The games industry is now bigger than Hollywood and, for millions of people, it’s video games, more than books, films or TV, that are setting the cultural agenda. As games become more sophisticated, the skills a writer brings to the project are more important than ever, but what exactly does a games writer do? Is it about dialogue, or level design, or both? And what happens when the player is in control of the story?
Antony Johnston is an award-winning author of graphic novels, video games and books including Wasteland, Umbral, The Fuse, Shadow of Mordor, Dead Space, The Coldest City and ZombiU. He has adapted books by bestselling novelist Anthony Horowitz, collaborated with comics legend Alan Moore, and reinvented Marvel’s flagship character Wolverine for manga.
Robert Morgan is a writer and narrative designer. He was the lead writer on the Develop Award-winning Wonderbook: Book of Spells and its sequel Book of Potions, both produced in collaboration with JK Rowling. He has written for apps, Augmented Reality Games and browser games, including the award-winning Samsara. His work tends to focus on balancing richness and responsiveness in games and interactive fiction: how do you tell a rich story, while letting your player or reader feel ownership of it?
Chairperson: Joe Griffin