https://en.sputniknews.africa/20250621/relooting-the-looted-south-african-game-tackles-colonial-theft-through-futuristic-heist-adventure-1074518149.html
Relooting the Looted: South African Game Tackles Colonial Theft Through Futuristic Heist Adventure
Relooting the Looted: South African Game Tackles Colonial Theft Through Futuristic Heist Adventure
Sputnik Africa
As debates over the repatriation of looted African artifacts intensify, AfroVerdict explores Relooted, an upcoming game from South African game dev Nyamakop... 21.06.2025, Sputnik Africa
2025-06-21T10:00+0200
2025-06-21T10:00+0200
2025-06-21T10:00+0200
afroverdict
johannesburg
south africa
video games
technology
digital technology
colonialism
artifact
museums
entertainment
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Relooting the Looted: South African Game Tackles Colonial Theft Through Futuristic Heist Adventure
Sputnik Africa
As debates over the repatriation of looted African artifacts intensify, AfroVerdict explores Relooted, an upcoming game from South African game dev Nyamakop that reimagines artifact restitution as a high-stakes heist. In an exclusive interview with the CEO, we discuss the game’s real-world parallels and the challenges of African game development.
Set in a futuristic Johannesburg, Relooted follows a crew of everyday Africans—a scientist, a mechanic, a historian, and others—who execute daring missions to reclaim looted artifacts from Western museums. The game blends parkour-driven action with strategic planning, tasking players with reassembling a "broken Rube Goldberg machine" to pull off each heist before time runs out, Ben Myres, CEO and Creative Director at Nyamakop.The concept emerged after Ben’s mother visited the British Museum and was outraged by the display of the Nereid Monument, a temple facade looted from Turkey. Though initially stumped by the idea of "moving a building out of a museum," he shifted focus to Africa’s stolen heritage, particularly after Black Panther (2018) demonstrated global appetite for African-themed narratives.Relooted’s fictional premise mirrors real-world resistance. After a repatriation treaty is exploited by Western museums—who hide artifacts from public view—the protagonists take matters into their own hands.Nyamakop spent two years researching artifacts, prioritizing items with compelling histories of looting and cultural significance. Among the 70 key artifacts are spiritual and ceremonial objects taken from living cultures, such as the Benin Bronzes and Ethiopia’s Maqdala treasures.The team consulted African linguists to ensure accurate pronunciations in voiceovers and modelled 3D replicas from archival photos.Unlike traditional heist games, Relooted frames theft as justice. The narrative avoids moralizing, instead inviting players to engage with artifact histories and "make their own choice" about restitution.Myres acknowledges the hurdles Nyamakop faced as an African studio. While outsourcing offers financial stability, the team prioritized original projects—even when it meant Myres became the sole employee for years, relying on family support. Despite this, Relooted’s reveal at Day of the Devs went viral, amassing 12 million trailer views. While Western audiences debated its politics, the African diaspora rallied behind it. Apart from the game's projected profits and popularity, Ben mentions a sentimental aspect of Relooted's success.To hear more about Relooted and Ben Myres' journey, listen to the full episode of AfroVerdict, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.In addition to the website, you can also catch our episodes on Telegram.► You can also listen to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox, Pocket Casts, Deezer, Podcast Addict and Afripods.► Check out all the episodes of AfroVerdict.
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johannesburg, south africa, video games, technology, digital technology , colonialism, artifact, museums, entertainment, аудио, podcasts
johannesburg, south africa, video games, technology, digital technology , colonialism, artifact, museums, entertainment, аудио, podcasts
Relooting the Looted: South African Game Tackles Colonial Theft Through Futuristic Heist Adventure
Viktor Anokhin
Producer, Podcast host
As debates over the repatriation of looted African artifacts intensify, AfroVerdict explores Relooted, an upcoming game from South African game dev Nyamakop that reimagines artifact restitution as a high-stakes heist. In an exclusive interview with the CEO, we discuss the game’s real-world parallels and the challenges of African game development.
Set in a futuristic Johannesburg, Relooted follows a crew of everyday Africans—a scientist, a mechanic, a historian, and others—who execute daring missions to reclaim looted artifacts from Western museums. The game blends parkour-driven action with strategic planning, tasking players with reassembling a "broken Rube Goldberg machine" to pull off each heist before time runs out, Ben Myres, CEO and Creative Director at Nyamakop.
The concept emerged after Ben’s mother visited the British Museum and was outraged by the display of the Nereid Monument, a temple facade looted from Turkey.
"She said you should make this into a game," Myres recalls.
Though initially stumped by the idea of "moving a building out of a museum," he shifted focus to Africa’s stolen heritage, particularly after Black Panther (2018) demonstrated global appetite for African-themed narratives.
Relooted’s fictional premise mirrors real-world resistance. After a repatriation treaty is exploited by Western museums—who hide artifacts from public view—the protagonists take matters into their own hands.
"Can you steal something that’s already been stolen?" Myres quotes the game's trailer.
Nyamakop spent two years researching artifacts, prioritizing items with compelling histories of looting and cultural significance.
"We wanted players to ask, why is this not where it should be?" the CEO explains.
Among the 70 key artifacts are spiritual and ceremonial objects taken from living cultures, such as the Benin Bronzes and Ethiopia’s Maqdala treasures.
The team consulted African linguists to ensure accurate pronunciations in voiceovers and modelled 3D replicas from archival photos.
"We're not talking about random bits and bobs here [...] These are hugely important spiritual, cultural and personal artifacts that were taken," Myres emphasizes.
Unlike traditional heist games, Relooted frames theft as justice.
"The characters in our game [...] aren’t career criminals at all. They’re normal citizens [..] stumbling through this, trying to figure out how to do a heist," Myres notes.
The narrative avoids moralizing, instead inviting players to engage with artifact histories and "make their own choice" about restitution.
Myres acknowledges the hurdles Nyamakop faced as an African studio. While outsourcing offers financial stability, the team prioritized original projects—even when it meant Myres became the sole employee for years, relying on family support.
"Making games in Africa is indie by default," he says, citing high data costs, limited investment, and visa barriers for global networking.
Despite this, Relooted’s reveal at Day of the Devs went viral, amassing 12 million trailer views. While Western audiences debated its politics, the African diaspora rallied behind it.
Apart from the game's projected profits and popularity, Ben mentions a sentimental aspect of Relooted's success.
"If one artifact comes home because of this game, I could die an incredibly happy man," Nyamakop's CEO admits.
To hear more about Relooted and Ben Myres' journey, listen to the full episode of AfroVerdict, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.
In addition to the website, you can also catch our episodes on
Telegram.
► Check out all the episodes of AfroVerdict. 
