The War to End all Wars is a colony sim now, with an Acceptable Losses gauge
Icelandic developer Vitar Games has announced Dig In, an experimental game that merges colony simulation mechanics with WW1 trench warfare strategy. The game places players in command of trenches during the Battle of the Somme, combining base-building and real-time strategy elements within a historical setting.
Dig In’s core innovation lies in applying traditional colony-building gameplay to one of history’s most devastating conflicts. The game features an “Acceptable Losses gauge” that transforms human casualties into a quantifiable gameplay resource, forcing players to make strategic decisions about trench management while confronting the human cost of warfare through game mechanics.
The announcement has sparked discussion about the cultural implications of gamifying historical tragedy. By commodifying the Somme through interactive entertainment mechanics, the game raises questions about the appropriateness of applying colony sim systems to real historical suffering. The genre blend creates an unusual juxtaposition that challenges how games approach both historical authenticity and player agency in sensitive historical contexts.
Vitar Games’ design suggests a broader shift toward historically-themed strategy games that explicitly grapple with the moral dimensions of warfare rather than sanitizing them for entertainment purposes.