Emotional Evolution in Gaming: The Legacy of thatgamecompany

Games have always been capable of evoking emotions, even bringing players to tears. However, historically, eliciting such feelings has not been the primary goal of the medium. Twenty years ago, one developer made it their mission to focus explicitly on emotions in gaming, leading to the creation of thatgamecompany, the studio behind Flow, Flower, and Journey. The latter, upon its 2012 release, became a frontrunner and winner of several "Game of the Year" awards.

Reflecting on the Studio's Impact

In a recent interview with Edge Magazine, thatgamecompany's president and creative director, Jenova Chen, reflected on the studio's legacy and its success in realizing its emotional ambitions. According to Chen, the period spanning Flow to Journey marked a significant shift in the gaming industry, setting the stage for broader changes that continue to unfold today.

Chen stated, "After three games, we thought we had influenced the industry to some extent. We saw triple-A games like God of War and The Last of Us, which started to pick serious, emotional subjects, very personal subjects."

He further added, "I think that's a positive influence we had on the industry. And I was feeling pretty happy for the growth of the industry because that's what the players asked us to do."

Critical Acclaim and Transcending Mediums

Each of the games Chen referenced went on to earn critical acclaim for their mature and emotional narratives. Their impact has transcended the gaming medium. For instance:

• The Last of Us: Now an award-winning HBO TV adaptation that is entering its third season.
• God of War: Amazon has committed to producing at least two seasons of a show based on the 2018 game and its sequel, Ragnarok.

According to Chen, this widespread influence inspired thatgamecompany's next project, the mobile-first and pacifistic MMO Sky: Children of the Light. The studio aimed to "do something in the mobile industry to change people's view on games [at a broader scale]."

The Development and Philosophy Behind Sky

Creating Sky was not without its challenges. The team spent approximately two years addressing monetization strategies, which contributed to the game's extended development timeline. For comparison:

• Journey: Took three years to develop.
• Sky: Required seven years and a larger development team.

Even as Sky enters its seventh year as a live-service game, Chen maintains that thatgamecompany's central mission is to curate experiences centered on emotion. He explained, "Ever since Journey, and continuing with Sky, we're playing with a new dimension. If you compare cinema and games, games have everything cinema has, but they also have interaction with input and output. With Sky, I'm playing with a second instrument, which is social dynamics."

Pioneering Emotional and Social Gaming

Chen's focus on "social dynamics" has not only helped thatgamecompany weather the challenges of the gaming industry but also enabled the studio to continue exceeding expectations and pioneering emotional storytelling in games.

Interestingly, Chen found inspiration from World of Warcraft, describing it as a "savior." He highlighted the "beautiful moments" shared between Horde and Alliance players as a key influence on his own approach to designing emotionally resonant games.