Os vikings nos jogos de mesa modernos: uma leitura de Jórvík (2016), de Stefan Feld

Abstract

The medieval world is one of the motifs most explored by the so-called “modern boardgames”, with the Viking theme being one of the great and recent attractions, possibly driven by the continuous growth of medieval Scandinavia in different media (LIMA, 2020), a phenomenon that can be understood as “vikingmania” (OLIVEIRA, 2021). In this sense, one of the objectives of this work is to launch research possibilities about the Viking imaginary and “Vikingmania” in modern boardgames. To this end, as the main object of analysis, we chose Jórvík, a game released in 2016, designed by German game designer Stefan Feld with art by artist Marc Margielsky. In comparison to other modern boardgames that explore Viking themes in a very stereotypical and imaginative way, or that focus only on mythological imagery and folklore of Scandinavian culture, Jórvík is the game with the most differentiated thematic focus, presenting a specific moment in the history of the Viking Age: the Scandinavian settlements in the north of England.