Why Is Game Writing So Terrible? (2021)
Many players argue that writing in big-budget video games is weak, often feeling like shallow, trope-driven scripts aimed at the broadest possible audience rather than thoughtful narratives. Others counter that standout titles like Baldur’s Gate 3, Disco Elysium, Planescape: Torment, and Horizon Zero Dawn show games can deliver rich storytelling, while noting that interactivity, branching choices, and production constraints make game writing uniquely difficult. The exchange also compares games to films, TV, and books, highlighting how low expectations, genre snobbery, and market pressures shape what kind of stories get told — and how well.
Overall sense of game writing quality
- Many commenters agree most videogame writing is mediocre, especially in large-budget titles, and that expectations among players are low.
- Others argue there is plenty of strong writing, but it tends to be clustered in specific genres (RPGs, indies) rather than across the industry.
- Several note that players often praise “okay” writing simply because it’s better than the usual baseline.
Examples: celebrated vs overrated
- Baldur’s Gate 3 is the lightning rod:
- Fans: writing is excellent “for what it is,” comparable to blockbuster superhero movies; nonlinear structure and reactivity are unprecedentedly polished.
- Critics: prose and characterization are generic, adolescent, or overrated; nonlinearity is less unique than advertised and sometimes breaks character consistency.
- Other games cited positively: Planescape: Torment, Disco Elysium, Fallout 1–2, classic CRPGs, Horizon Zero Dawn, The Last of Us, Witcher 3, Kentucky Route Zero, Betrayal at Krondor, Bioshock, SOMA.
- Some dismiss highly praised titles (including big JRPGs and certain shooters) as incoherent, tropey, or padded.
Worldbuilding vs story
- Strong distinction between settings/lore and actual narrative.
- Tabletop-derived universes (e.g., multiverse fantasy settings) get praise for depth and flexibility, but commenters stress that great settings often support middling stories.
Interactivity and structural constraints
- Multiple comments echo the article: interactivity makes writing harder.
- Branching paths, player agency, and “kill anyone” freedoms demand large amounts of content and clever tricks (illusion of choice, replacement characters).
- Some say many “nonlinear” games only simulate choice; BG3 is seen as having a more robust version of this, though others compare it to earlier CRPGs.
Comparisons to movies, TV, books
- Several note that most films, shows, and books are also poorly written; we just remember the standouts (selection bias).
- Big-budget media of all kinds aim at broad, often teenage-level audiences, which pushes scripts toward simple plots and contemporary quippy dialogue.
What “good writing” means
- Disagreement over criteria:
- Some emphasize prose style and complex characterization.
- Others prioritize structure, worldbuilding, or effective genre execution.
- Awards discourse (literary vs genre prizes) is used to argue that “good writing” is often conflated with particular genres or themes.
Player attitudes toward narrative
- Many players skip cutscenes; unskippable story segments are cited as refund triggers.
- Some argue cutscenes are inherently suspect in an interactive medium; others say games can legitimately sit anywhere on the spectrum between film and pure systems play.
- Emergent stories from sandbox/systems-driven games (e.g., Minecraft, Dwarf Fortress–style) are highlighted as some players’ most meaningful “narratives.”