Storytelling in Gaming Industry

Back in 2002, when I played Mafia 1 for the first time, it was one of those unique games with a movie-like story. Around the same time, we had multiple story-driven game launching. Still, most of the games were action or activity-based.

All of that changed in the subsequent years. Games are not only vehicles for telling stories but also provide social commentary. Just in the last few years, we have seen masterpieces like Last of Us, Red Dead Redemption 2, Uncharted, Detroit: Being Human, among others.

I started with Mafia 1 because the company couldn't replicate a similar level of storytelling in sequels. Eventually, they created a remake of the original Mafia game and named it Mafia Definitive Edition. Have a look at the story and you will know what I am writing about.

Now the bigger question is, why is the gaming industry changing along these lines?

Let's start with money

Firstly, gaming has become a huge industry. In 2020, the market was worth $20 billion (Source: Techjury). Great stories mean positive word of mouth, ratings, and lots of sales. More importantly, they mean sequels, movie or tv series adaptations, merchandise sales, and so on. Sequels are particularly interesting because the first game sets the path for huge financial success. Look at Red Dead Redemption 2 which made $725 million in 3 days, the highest in the history of entertainment.

The key element here is the sequel or the greater world-building. A game can spawn several sequels. It can also create extensions that enable players to co-create chapters and play online for ages.

The Increasing number of players

Due to games being available on multiple platforms including Playstation, Xbox, and PC, game developers can now reach more players. The industry is more well-rounded now. Gamers can not only play, but also earn money through streaming sites, and influence game makers. All of these were made possible due to the increasing number of game consumers.

Replay culture leading to multiple usage

Like TV shows or movies, games are often paid for multiple times. If the story is great and the overall experience is memorable, a gamer goes back to a game and recommends it to others.

All of the 3 above mentioned factors have made gaming a major player in entertainment industry. We will see more changes in the years for sure. The games we are getting in recent years are miles ahead of their predecessors.