Even video games have stories

As I've been doing research for my new N-of-8 book, I've also been finding examples of storytelling in unique media.

Consider these two popular games and the story lines they weave.

Grand Theft Auto is an award-winning video game series created by Dave Jones, later by Dan Houser and Sam Houser, with game designer Zachary Clarke and published by Rockstar Games.

The gameplay consists of a mixture of action, adventure, driving, and occasional role-playing, stealth and racing elements. It has created controversy because of its adult nature and violent themes. The series focuses around many different protagonists who attempt to rise through the ranks of the criminal underworld, although their motives for doing so vary in each game. The antagonists are commonly characters who have betrayed the protagonist or their organization, or who has the most impact impeding their progress.

The stories began in 1997 and have been extended across 9 stand-alone games to date with more planned for the future.

Another example is the multi-player online game City of Heroes that offers a different kind of story formula. According to its website, it is “set in a fantastic world filled with awe-inspiring Heroes and bone-chilling Villains. Countless adventures await you on the streets of Paragon City and the inside the evil empire that is the Rogue Isles.”

The story section gives you a taste of what awaits you inside the world of City of Heroes. You can re-live the Rikti Invasion, meet some of the legends you may find yourself fighting (or fighting beside), and even take a peek into Ghost Widow's most personal thoughts.

And here’s a major difference -- if you feel inspired, you can share your ideas with the game producers by submitting your own City of Heroes fiction using the “Fan Submissions” feature.

Video Games to Treat Cancer?

Not quite a treatment perhaps, but they do help fight it.

Two years ago HopeLab, a non-for-profit, released Re-Mission, a shooter game in which players destroy cancer cells. Pam Omidyar, a tech enthusiast with a background in immunology, came up with idea to get cancer-afflicted teens to stick to their meds.


Just this past summer clinical evidence was published showing that the game actually works. Patients who played for at least an hour a week were more likely to follow their drug regimen.

This is a breakthrough in innovation. Video games could possibly be applied to other diseases and conditions.