The newest innovation in storytelling: Video Games

It started with Pac-Man. Instead of a line or a ship, the player-controlled a character. A seemingly meaningless change, it was a hit. It turned the player into the protagonist. The success of the character depends on the success of the player. While Pac-Man lacked a truly captivating story, this was the first step for video games into the world of storytelling. Video games bring the player into an immersive experience, giving them an active role in developing the story.

Pac-Man (1980) was one of the first character-driven games

Video games are no longer just technology innovation but innovation in storytelling. They are a medium for storytellers to create a narrative that the player participates in. The player makes game choices that affect the entire plotline in many instances. Gameplay, graphics, and functionality all factor in, but the main driving force for many gamers today is plot and characters.

Storytelling connects to people by tapping into their emotions. How can playing a game have a comparable emotional effect to reading a book? What makes it different from watching a movie?

The Witcher art by Danieloov on Pixabay

Successful video games, such as Red Dead Redemption 2, the Witcher 3, or Jedi: Fallen Order, have the classic aspects of storytelling: relatable characters, story structure, engaging dialogue, and strong themes. They create emotions by developing with the main character. As the character progresses and learns new skills, the player progresses their own skill in the game. Movies are a passive experience. The audience watches the story unfold. In video games, they develop the plot, and storytelling is their guide on what to do next.

The Master Sword form The Legend of Zelda by Ricinator on Pixabay

More games with excellent, not-so-direct storytelling, such as Legend of Zelda, Hollow Knight, and Elden Ring, manifest the phrase “actions speak louder than words.” All three of these games have a central character who doesn’t speak. Interactions with the environment, actions the player takes, and the characters around them create the atmosphere and narrative. The worldbuilding and multiple plotlines unfold as the player wishes, guiding the main character through mystical lands.

“Narrative” isn’t a word often associated with video games. At past reveal shows, the developers talked about innovation in graphics or gameplay. These are interesting, but the games with compelling characters and memorable stories really stick in people’s minds. The games developed purely for technological innovation fall off. The games designed for narrative and an emotional connection stay with us like a good book.