The gaming industry has been a composite mix of games across different categories. A card game like rummy or a fantasy sports league game doesn’t rely on the storyline. It is more about how to play rummy well and how your team is performing against the leaderboard, respectively. But what about the gaming titles that have the scope of a storyline?
There are categories even within such titles. There are games like Mario and the Ghost of Tsushima that have a staple story - the journey of the protagonist. Although Mario even made it to the movie screens, the game’s storyline was not tinkered.
With mobile gaming now accounting for the bulk of the gaming industry and a third of mobile gamers confirming they look for the story and narrative as an attraction, the obvious question arises: Is storytelling in games becoming more important than ever?
Is Storytelling Important for a Game’s Success?
A robust storyline is a part of the gaming experience. Part of the fun in playing The Last of Us lies in the vivid post-apocalyptic journey of its lead characters and you along with them. On the other side of the paradigm, we have games like Tetris. Popular since the 1980s, Tetris is essentially a puzzle game without any substantial plot. A game like Fortnite could have a story built around it. Instead, it is about fast-paced empire-building where social interaction and competitive play are the top attractions.
The storyline is not the only factor that decides a game’s success, but certainly an important one. A Tetris player is drawn to it due to its replayability and competitive spirit. Games like League of Legends and Fortnite also thrive on these factors, along with the superb gameplay mechanics. Similarly, a story adds depth to the playing experience with emotional resonance and intellectual stimulation. With well-built narratives, there is a milestone effect on the gaming experience. This motivates the player to cross these phases and unravel the narrative milestones.
Moulding Gamer Preferences
Since the turn of the century, developers introduced games with strong story-driven plots. Games like Half Life and Mass Effect were well-received for their branching narratives. Gamers enjoyed how they could decide on gaming actions and see the impact on outcomes.
The last decade saw a continuation of this pattern, albeit with even stronger storylines. The interactive storytelling of The Walking Dead or the Uncharted Series strengthened the importance of narratives among gamers.
The use of AR and VR gave gaming its immersive qualities. This has meant that narratives are becoming more engaging. The personal-level storytelling of Moss and Half Life: Alyx is complemented by the non-linear narrative of Cyberpunk 2077, for instance.
The recent success of user-generated gaming content reflects gamer’s preference for the story and the narrative. According to a Bain report, 79% of gamers have played games with user-generated content, while 16% are involved in the content creation process as well.
Because of this emerging importance of narratives, a lot of thought is given to building a compelling storyline.
The Recipe for Gamers
Every game needs an underlying theme. When it comes to a game with a storyline, the underlying theme is vital. As the storyline proceeds, these games have clear challenges and conflicts. These intrigue gamers to accomplish and overcome these challenges. Gamers who prefer strong narratives also demonstrate a strong liking for consistency in the storyline. A well-paced story makes the game entertaining and captivating.
A critical element of the game’s story is the character development of the protagonist, antagonist, and supporting characters. Their avatars, powers, limitations and backstories are often well-pronounced in successful story-based games. The developers are giving huge importance to the non-playing characters these days.
Traditionally, multiplayer games have lacked the storytelling depth of single-player games. However, given the rising importance of storytelling, even multiplayer games like Apex Legends and Destiny 2 boast rich backstories and plotlines.
Finally, the gaming mechanics are key drivers to attract gamer interest. How well the controls align with the character's movement and gameplay is vital for the game’s success.
The significance of storytelling in gaming can be gauged from the fact that 67% of gamers now find game stories more entertaining than even film screenplays!
The Future of Storytelling
The use of technology and high-quality internet is taking storytelling to newer heights. Interactive storytelling in Black Mirror: Bandersnatch allows gamers to choose their narrative choices and push the game towards one of its five different story endings. The sets and characters of The Mandalorian can be stored as digital assets, making gaming an unfathomably immersive experience.
These developments indicate that futuristic dimensions are already being added to gaming narratives, and gamers are in for more interactive plot twists in the future.