Games Within Games Within Games…

Gamers have big imaginations. That may be obvious to many but in many ways the popular stigma of gamers as slack jawed buffoons who dwell in their parent’s basement, or worse, claw after fiddling micro-transactions on their phone or favorite Blizzard product still persists. Nevertheless, humanity seeks engagement. We seek to be enthralled, to be transported to a world beyond our own and live there if only for a moment. This is especially true in gaming. Stereotypical detractions aside many who seek to play a game do so because they want to experience this inherently human exercise in creation and wonder. So new game narratives are drawn like an architect’s blueprint and much to the surprise of said builders, many gamers create stories outside of the main quest. Whole pages on social media are filled with thousands upon thousands of unique character backstories, artists fill canvas after canvas of fan art depicting their characters, and entire cons are filled with cosplays embodying these fan characters. Indeed, terms like OC and headcanon have become common place to describe stories that exist both in the framework of the game and the extended story in a player’s meta narrative.

This is why it’s troubling to see content holders restrict their players. It was frankly disgusting when Nintendo went after YouTube let’s players, fan artists, and gaming press itself, mass flagging content for monetization rights or outright removing the content altogether. It was awful to see Rockstar shut down a modding community who complied with every rule to make their headcanons an in game reality. It was cringe worthy to see Sony restrict their player’s creativity in Fallout 4 and Skyrim Special Edition in regards to mods for the sake of ownership.

Yes, these issues are complex and go far beyond a creative dispute between the platform holders and the players. Yes, these platform holders are within their legal rights to do all of these things and manage their products as they see fit. But if the recent revival/renaissance of Dungeons and Dragons has reminded us of anything, it’s that gaming is utterly unique among new media. Yes, D&D is a tabletop game but the point remains that no movie or book or song requires the kind of direct feedback games do. Thus there is always a direct give and take between game makers and their players.

In other words, if a game is created with no one around to play it, can it truly be called a game? Of course not, and yet we have publishers constantly trying to crack down on individuals’ right to enjoy the content and experience the game their way. Many of these players honor the experience presented to them and just want to enhance it with in lore additions or gameplay improvements. Some Mods are practically essential in Bethesda’s games as they are infamous for glitches beyond the occasional disappearing NPCs or backwards flying dragons. Game breaking bugs that render certain quests unplayable can be fixed with mods. Yet those mods are now restricted by the very publisher that should be embracing or downright thanking them.

That’s why these games within games are so vital. For in an industry that is pushing everyday for more automated systems and algorithms to monitor player data while pushing for “player retention” with every E3 in dehumanizing robotic voices, there is a long term foul up expanding into a dirty bubble that will one-day pop. Time and time again players have shown that content is what drives retention. Content that allows players to experience that oh so human exercise of creation. Just two years ago The Witcher 3 broke sales expectations by selling over ten million copies worldwide and breaking the bank with over $63.3 million US in profits, all without any cut content, micro transactions or predatory bots/algorithms scalping player data. Instead, they had a steady stream of content to keep players coming back. Yes, even though the Witcher gives you a pre-established character to play with it still provides a loose framework and gives express permission to customize the thoughts, feelings, and meta headcanons of and about Geralt of Rivia.

This remains true in other RPGS as well where role playing is in the name. Returning to my example of Dungeons and Dragons, Wizards of the Coast offers new adventure guide books that keep engagement high. Furthermore, D&D 5E reached a new zenith due to streaming shows like Critical Role and The Adventure Zone, where groups of creators welcome their viewers into their space to show them how fun and fulfilling it is to write your own story.

For in the end that’s all it takes from you content creators. Having the courage to step aside and let another story beyond yourselves begin. By all means check piracy at the door, protect your work and nurture it past the point of shipping. But remember that your work lives beyond you and as a writer myself I can attest to the fact that while it can be hard there is no feeling quite like seeing your child take on a life of it’s own as it inspires new storytellers in kind. These wonderful OCs and headcanons can only exist if we allow players to engage on their own terms. These games within games within games need only simple permission to exist. So to all the Nintendos, Rockstars, and Sonys of the world I say let your audience write their fan fiction, draw their fan art, create their fan videos, and above all, let players play.

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