Abstract

By drawing a line between seemingly two disparate phenomena, the introduction of story elements into videogames by Japanese developers working during the latter part of the last century and the current efforts of Indigenous game developers to tell stories with videogames in the current one, this thesis links the productive practices of two different groups: independent game developers in Japan, and high school students on the Kahnawake Mohawk reserve outside Montreal. Practices are placed in the broader context of storied creators working during the ‘Golden Era’ of the Japanese games industry in the 1980’s, and North American developers working, with the help of Indigenous consultants, to develop AAA games featuring Indigenous content in the 2010’s.

By first looking at the formal innovations in storytelling that the Japanese games industry brought to the medium and then, through analysis of a series of interviews with independent game developers working in that same industry, this thesis critically considers how independent developers in Japan develop games. Finally, by reviewing three of examples of Indigenous game development in North America, this thesis discusses how the practices might be transferable.