Grief in Video Games: Understanding Loss and Mourning with Narrative Design

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ART/icle: Sanat ve Tasarım Dergisi
Cilt: 5 Sayı: 2 Özel Sayısı
Grief in Video Games: Understanding Loss and Mourning with Narrative Design

Grief in Video Games: Understanding Loss and Mourning with Narrative Design

Authors : Özgür Kalender

Pages : 293-314

Doi:10.56590/stdarticle.1767529

View : 243 | Download : 761

Publication Date : 2025-10-28

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The Purpose of the Study: This study explores how video games portray grief through storytelling, visual design, and gameplay. It argues that video games can express complex emotions like loss and healing by involving players directly in the experience, offering something unique compared to other media. Literature Review / Background: As video games grow into expressive storytelling tools, researchers and designers have started to examine how they represent emotions. Works by scholars like Hocking, Isbister, and Ahmed show how game mechanics, visuals, and sound can shape emotional responses. This study builds on those ideas, treating games as emotional texts that combine narrative and interaction. Method: The study uses a qualitative, interpretive method through thematic analysis. It focuses on ten narrative-based games: Spiritfarer, Firewatch, Gris, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, What Remains of Edith Finch, Life is Strange, To the Moon, That Dragon, Cancer, Before Your Eyes, and The Stillness of the Wind. Each game is analyzed through story, visuals, sound, gameplay, and emotional tone. Results: The findings show that grief is represented in many ways, from symbolic storytelling to realistic scenes and choices. Games combine sound, pacing, and interaction to create emotional impact. They offer players space to reflect and emotionally engage with the narrative, rather than just follow a story. Conclusion: Video games portray grief well because they allow players to experience it actively. Grief is not just a theme but a part of game design. As games evolve, they offer meaningful ways to connect with loss, healing, and emotional expression through play.
Keywords : Yas, Video Oyunları, Anlatı Tasarımı, Matemi Deneyimlemek, Oyuncu Deneyimi, Etkileşimli Anlatı

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