Board game designers Cole Wehrle and Amabel Holland have shared their thoughts on creating games about painful moments in history, amid backlash against two upcoming titles on Irish tragedies. The debate centers on whether such games educate or trivialize suffering, with Compass Games defending their releases. Critics, including victims' groups and fellow designers, argue the titles risk minimizing real pain.
In early 2026, two unreleased board games from Connecticut-based Compass Games sparked widespread controversy for depicting traumatic episodes in Irish history. The Troubles: Shadow War in Northern Ireland 1964-1998, designed by Scottish teacher Hugh O'Donnell and announced in 2021, gained media attention this year. BoardGameGeek lists an expected 2026 release, but Compass Games informed the BBC in January that the game remains "not even close" to finalization. Victims' groups have criticized it for potentially minimizing the suffering of those affected by the conflict. Compass president Bill Thomas responded, stating, "the people that are yapping and yipping have probably never played an historical board game before."
The second title, The Great Hunger, recreates the 1845 Irish Famine and launched on Kickstarter in January 2026. Designer Kevin McPartland, a Maryland architecture teacher, addressed criticisms on Irish radio. Fellow designer from Old Oak Games posted on Bluesky: "As an Irish designer, this is deeply disheartening to see... You can make great, thought provoking games about real tragedies, but this isn't it." Amabel Holland also critiqued it on Bluesky, noting McPartland's "deep carelessness" and issues with perspective, including his handling of another project on Māori history.
Wehrle, known for games like John Company, emphasized intent in design: "When you set out to create any game, you should always ask yourself 'Why am I trying to make this game? What am I hoping to accomplish?'" He aims to understand historical agency, even for despicable figures, as in his upcoming Reconstruction-era game. O'Donnell views such games as tools for empathy and learning, comparing them to interactive museums that foster historical identity.
Holland, creator of This Guilty Land, argues games should convey arguments rather than neutrality: "If you have an argument, you have a focus, and at that point, you know what you're saying and what you're condemning." She questions the educational value of many historical games and stresses thoughtful perspective. Both designers highlight the need for care to avoid superficiality, with Wehrle advocating playfulness and Holland favoring systemic critique. The debate underscores tensions between simulation and sensitivity in the genre.
