A major new cultural gaming experience has been published to global audiences with the launch of Tale Smiths; a collection of immersive digital productions developed through the N-LiTe (Literary Tourism Immersive Technology Acceleration) project. The Regional Council of Kainuu is a partner in this project. Available for free on Steam from 30th of October, the package reimagines local stories from across the Northern Periphery and Arctic Region of Europe into interactive journeys that blend heritage, literature, and technology.
More than fifty creatives including writers, designers, developers and cultural practitioners have been involved in shaping the Tale Smiths game project. Each experience has been created in collaboration with local communities, ensuring authenticity and giving voice to regional heritage. The project includes another partner from Kainuu, the Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, and our international partners. Subject matter from the other partners of the project ranges from Ireland’s mythic Rathcroghan landscape at Tulsk, to Sámi architecture in northern Scandinavia, to the works of Faroese author William Heinesen and the Norwegian author Knut Hamsun. Together, they highlight the diversity of stories and traditions across Europe’s northern edge.
The Finnish story highlighted in Tale Smiths is an excerpt from the Kalevala. The Kalevala is Finland’s national epic, compiled by Elias Lönnrot from traditional Finnish and Karelian oral folklore and mythology. It tells the adventures of legendary heroes, creation myths, and magical quests, forming a cornerstone of Finnish cultural identity.
The heroes of Kalevala called Väinämöinen, Ilmarinen, and Lemminkäinen, set out on a daring quest to steal the magical artifact called the Sampo from the land of Pohjola. The Sampo is a mythological item that produces endless wealth and prosperity. In the Finnish story of Tale Smiths, the player can join this quest through the digital storytelling experience.
Led by the Western Development Commission in Ireland, N-LiTe is funded through the Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme. The €1.5 million project equips literary tourism SMEs with the tools and training to harness technologies such as interactive storytelling and game engine visualisation, boosting competitiveness and extending the reach of cultural heritage. Alongside Tale Smiths, N-LiTe delivers workshops, resources, and pilot programmes with a particular focus on youth engagement and sustainable development.
The game is also currently available for the public to try in Kaukametsä, in the lobby of the Kainuu Music Academy. Go give it a try, or download Tale Smiths for free from this link.
