This week we’re sharing some of our favorite games and game moments to celebrate World Storytelling Day!
World Storytelling Day is a global celebration of oral storytelling around March 20, when people worldwide share stories in many languages and places to exchange inspiration and build international connections.
Let’s check in with the team now
When I think of storytelling in video games, the first title that comes to mind is Elden Ring. What draws me in most is how the game requires active effort to uncover its full narrative: you must seek out specific items whose descriptions provide crucial context about key characters and the shattered world around you. This environmental approach rewards curiosity rather than spelling everything out through cutscenes or dialogue.
The game’s vast open world invites endless exploration, offering dozens of side quests that gradually reveal the intertwined storylines of memorable NPCs. I especially enjoyed piecing together the lore behind each major boss and the allies who guide you on your journey.
Admittedly, some players can finish the entire game without experiencing the complete story, since the narrative is deliberately indirect and never hand-held like in more conventional titles. Yet that is exactly why I love this style of storytelling. It pushes me to explore every corner of the Lands Between and leave no stone unturned, turning discovery itself into part of the adventure.
— Kevin S., Client Success
When it comes to video games, gameplay and mechanics are usually the main focus, and I wholeheartedly agree that they should be. Still, sometimes you just want a great story to go along with it. For me, that game is Dragon Age: Origins. I absolutely adore what BioWare created. I love its world, its themes, and more importantly, its characters. I keep coming back to the world of Thedas even after finishing the game. I would go out of my way to look up random bits of lore on the wiki and spend hours reading instead of studying for school. It even got to the point where I started buying books just to experience more of that world.
Over time, the story has shifted with each new entry, for better or worse, especially the latest one, Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Even so, I am still grateful for the time I spent with Origins. There are times when I just want to sit down and enjoy the gameplay, but it is also nice to have a story that stays with you long after you are done playing.
— Andrew S., Asst. Producer
Game storytelling is what transforms a good game into something unforgettable. Mechanics may hook players at first, but it’s the narrative, the emotional weight, the stakes, the journey that keeps them invested for years, even decades. That’s why so many of the most enduring titles aren’t just fun to play, but powerful to experience. Games with tight, well-crafted storylines create worlds you don’t just visit, you live in them. In contrast, simpler puzzle or casual games might offer quick bursts of entertainment, but they rarely leave a lasting impression. It’s the deeper stories, the ones that challenge characters and push them through hardship, that resonate the most. Series like Diablo, The Legend of Zelda, and Final Fantasy continue to thrive because they pull players into rich, evolving narratives. Personally, I’ve always been drawn to Diablo’s darker storytelling. The eternal conflict between angels and demons, the burden of the Nephilim, and the constant tension between destiny and destruction. I don’t find myself as engaged with stories that remain pleasant from start to finish; I prefer narratives that test their heroes, that force them to confront fear, endure suffering, and ultimately rise stronger. Just like mythology, the most compelling game stories are those where victory is earned through struggle, and where the journey shapes the hero as much as the outcome.
— Justin J., Asst. Project Manager
One of my all-time best storytelling moments in gaming, surprisingly ,comes from the MMORPG genre.
Certainly not the most well known for impactful stories and plot development beyond collecting 12 wolf pelts, I know, but some MMOs got it right more than once.
Some of my favorites have been both of the beginner Sith storylines in Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic leading up to the lightsaber unlock moment. FFXI, the betrayal, redemption, and evolution of the Galka from the Shadowlord story arc. The Estinien Wormblood dragoon story arc in FFXIV: Heavensward – such drama! All better than Game of Thrones for my money.
There were many more great stories in MMORPGs which can be easy to overlook when dailies, end-game grind and guild drama looms over every title, but it’s nice to slow down and remember the story-craft that can come from this often unlikely source.
Honorable Mentions:
- Vaan impersonates Basch in FFXII
- The revelation of Mordin Solus’s background in Mass Effect 2
- Unlock questlines for Inaros, Dagath, and Caliban in Warframe
— Mace T. Project Manager
