“The Wolf Among Us” - How interactive storytelling is the future of a strong involved narrative.

      So last weekend I played through episodes 2 and 3 of The Wolf Among Us - the interactive storytelling game from Tell Tale Games. I found the game to be really enjoyable and I find that this style of game is rising in popularity. However what I am also finding is that for the most part these games are more interactive stories than heavy mechanic based games with a win/loss condition. This got me to thinking about the future of this concept. 

      Interactive storytelling could very well be the future of narrative. Could you imagine a television show in which the story branches and changes by your choice? I find that idea to be really fascinating. This could create a lot of social buzz and would get people talking about these types of shows. I think that games like the ones Tell Tale have created (along with concepts taken from Bioware’s games and even dating back to choose-your-own-adventure stories) could really be where stories and narratives could be heading. 

      This isn’t to say that the standard linear story is dead, far from it. There will always be a place for people to tell their story without input from the audience. However I believe that the public has a very strong desire to interact with content, and who doesn’t like the ability to have some “control”?

      The implications of this type of storytelling could be huge. Considering the added costs associated with having a branching storyline, this would certainly be quite the undertaking. However, the data gathered by the viewers choice could be huge! This could have advertising implications, and could generate future ideas for where to take these stories. It’s a very exciting idea that I would hope someone out there is at least considering. 

      As we can see, all around us the line between games and entertainment is blurring more and more with these new games and the demand that is being placed on them to be interactive, immersive and compelling. I’m really looking forward to episodes 4 and 5 in this game series and I’m sure they will be just as immersive as the first 3.