Augustus: A Video Game for Sicilian Archaeological Heritage

The video game Augustus, funded by the POFESR Sicilia 2014/2020 program, aims to promote Sicily's cultural heritage through augmented reality and edutainment. Developed by a consortium including the Institute of Cultural Heritage Sciences of the National Research Council (CNR), Ett Spa, Ad Meridiem, RedRaion, and the University of Palermo's Department of Economics and Business, the game features the Roman emperor Augustus as protagonist. Players assist Augustus in enriching his collection by solving puzzles based on real historical events across four archaeological sites: the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, the Archaeological Park of Naxos-Taormina, the Archaeological Park of Morgantina and the Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina, and the Santa Caterina d'Alessandria complex in Palermo province. The game is designed to enhance both on-site and off-site visitor experiences, covering pre-visit, visit, and post-visit phases. Augustus is an acronym for AUgmented Game for Sicilian ToUrism marketing Solutions.