Design Delight Studio

The Theory of Organic and Inorganic Game Storytelling

By Daniel Hunter Dowsing, 2015

Understanding Storytelling in Games

Games as a medium are evolving their own unique narrative language, much like film, theatre, books, and comics each have distinct ways of storytelling. While still considered a "young medium," gaming narrative is on the brink of significant maturity, moving beyond traditional and market-safe stories into more diverse, experimental storytelling forms.

Defining Story and Narrative Structure

Dowsing frames stories as "change through conflict," where a motivated protagonist faces obstacles and internal or external challenges that result in transformation. Structurally, stories have a clear beginning (inciting incident), middle (conflict and rising tension), and end (resolution or denouement).

Organic vs. Inorganic Storytelling

• Organic storytelling refers to narrative development intrinsic to the game’s interactive medium. The story unfolds through gameplay mechanics and player engagement, creating an immersive and integrated narrative experience.
• Inorganic storytelling uses narrative devices not inherent to the game medium, often relying on external or cinematic elements—such as cutscenes—to progress the story. Cutscenes borrow from filmic language (framing, acting, editing) and temporarily shift players from interactive participants to passive viewers.

The Role and Impact of Cutscenes

Cutscenes are common in games for storytelling but can create a disconnect between gameplay and narrative, as they function as breaks in gameplay rather than organically woven parts of the experience. While not dismissing cutscenes, Dowsing advocates awareness of how cinematic storytelling influences the game narrative and potentially limits deeper integration of story and play.

Case Study: Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver

This game exemplifies high-quality inorganic storytelling, with strong writing and direction in cutscenes that richly develop character arcs and plot. However, these cutscenes stand apart from gameplay, highlighting the tension between narrative immersion and cinematic breaks in traditional game storytelling.

Insights for Game Writers and Designers

Dowsing encourages game narrative creators to explore and push towards organic storytelling that leverages gameplay itself for storytelling, rather than relying heavily on filmic cutscenes. By doing so, games can harness their medium’s unique potential for interactive narrative, offering players integrated and emotionally resonant storytelling experiences.

Why This Matters for the Industry

As games increasingly assert themselves as a cultural and artistic medium, understanding the distinction between organic and inorganic storytelling helps creators, critics, and players appreciate the narrative potential of games. It also informs how storytelling approaches can evolve to better engage players and enrich the medium’s artistic expression.

For further reading on evolving game narratives and storytelling techniques, visit the Game Developer Blogs and stay updated with insights from GDC talks and industry reports.

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