From Deathloop to Death Stranding: Exploring the Meaning of Death in Gaming

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With the release of the long-awaited Elden Ring, gamers around the world have been gushing over the breathtaking vistas of the Lands Between and sharing the characters they created using the game's robust character creator system. Amongst all the beauty is a lot of dying, as one would expect from a FromSoftware title, but Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki intends for death to be a meaningful and enjoyable experience for gamers. It may seem counterintuitive at first, but the frustration of death makes the hard-won victory that eventually comes much sweeter.

Although it is typically considered a morbid topic in everyday life, death is front and center in many video games. Miyazaki is not the only industry person who has thought deeply about the meaning and impact of death in gaming. Throughout gaming's history, developers have tinkered with the appearance of death, both as a narrative element and a gameplay mechanic. As is the case with any other artistic medium, video games often make audiences reflect on big ideas, and gaming's varied approaches to death have introduced novel ways for gamers to think about mortality.

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In many games, death as a gameplay mechanic can end up harming the strength of the narrative. For instance, the impact of the main character dying in a cutscene can be dampened if players have seen that same character die over and over again during gameplay with no consequences. Some games have avoided this issue and harmonized gameplay and story by ensuring that death gameplay mechanics complement the narrative. Miyazaki has experimented with death in such a manner in the Dark Souls series.

The world of Dark Souls is macabre, and it features fearsome monsters