New Cultural Video Game Launches Worldwide Showcasing the Northern Periphery and Arctic as a Hub for Creative Innovation

The partners of the N-LITE (Literary Tourism Immersive Technology Acceleration) project have announced the global launch of Tale Smiths, a new cultural gaming experience developed through transnational collaboration across the Northern Periphery and Arctic (NPA) region.

Available for free on Steam, the world’s largest online platform for PC and Mac games, from 30 October, Tale Smiths reimagines local stories from across the NPA region into interactive journeys that combine heritage, literature and technology. The NPA region spans parts of Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands, encompassing some of Europe’s most remote and culturally distinctive areas.

The release marks a milestone for the N-LITE project, which positions the region as a living testbed for creativity, innovation and international collaboration.

More than fifty creatives including writers, designers, developers and cultural practitioners have contributed to shaping the project. Each experience was developed in collaboration with local communities, ensuring authenticity and giving voice to regional heritage. The featured stories range from Ireland’s mythic landscapes to Sámi architecture in northern Scandinavia and the works of Faroese author William Heinesen. Together, they highlight the diversity of stories and traditions across Europe’s northern edge.

Funded through the Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme, N-LITE is a €1.5 million initiative that equips literary tourism SMEs with the tools and training to harness technologies such as interactive storytelling and game-engine visualisation. The project aims to boost competitiveness, strengthen creative skills and extend the reach of cultural heritage across rural and remote regions. Alongside Tale Smiths, N-LITE delivers workshops, resources and pilot programmes with a focus on youth engagement and sustainable development.

By connecting partners across Ireland, Finland, Sweden, the Faroe Islands and Norway, N-LITE demonstrates how the Northern Periphery and Arctic region can act as a shared testbed for cultural and creative innovation, linking local heritage with global audiences.

Tale Smiths will be available worldwide as a free download on Steam from 30 October. Explore the game and play it now at store.steampowered.com/app/3160560/Tale_Smiths/.

For more information about the N-LITE project, visit www.n-lite.eu.