South African viral video game ‘Relooted’ is challenging Western museums — and winning global attention

A new Johannesburg-made video game is turning heads internationally by combining high-tech gameplay with a powerful cultural message.

Relooted, developed by Nyamakop, is an African-futurist heist game that centres on reclaiming real looted African artefacts currently held in Western museums, while also showcasing the Continent’s untapped storytelling potential.

Reversing the flow of cultural storytelling

Nyamakop co-founder and creative director Ben Myres said the game was created partly in response to decades of African audiences consuming Western-made media.

“We grew up playing games made in the US, Japan or Europe,” he said. “It’s about time that games were made in Africa that the West started to play.”

He said the Continent’s vast heritage, ancient civilisations and diverse cultures remain largely unexplored in global entertainment.

“We have this wealth of stories, from Great Zimbabwe to Mansa Musa to the Benin Empire, that no one is bothering to tell,” he said.

According to Myres, Africa’s proximity to these histories gives local creators a natural advantage in telling them authentically.

A heist game with a cultural message

At its core, Relooted is a non-violent heist game in which players retrieve real historical artefacts that remain outside the Continent.

“All the artefacts in the game are real and today reside in Western museums,” Myres explained.

He said the project also aims to spark discussion around the long-running debate on cultural restitution.

“What we want to give players is the experience of what it will feel like eventually when these artefacts come home,” he said.

Despite the heist theme, the game contains no violence and is aimed at younger audiences, with a low age restriction intended to make it accessible to learners interested in African history.

Years in development with global response

The project took between six and eight years to complete longer than typical independent game development timelines because of the importance placed on accuracy and production value.

Myres said the reception has been global, with interest coming from museum professionals, players abroad and audiences across Africa.

“We’ve seen everyone from museum workers in Europe and the US to players in Brazil engaging with the game and the issue of cultural heritage,” he said.

Authentic voices and African talent

The game also features a wide range of African voice actors to reflect the Continent’s linguistic and cultural diversity.

“There’s no point making a game about African culture and history and then not having the literal voices be authentic,” Myres said, adding that the project may feature one of the most diverse collections of African accents ever included in a video game.

Where to play

Relooted is available on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, as well as on Xbox consoles and Game Pass.

For more information, listen to Myres using the audio player below: