game based cultural storytelling

For as long as humans have had the ability to communicate we’ve been telling stories. Before the invention of writing, these stories were passed through generations through oral stories, rituals and plays. The stories, which have stood the test of time, explore universal human themes in a highly engaging format. Digital games represent a new type of storytelling. Instead of passively listening to or watching a story, in games players impact how the story unfolds, individually and collaboratively. This represents great opportunities and great challenges for game-based cultural storytelling. Gloria O’Neill, CEO of Upper One Games, the first indigenous-owned game company and Alan Gershenfeld, President of E-Line Media, a leading developer and publisher of digital games that engage and empower will describe the inclusive development process, challenges and opportunities for taking cultural storytelling into the modern era through a unique commercial video game they are developing.