GDC 2025 Session Viewer
Game Narrative Summit: Burning Bright: Keeping Narrative Creative Momentum in Intense Production Cycles
Olga Kellner (Narrative Lead, Owlcat Games)
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Summits Pass - Get your pass now!
Track: Game Narrative
Format: Lecture
Vault Recording: TBD
Audience Level: Advanced
The game development industry is notoriously high-intensity, often characterized by extended periods of crunch time and a high risk of burnout. This environment demands not only peak productivity but also sustained creativity, which can be incredibly challenging. Owlcat Games has been producing narrative-centered games for more than 7 years, releasing enormous adventures like Pathfinder: Kingmaker, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. The constant growth, development, improvement, and diversification of these projects offers many opportunities for professional growth but also places a great deal of stress on the narrative designers, who need to stay creative and inventive in their work. This talk aims to provide valuable insights and practical points on how to keep your narrative team focused and productive without succumbing to terminal burnout.
Takeaway
Attendees will gain an insider's perspective on the inherent challenges of narrative production and will receive practical ideas, based on our case studies and methods overview, how to keep narrative talents content and productive while maintaining their ability to meet development demands.
Intended Audience
Team leads and executives responsible for ensuring their team's well-being, development, and productivity.
