Rust & Research: Launching History into Play

After two years of creative work, Rust & Research is ready to meet its players! Developed by four doctoral researchers at the Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C²DH), our educational card game translates the transformation of Belval  from an industrial iron production site to a centre of research and innovation into an accessible learning tool and historical showcase.

The official launch takes place on 25 November 2025 at Café Saga on Belval Campus, with open game tables, short presentations, a quiz and opportunities to play. The English and German editions, printed in a total of 1,000 copies, mark our project’s transition from experimental prototype to fully fledged public-history product.

Travelling through time in Belval

In Rust & Research, players become time travellers navigating Belval’s past and present. They encounter historical events, meet key figures and strategically manipulate time through “time flips”. Designed for a wide audience, especially students aged 12 and above, the game offers a playful yet historically grounded exploration of industrialisation, deindustrialisation, structural change and the emergence of Luxembourg’s research landscape.

The project team – doctoral researchers Joé Voncken, Zoé Konsbruck, Nicolas Arendt and Masha Meleshko-Sudina – combined historical research with game-based learning approaches. Working with artist Christian Opperer and game designer Johannes Krenner, they transformed archival sources, photographs and local narratives into a visually engaging and intuitive deck that invites both competition and reflection.

From idea to impact

The initiative first took shape in early 2024 with support from the C²DH Thinkering Grant and seed funding from the Fondation Lydie Schmit. In 2025, the team received the FNR PSP Classic Award (Promoting Science to the Public) – a grant of €21,100 to print, advertise and distribute the game throughout Luxembourg. This funding enabled large-scale production of the game and the creation of a second version, this time in German.

To support teachers and schools, the team is developing an educational booklet and online resources, allowing the game to be integrated into history, economics and social-studies curricula. Planned activities for late 2025 include an IFEN teacher-training workshop as well as presentations at GameOn Luxembourg, the country’s largest gaming event, with more cooperations in the making.

Public history in play

By turning Belval’s transformation into a card game, Rust & Research links back to the C²DH’s mission to explore innovative ways of engaging with the past – the very essence of ‘Thinkering’ in our opinion. It demonstrates how complex historical processes can be communicated through interactive and collaborative formats that appeal to students, educators and the broader public alike.

Join the launch!

The launch event for Rust & Research takes place on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, at 6 p.m. at Café Saga. Attendance is open to all members of the University and the public. Registration is required, spots are limited.