative, puzzles, and platforming mechanics. More than playing a game, the concept invites reflection on issues of theft, colonialism, and restitution.
Critics and observers say the game’s premise is provocative. On the one hand, it raises awareness of the numerous African artifacts that are housed abroad. On the other hand, it may oversimplify the real complexities of heritage law, institutional responsibility, and the repatriation process. In recent years, African nations have requested the return of artifacts that were stolen from them. Since 2021, the Nigerian government has attempted to acquire the Benin Bronzes collection from the British Museum. Discussions are ongoing, although this collection is just one of many that are spread across the world.
Nyamakop is not the only game in development that seeks to address social issues. Game developer Adaya Head is tackling environmental activism. BLACK ENTERPRISE spoke to Head about the intention behind her creation. According to Head, the game uses horror to propel the story forward.
“Horror games rarely take place in aquariums, so I wanted a unique setting paired with a story that raises awareness of climate change. Zoos and aquariums exist to educate the public about animals and the challenges they face because of human activity, so the game combines those elements with interactive horror,” Head told BE
.Games like Relooted and Head’s unnamed project blend interactive media with social activism. The creation of such provocative media places a sharp lens on the historical injustices of colonialism and the climate crisis, respectively. Whether the creation of such media triggers real change or merely provokes conversation remains to be seen.
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