GDC 2025 Session Viewer
How to Build a Game World with Systems and Story
Anna Megill (Lead Writer, CD PROJEKT RED)
Emily Short (Freelancer, Independent)
Kaitlin Tremblay (Narrative Director, Soft Rains)
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Core Pass - Get your pass now!
Track: Design
Format: Lecture
Vault Recording: TBD
Audience Level: All
Every story has to start somewhere. Industry veterans Anna Megill, Emily Short, and Kaitlin Tremblay have helped create some of the most memorable story-rich worlds in recent games. With titles such as Fable, CONTROL, Fallen London, Sunless Sea, Watch Dogs: Legion, and A Mortician's Tale under their belts, they know how to make a game world come alive. With examples drawn directly from their own experiences, they'll talk about their different approaches to creating a believable world and demonstrate strategies for aligning story with gameplay and systems. However you start work on your game, this talk will provide you with the tools needed to ensure your world feels holistic, immersive, and rich with story.
Takeaway
Attendees will learn ways to approach the daunting task of infusing their game world with story. Whether they start with a story treatment, a design framework, or simply a handful of systems, they'll learn strategies for building and layering story into the game world and how to create an organic, vivid, immersive game world.
Intended Audience
The audience for this talk is anyone who wants to tell a story through video games. These storytelling and worldbuilding techniques are useful for novices and seasoned professionals alike. No storytelling expertise is required!
