Stories have the power to move us like nothing else and I will take you on a journey into the heart of storytelling in video games. With a deep love for stories, I’ll explore why we tell stories and how they impact us in ways we never thought possible. Drawing on my own experience of creating emotionally engaging games, I’ll share tips, tricks, and rules for crafting unforgettable stories that will touch players’ hearts and leave them yearning for more. From finding inspiration to creating satisfying endings, this talk is a love letter to the art of storytelling in all its forms. No matter if you are an experienced storyteller, an amateur writer, a marketer or a studio head, as long as you see the value of telling good stories this talk is for you!

I’m Sebastiaan van Waardenberg, a storytelling junkie and one of the founders of Story Giant Games. As a studio director, creative director, (on/off) game designer, level designer and writer, I wear more hats than a magician at a children’s party. But one of my favorite hats is my storycrafter’s hat. Composing compelling characters, piecing together the perfect plot and creating immersive worlds is my passion, and I’ve poured that passion into games like “Heart’s Medicine”, the “Delicious” series and our latest game “Text Express” (Winner of Best Puzzle Game 2022). It is also the goal of Story Giant Games, where we focus on great emotional storytelling in games and we pride ourselves in creating characters you want to spend time with and worlds you want to live in. So if you like talking and listening to someone who loves stories, then I’m your guy! And I can’t wait to share my love of storytelling with you, so hopefully one day I can experience your stories!