Rephonic
Artwork for Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast

Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast

inkle
Narrative Design
Game Narrative Kaleidoscope
Shadows Of Doubt
Assassin's Creed
Player Co-Author
Miles Morales
Procedural Generation
Black Flag
Naughty Dog
Spotlight On Stark Holborn
Inkle
The Chinese Room
Authenticity In Games
Focus Testing / Npcs With Narrative Utility
Gamergate
The Last Of Us Part II
Dialogue Systems
World Building

Join hosts Jon Ingold (inkle) and Sagar Beroshi (The Chinese Room) in conversation with authors from the Game Narrative Kaleidoscope, as they discuss all aspects of the craft of interactive writing and narrative design.

Find out more about the Kaleidoscope at inklestudios.com/kaleidoscope

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes8Founded2 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GamesLeisure

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast

Latest Episodes

A Smorgasbord

Join us as narrative expert Ian Thomas from The Chinese Room expands the boundaries of story design. What can computer RPGs learn from a live-action roleplaying game set in the world of The Three Musketeers? And how do we encourage pl... more

Microbranching: Big Reactivity with Small Effort

We're joined by Kate Gray (Moonstone Island, Hello Kitty Island Adventure) who tells us about microbranching in dialogue. Small decisions without long-term impacts can free up the player to funnier i... more

Swiss Cheese and Soda Cans: Writing for Proc-Gen Systems

Novelist and narrative designer Stark Holborn joins us to talk about the procedural generation systems of Shadows of Doubt. How do you ensure a generated world has character and style? How sy... more

Call Me by Your Name

Ex-Naughty Dog narrative designer Josh Scherr joins us to discuss the best ways to employ reactive dialogue: in action sequences, puzzle sequences, and the quieter moments in between, with first-hand examples drawn from The Las... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Post Games
Post GamesChris Plante
Shelved By Genre
Shelved By GenreRanged Touch
Remap Radio
Remap RadioRemap Radio
Maintenance Phase
Maintenance PhaseAubrey Gordon & Michael Hobbes

Recent Guests

Kate Gray
Writer, journalist, and game narrative designer
Independent / Nintendo Life contributor
Episode: Episode 6: Kate Gray
Stark Holborn
Novelist and games writer; lead narrative writer on Shadows of Doubt; author
Shadows of Doubt, Hopetown, Nunslinger
Episode: Episode 5: Stark Holborn
Josh Scherr
Game narrative design consultant, former Naughty Dog narrative lead
Cautionary Tales
Episode: Episode 4: Josh Scherr
Mary Kenney
Senior writer and narrative director in video games
Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales; Marvel's Wolverine; The Walking Dead Season 4 (Telltale)
Episode: Episode 3: Mary Kenney
Sagar Beroshi
Narrative designer and writer, The Chinese Room
The Chinese Room
Episode: Episode 1: Sagar Beroshi
Darby McDevitt
Narrative director and lead writer on Assassin's Creed Black Flag
Ubisoft (Assassin's Creed)
Episode: Episode 2: Darby McDevitt

Hosts

Sagar Beroshi
Narrative designer and writer affiliated with The Chinese Room; co-host and frequent guest on game narrative discussions.
Jon Ingold
Narrative designer and writer, affiliated with Inkle; co-host bringing industry experience from narrative-led adventures.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 6 ratings
  • The Art and Craft of Game Narrative

    Just a few episodes in, but this is already an essential listen for writers interested or involved in games. Two knowledgeable hosts interviewing a writer in a focused, in-depth interview on their work and techniques. No fuss, no distraction, just an informative conversation to sit in on.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cerandor2
    Ireland15 days ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Thoughtful, craft-forward discussions with practical takeaways for writers.
Hosts keep conversations focused on process and technique rather than hype.
High-quality interviews with deep dives into narrative design and dialogue systems.
Guests span AAA and indie, offering broad perspective on game narratives.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#232
United States/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#28
France/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#189
France/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#229
Germany/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#27
Singapore/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#38
Ireland/Leisure/Games

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 6: Kate Gray
Q: So could you please, your article was called Microbranching Big Reactivity with Small Effort. What's your argument? What's your concept?
The concept argues for expressive, in-the-moment responses to player input that feel reactive without requiring massive branching trees; microbranches provide flavor and individuality while keeping the core narrative tight and accessible.
Episode 2: Darby McDevitt
Q: What role does the 'obligatory scene' play in game storytelling, and how can developers use it without becoming predictable?
The obligatory scene should hint at a larger narrative question that the gameplay can't fully answer, keeping true drama alive; it should be used to propel curiosity rather than deliver a predictable outcome.
Episode 2: Darby McDevitt
Q: How do you balance giving a player a sense of agency with maintaining a coherent, cell-structured narrative in a AAA project?
By designing with tight rails that define where choices matter and by ensuring character goals and plot beats are aligned with those rails, so player actions still serve the story without undermining it.
Episode 2: Darby McDevitt
Q: Why do you think the clash between game mechanics and narrative is so common in linear action-adventure titles?
Because those games promise continuous forward momentum and clear victories, but strong drama often requires ambiguity and risk, which can feel at odds with a linear structure and the player's drive to complete objectives.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast

What is Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A deep-docused series exploring interactive writing and narrative design for games, featuring long-form conversations with seasoned writers and narrative directors from notable studios. Episodes repeatedly examine how player agency, author intent, and production constraints shape dialogue, world-building, and pacing, with practical tips on blockouts, writing under word limits, and balancing emergent storytelling with a structured narrative. Noteworthy is the mix of AAA and indie perspectives, plus guests who bring hands-on experience from high-profile projects and a willingness to discuss industry challenges like harassment, audience trust, and collaboration within writers' rooms.

Where can I find podcast stats for Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast:

1. Post Games
2. Shelved By Genre
3. A More Civilized Age: A Star Wars Podcast
4. Remap Radio
5. Maintenance Phase

How many episodes of Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast are there?

Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast launched 2 months ago and published 8 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast?

Recent guests on Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast include:

1. Kate Gray
2. Stark Holborn
3. Josh Scherr
4. Mary Kenney
5. Sagar Beroshi
6. Darby McDevitt

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days