Anna Green, an English major at Kennesaw State University, was named a Platinum Winner in the Game Narrative Review competition affiliated with the Game Developers Conference (GDC), according to a Mar. 18 announcement. Green was one of only three students nationally to receive the highest distinction and was invited to present her work in San Francisco.
The recognition highlights the growing importance of narrative analysis within the video game industry and showcases academic contributions from university students. The GDC is considered one of the largest gatherings for game developers worldwide, making this achievement notable for both Green and Kennesaw State University.
Green’s award-winning paper began as a midterm assignment in her Interactive Narrative and Games course, taught by Victoria Lagrange, assistant professor of game narrative. The course examines how storytelling in games differs from traditional media such as books or films. “A game narrative is about how the story unfolds through the player’s experience,” Green said. “It’s interactive in a way that other forms of storytelling can’t replicate.”
For her submission, Green analyzed Bayonetta, a 2009 action-adventure game, focusing on themes like female identity and empowerment. She explained that analyzing a game’s narrative involves examining how gameplay mechanics and environment reinforce storytelling elements: “A game narrative analysis is just stripping down the game and focusing on how things like the game play and the environment and all these other aspects work to reinforce the narrative and push it forward in a way that other types of media like books or films can’t.”
Lagrange praised Green’s originality and research skills throughout the semester: “Anna was a great writer and thoughtful researcher throughout the semester.” Lagrange also noted that while previous students had been invited to present at GDC, this was the first time one received Platinum distinction: “It’s a wonderful recognition for Anna and a great reflection of the cutting-edge research our English students are doing.”
As she prepares to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in professional writing, Green said this recognition marks an important milestone: “It feels like such a lovely way to finish my time here,” she said. She added that support from Kennesaw State helped make her trip possible.
Green now sees new career possibilities in narrative design for games: “I always loved storytelling,” she said. “This helped me realize that I’m capable of contributing to video game narratives.” She encourages fellow students not to hesitate when submitting their work: “Don’t be afraid to submit your work,” Green said. “Just throw it at the wall. Who knows? Sometimes it sticks.”
