Next Generation Story Telling

Every generation has a story to tell. The narrative they create defines who they are, what they believe in, and how they live. That the story is told surprises no one, this is the pattern of our culture. It is interesting to see how each generation decides to tell their story. I believe that the dominant form of story telling today is film, second to television. Previous generations may have told their story through the orchestra, novel, news paper, or radio. But I see a transition taking place today.

It is interesting to see how each generation decides to tell their story.

I believe that we are in the middle of a transition where the next generation decides to tell their story through video games. Beliefs, attitudes, and a collective moral conscious is beginning to be expressed through a new, and interactive, medium. Up to this point games have been a form of simple entertainment. Over the past decade the video game has begun to capture a dominant mind share in popular culture. Games are maturing as their users and creators mature.

Consider a game by published by Ubisoft called Valiant Hearts. It is a love story set in the calamity of World War I and is told through the perspective of several unique characters. It is complex, human, and moving; its sole purpose is to tell a story. Those wishing to keep a finger on the pulse of next culture must add video games to their litmus test. I do not know how far the next generation will latch on to games as a medium for self-definition but I do know that it is an exciting development and something new for us to consider.