Croeso, pawb! Welcome to the brand-new Wales in Games website!
The documenting of Welsh references in video games has brought me a lot of joy over the last couple of years, and seeing the project grow and gain the attention of fellow passionate video game fans, whether they are Welsh or not, and even the media, has been incredible.
Admittedly, though, the original website was relatively restricted in its design. It functioned, but it lacked a user-friendly and connected browsing experience that an archiving project like this deserves. To take Wales in Games to the next level, it required an overhaul.
With the help of my good friend Jorge (please go check out his website, TeeChu, for awesome gaming t-shirts and more!), I am now extremely happy to bring this complete Wales in Games remaster to you all! Diolch eto, Jorge!
What’s new at Wales in Games?
The cleaner visual presentation is the most noticeable difference over the previous website design, but there is a lot more to talk about!
Dropdown menus
Jumping into specific categories is simpler than ever, with handy dropdown menus at the top of the page on desktop and through the navigation menu at the top-left on mobile.
Hop into lists of games featuring Welsh characters, Welsh locations, Welsh mythology, or Welsh historical figures with a swift click or tap!
Filtering system and clickable Welsh references
There is a nifty filtering system in place on the Welsh references page, allowing you to pick the reference type that interests you.
Every game with a notable Welsh reference is clickable so that users can learn more about the featured content, as well as the game itself.
Some games, such as Toward Dawn, contain a number of references in categories like mythical Welsh creatures. Click the Llamhigyn y Dŵr‘s name, for example, to be taken to a page listing other games featuring the critter.
More depth to sports and racing games
Wales features prominently in sports games, with football titles in particular often containing playable Welsh national and club teams. Now it is a couple of simple clicks to discover games where the men’s and women’s national teams are present, alongside club sides such as Wrexham, Cardiff City and Swansea.
The same applies to driving games, where Wales often plays host to racing events. Find the locations across Wales that all those rally games take place in!
Related games
For games that are part of a broader series or are similar to each other in some way, the Related Games section at the bottom of a game’s page makes it easy to jump to another familiar title featuring Welsh references.
Recent game updates and popular games
The homepage now shows the most recently updated and newly added games featuring Welsh content, as well as the most popular games people are looking at.
Dedicated pages for Welsh developers and actors
The number of Welsh developers and Welsh actors is always growing, and they all deserve to be highlighted to showcase their contributions to Welsh representation within video games.
Every developer and actor now has their own page, with a list of known games they have created in the case of developers, and character roles they have performed for actors. For games containing a bit more Welsh-specific content, these will be clickable from each developer and actor page.
Dark mode
Go easy on those eyes! Whether from the navigation menu at the top, or the footer at the bottom, you can now choose a darker viewing experience.
Browse in Cymraeg, the Welsh language
The footer also features the option to switch the website’s language to Welsh. As an auto-translate tool, it may not be perfect, but it is an option I am glad to have implemented.
Wales in Games going forward
There is a lot to do!
Now that this much-needed new website is launched, I can invest more into the Wales in Games site itself alongside the video content I have been making (check here for all those links!). I am proud to have a site that better reflects my passion for documenting Welsh references and my desire for more Welsh representation in video games.
Through the work I do here, I hope I can continue to spread positive and interesting knowledge about the country of Wales and our Welsh culture through the medium of video games.
For a little more detail about Wales in Games, head on over to the About page, and to contact me, please reach out by clicking here.
Thank you so much to everyone that has supported me personally, and the Wales in Games project as a whole. I greatly appreciate everyone that has been in touch to keep me informed about Welsh game references, as well as the Welsh developers and actors that have generously provided me details of their brilliant work.
I am really excited to see where Wales in Games goes from here!
Diolch yn fawr iawn!