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Session Name: Writing Games for a Distracted, Polarized, Media-Illiterate World
Speaker(s): Adam Dolin, Alexa Ray Corriea
Company Name(s): Independent, Gearbox
Track / Format: Narrative & Performance
Overview: In a media landscape shaped by algorithms, distraction, and polarization, can writers still craft stories that require critical thinking? This talk argues not only that they can, but that they must. We'll explore how trusting the player's intelligence and rewarding deep engagement are essential for pushing our medium forward, and how these types of narratives survive studio politics and market pressures. Drawing from projects ranging from Call of Duty to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, this talk examines the state of media literacy, the power of subtext, and the role of discourse in a game's legacy. Attendees will leave with a renewed understanding of how to create meaningful, resonant work without losing their jobs in the process.

Game Developers Conference 2026

Adam Dolin

Independent

Alexa Ray Corriea

Gearbox

free content

Narrative & Performance

Game Narrative