Designing a Digital Game for Natureculture Heritage encounters

Human-computer interaction (HCI) increasingly explores the role of digital games in engaging audiences with cultural heritage. While heritage games exist, few effectively integrate participatory, reflective, and speculative storytelling to bridge nature and culture. Moreover, existing methods often lack inclusivity and fail to capture the evolving perspectives on heritage. Here, we show how an iterative Research through Design (RtD) approach led to the development of the Natureculture Heritage (NCH) Game, evolving from a board game to a digital platform that fosters deep engagement with Madeira's natureculture heritage. Playtests revealed the game's ability to enhance participation, inclusivity, and speculative storytelling through mechanics such as character embodiment, multi-perspective narration, and Hero's Journey structuring. The study contributes to HCI and heritage research by demonstrating how digital storytelling games can support sustainable heritage engagement. Future directions include refining multiplayer interaction, integrating factual content, and expanding accessibility for diverse audiences.