Those who grew up with the first consoles in the late 80s or early 90s can probably still remember one-dimensional games like “Pong” or “Tetris” that managed without any backstory. A situation that has changed significantly: For a game to be successful today, it should also have an ace up its sleeve in storytelling. But why is that, and what particularities does the art of storytelling need to consider?
Games undergo a transformation
Certainly, it’s not entirely fair to compare today’s video games with those released 20 or 30 years ago. Technology has improved significantly over the past decades – offering numerous possibilities that were unthinkable not long ago. From the pixelated graphics that used to dominate many consoles in living rooms and children’s rooms, we now have smoothly running, high-resolution graphics reminiscent of real video footage. But another aspect of gaming has also made real progress: storytelling presents itself as more sophisticated and detailed. It now actively involves the user in the narrative: they become more and more integral to the game, rather than just its spectator.
Why storytelling is so important
However, it’s not only the player who benefits when developers come up with a great backstory – but also the software producers themselves. The gaming market has grown into a booming billion-dollar industry in recent years. To be successful here and surpass the competition, you have to come up with something special. Primarily, it’s the story that plays with the user’s feelings and thoughts, evoking their emotions, motivating them to continue, entertaining them, and informing them. This applies not only to first-person shooters or sports games but also to those games with an educational or even psychological approach, which would be difficult to achieve without a sophisticated story.
Storytelling has found its way into online casinos
By the way, it would be wrong to assume that the sophisticated art of storytelling is only found in computer and console games. Increasingly, it’s also the developers of casino games who are making real progress in this area. Here, the goal is mainly to keep the user playing for as long as possible. Gone are the days when they were only allowed to press a few buttons. Today, they are told a story that brings them joy and perhaps helps them forget the worries of everyday life a little. Moreover, in online casino games, rapid payout is particularly important. Who wants to wait long for their winnings? On the website 1337.games, you can find providers with the fastest payout!
Casino games quite well demonstrate the transformation the entertainment electronics industry has undergone in recent times. More and more games are becoming complex and difficult to oversee.
Hinting – but not revealing everything
Another trend is emerging: Technology has now reached a level where games can take place in incredibly vast worlds. To explore them, players often have to spend a multitude of hours – not to mention that the main missions consume a lot of time. The idea behind this: Players are usually only given vague information about the story itself. They can deduce further connections from their exploration of the open world. Thus, they must talk to computer-based characters, solve quests, or improve their skills to gradually become more initiated into the backstory. This concept is aimed primarily at users who have a lot of patience and a special love for detail.
The story and the player influence each other
Gone are the days when games had a fixed and unchangeable backstory that had to be strictly followed. Instead, interaction has increased significantly today: However the user chooses to play, they always influence the story, which they can shorten or extend, expand with additional storylines, or otherwise alter. Their behavior as the protagonist affects the gameplay. This ensures variety: The game can be experienced more frequently without becoming boring. At the same time, a certain level of individuality arises since different users come to different results. The player’s personality thus becomes a key element of the game.
Games are evolving into multimedia events
As a result, video games have now reached a level that was unthinkable just a few decades ago: Whether on a computer, console, or smartphone – the story truly captivates the user. Both the graphics and audio elements can now be compared to a visit to the cinema. And if you use the right headphones, you almost immerse yourself in a parallel world. Comparing today’s perspective to early game classics like “Pong” or “Tetris” may seem absurd. However, it also gives us an idea of the possibilities that gaming could open up for us in the coming years. We will experience an unprecedented level of realism, shaped not only by technological progress but also by storytelling.
