How can your game win the 'attention war?' Turn to storytelling

At GDC 2026, writers Alexa Ray Corriea and Adam Dolin argued that strong storytelling and narrative design are effective tools for winning the so-called 'attention war' against competing platforms. Using Steam achievement data from The Messenger — where more players unlocked a hidden narrative moment than finished the game — Dolin showed that how text is presented is itself a design decision. Corriea made the case for complex, potentially divisive stories, backed by research showing that exposure to opposing viewpoints reduces hostility and that interactive storytelling (e.g., Detroit: Become Human) increases empathy. Their core message: players are capable of nuance, and taking creative risks with writing and narrative systems drives deeper engagement than playing it safe.