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At GDC 2026, Room 2001, West Hall. Talk starts at 15:00.
Write Between the Lines: How to Write Video Game Stories In a Distracted, Polarized, Media Illiterate World
Presented by Alexa Ray Corriea and Adam Dolin

In a media landscape shaped by algorithms, distraction, and polarization, can writers still craft stories that require critical thinking? This talk argues not only that they can, but that they must. We'll explore how trusting the player's intelligence and rewarding deep engagement are essential for pushing our medium forward, and how these types of narratives survive studio politics and market pressures. Drawing from projects ranging from Call of Duty to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, this talk examines the state of media literacy, the power of subtext, and the role of discourse in a game's legacy. Attendees will leave with a renewed understanding of how to create meaningful, resonant work without losing their jobs in the process.

Notes:

  • This is the last timeslot at GDC 2026
  • This talk spoils Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
  • Why we are here
    • Tension between what we want to make and what we are allowed to make
    • We want to understand the problem space we are in
    • Read Matthew Ball's State of the Video Game Industry
    • Is the writing bad or are you just trying to order a milkshake from home depot?
    • Do you need to take artistic risks to make a great game?
    • Executive trends:
      • Remember to exercise curiosity, to understand the space
      • Mass layoffs following record profits
      • Live-service pivots after single player success
      • Studio consolidation and acquisition
      • New IP risk avoidance
    • Executives are trying to keep the line keep going up so they can keep paying their employees and make money
    • Audiences want to be entertained or feel something, Creatives want to say something and make a living, and executives want to run a profitable, stable business.
    • Values are subjective.Values impact what you do when you are under pressure, where you stand your ground or compromise?
    • Share your values with your team
    • Corporations and organizations also have values often expressed in mission statements. How vlosely the company follows the values is always up for debate.
    • Values can change over time
    • Know your own values and when they are being tested
    • Disagreements about creative risk is usually a case of mismatched values
    • In times of cultural instability, players will look for meaning. They don't want just dopamine hits.
  • Polarization
    • In 2008, fewer than 1 in 8 got info from social media, now over 70%
    • We have too many sources of info, so we pick what suits our worldview and algorithms reinforce that
    • gamers arrive at your game pre-sorted
    • When people are exposed to opposing viewpoints, their hostility decreased (even if viewpoints did not change)
    • Actively playing as a character causes players to embody them and increases empathy to that character and to people in similar situations in real life. Only games do this.
    • A safe story doesnt make a strong thematic argument, doesn't provoke introspection. No conflict, won't offend anyone.
    • A risky story has a strong thematic argument, subverts genre expectations, accepts that some players may be alienated.
    • Someone else's dislike doesnt invalidate your love for something
    • Backlash is loud, emotional, reactive, cannot be controlled.
    • Critique is nuanced, good faith, goal oriented. These are worth listening to.
    • receive feedback with a critical eye
    • trust yourself and trust your audience
    • To get team buy-in on a creative risk, take a breath, be curious, ask questions, ask for alternatives, listen with an open mind, engage in good faith discussion, demonstrate mutual respect, find shared values, and meet people where they are
    • When discussing decisions with leadership, ensure it is a private realtime conversation, come with data, have solutions ready to suggest.
    • let players participate in meaning instead of lecturing them
  • The Attention Economy
    • lots of information to consume, digital consumptionsl overtaking traditional
    • companies are trying to build systems which keep you engaged and are addicting
    • layered storytelling
      • Work with your peers to tell a story on mutliple levels (art, audio, actors, etc)
      • Leitmotifs
      • Pacing and visual beats
      • Dialog alone cannot solve everything
    • Reward curiosity
      • Blue Prince does a good job of this
      • Hide surprising and delightful content
      • Be okay with the idea that not everyone will find it
    • Strategic Brevity
      • Short form conversation. Disco Elysium's short narrqtive has a lot of depth and builds out your world
      • Think about how your text is presented. Make it look interesting
      • Active Time Lore in FFXVI
      • Don't make players fight through a wall of text to get to the good stuff
  • Media literacy
    • The ability to critically analyze the media you consume.
    • It is difficult finding good data on media literacy, none found for this talk deemed to be good by speakers
    • 54% of US adults 16-74 read below a sixth grade level
    • Trust your audience, many are capable of nuance and will engage.
    • Ignore discourse and trust yourself
    • Design systems that encourage deep engagement and not passive consumption. pull your player into making deeper, more thoughtful decisions
    • Don't forget to use the writer's toolbox to make your point without saying it out loud, through symbolism, satire, motifs, allegory, etc
  • Takeaways
    • Trust your players to think and design for it
    • Teach players to read between the lines
    • Determine your core values
    • Evaluate your own ability to reflect critically on games you play. Identify strong feelings that you have and where you can improve
    • Familiarize yourself with the writer's toolbox
    • Advocate with your toolbox in both narrative and design
  • Be the change you wish to see in the industry
  • Core values website https://whataremycorevalues.org/

Questions:

  • How affective is dialog history on retaining attention?
    • That is an accessibility feature that is good for players, seems like a no-brainer
  • What do you do when your story runs headfirst into current events?
    • Unfortunately, narrative is the easiest thing to change later on in a project
    • Your other choice is to go back to the drawing board with the design
    • Talk to team about your values, current events, and how they feel about it.
  • Tips on how to invite more cooperation between disciplines?
    • There are a lot of egos in the industry
    • engage from a position of mutual respect, curiousity, ask questions, keep an open mind.
    • Have a conversation, dont make it about attacking them. Maybe you meed to see it for yourself or maybe they need an outside eye
    • we are all guilty of getting too close to the work
  • How do you talk about a narrative that is actively ignored?
    • We have priviledge as US citizens to be able to say whatever we want.
    • You might have to find other ways to say what you want to say, like humor or satire.
  • Do you have any advice on how to talk about these kinds of topics with players on reddit
    • Don't recommend doing this
    • prepare yourself mentally, protect yourself
    • don't engage with everything, identify backlash and critique. avoid responding to backlash
    • you dont owe anyone your time and energy
  • How to keep the content accessible to people with weaker media literacy? How to make sure it is communicated clearly without seeming condescending?
    • Meet players where they are at and be comfortable with not reaching everyone
    • Use subtext, short sentences, avoid large walls of text. Use mechanics too
  • How do you reach cagey, insular, or resistant teammates?
    • You might need to escalate if nothing changes
    • You may need soft skills, build rapport before having tough conversations.
    • learn what their values are, find what you have in common.
    • (followup) How do you make sure you have a process to build intentionally?
    • Every studio and team is different.
    • Have a detailed rundown, have agendas, build a well-known structure so people know what is expected.
  • Last book of fiction you've read that you liked?
    • Animorphs
    • Locked Tomb trilogy
  • Game writing seems to be disrespected and underappreciated. What do you think of this? Will it change?
    • It is not getting better in the AAA space, but the indie and AA space is.
    • Smaller games have more people who want to make powerful stories
    • No one is hiring writing fulltime but everyone needs writing help
    • Everyone recognizes that writing is important, but they tend to undervalue it and wish they brought it in earlier
  • Robert McKee said "Don't write with your value, write to find out your value and tell truths", do you agree with this? it seems counter to your talk
    • Think he means that you should avoid being preachy to the reader, because the reader will notice
    • Themes are what make good writing great
    • Your truth is your value and it is weird to separate them
    • They dont seem to like Robert McKee very much

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