GAME NARRATIVE WORKSHOP - 5 WEEKS

249€

Learn how to craft compelling stories for games - no prior experience required.

This workshop, led by Alina Brazdeikene (creative lead with 12+ years in game production and narrative design), will introduce you to the fundamentals of storytelling for games and give you hands-on practice in writing for interactive experiences. You’ll explore how narrative fits into game development, how to design meaningful choices, and how to bring characters and worlds to life.

LIVE sessions with hands-on mentorship! Limited spots available.

Enroll now!

“Case studies were the most interesting part. Since I am not a gamer myself, it was very interesting to hear how different game concepts work and how games can have even an emotional effect on you.”

— previous narrative workshop participant

The practical session was particularly valuable to me. I have been missing practise-based, low-threshold opportunities where writers without a gaming background can try out game narrative writing and experience the differences compared to traditional mediums.”

— previous narrative workshop participant

WHAT IS INCLUDED?

All shared course materials and case studies.

Live expert-led sessions via Zoom.

Access to a private Discord community to connect with your mentor and other game developers.

Hands-on writing exercises and feedback on your own work.

Option to book follow-up mentoring sessions with Alina

A Certificate of Completion from Game UP! Academy.

Who is it for?

This beginner-friendly workshop is ideal for anyone curious about game storytelling. You will learn the fundamentals of narrative design step by step - from how game stories differ from linear media to designing choices, characters, and dialogue for interactive experiences.

Whether you are a writer, student, game developer, or creative professional with no prior game experience, this workshop gives you a practical introduction to narrative design and the confidence to start writing for games.

What You’ll Learn

    • Understanding core game fundamentals: gameplay vs story

    • How narrative evolved in games (case studies)

    • Small practical task: analyzing storytelling techniques in milestone titles

    • Game fundamentals II: 3Cs (camera, character, controls), gameplay systems, game loops, metagame

    • Why narrative matters to the writer

    • The development pipeline and team roles

    • “Under the hood” - tools of the trade

    • How money flows in production and how it shapes narrative jobs

    • Case studies and short writing task

    • Emergent vs Embedded storytelling

    • Linear vs Branching narratives

    • Narrative mechanics and player agency

    • Genre expectations and how they influence story tone

    • Case studies with guided discussion

    • Practical work: creating a project brief

    • Defining the core story focus

    • Translating ideas into clear goals and scope

    • Writing the story + gameplay outline

    • Defining narrative structure

    • Drafting and refining core narrative documents ready for production

  • By the end of this workshop, you will:

    • Understand how game narrative differs from traditional linear storytelling

    • Recognize key genres, milestone games, and approaches in narrative design

    • Learn how to integrate story with gameplay effectively

    • Get familiar with core narrative workflows, documents, and pipelines used in game development

    • Practice writing for interactive experiences, including choices and emotional stakes

    • Explore story ideation, character creation, and dialogue writing

    • Gain confidence in applying narrative design techniques, even without prior game experience

    • Receive optional feedback on your own writing from an experienced narrative designer

Schedule & Format

Make sure to be subscribed to our newsletter to be the first to know when the registration opens!

Only 10 spots available!

Each class runs for 3 hours with a break in the middle.

Classes will be scheduled either on weekday evenings or on weekends (Estonian time). When you register, you can indicate which option works best for you.

The course will begin in Autumn 2025, once the group is full.

Alina Brazdeikene

Narrative & Game Production

Creative lead with a rare mix of narrative and production expertise, Alina brings 15+ years of experience in building remote teams, crafting strong pipelines, and leading full-scope projects across platforms.
She’s worked on titles like Simpsons: Tapped Out, The X-Files: Deep State, Bus Simulator 21, and Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous.

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