The contrasting experience of story-driven videogame and novel: a narratological case study of The Witcher novels and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Abstract

The rapid evolution of videogames has made them an increasingly capable storytelling medium. Adapting stories told through traditional media, such as novels, as videogames has also become more common as a result. Conveying a narrative through an interactive videogame is different from doing so through a traditional novel, due to the markedly different formats and methods of consumption. As a case study, this research aimed to compare and contrast the narratological experience of The Witcher novels and its videogame adaptation The Witcher 3. This franchise and its entries were chosen due to popularity and status as a quality franchise. Participants from an online fan-group who had both read the novels and played the videogame filled in a survey. The survey was split up in three categories: general questions, questions aiming to measure engagement and questions measuring adaptation from novels to videogame and enjoyment issues resulting from this adaptation. Results showed that the videogame was found to be more engaging than the novels and had a higher replay value. Additionally, it was considered a successful adaptation of the novels. Auxiliary factors such as graphics, soundtrack/effects and interactivity enhanced the narrative experience. The research was possibly limited by not considering the effect of playing the videogame on multiple consoles and not filtering respondents. This research shows the potential of a videogame to convey a narrative and as a medium for adapting traditional media. Future research could expand on these findings by including other franchises and ‘create-your-own-character’ videogames. The Witcher, narratology, adaptation, videogame, interactivity