A Visit to The Story Arcade by Louisa Farrow

Recently, The Story Museum in Oxford launched a new interactive exhibition called The Story Arcade.  FCBG member, Louisa Farrow, went along to the launch party to discover more. She shares her thoughts below.

The Story Arcade

Is there a parent out there who hasn’t worried about their child’s gaming? That worry pushes us into a defensive mindset. Gaming becomes a problem. From there, it’s a short step to blaming it for all manner of (unwelcome) social change, including the sharp decline in reading for pleasure.

It is exciting to see The Story Museum push back so convincingly against this narrative of worry and blame. Their immersive new gallery, The Story Arcade, presents gaming as another medium for shared story-telling, grounding it within a much longer tradition.

It traces the evolution of storytelling through video games, from early, plot-driven classics like Space Invaders and Donkey Kong through to the vast open-world adventures of today. As it does so, it explores how technology has reshaped – and continues to reshape – story-telling techniques.

A carefully curated selection of landmark games waits ready to be played on custom-built arcade machines. The installations allow visitors to observe the world through the eyes of a cat or engage with arctic demons as an Inupiaq girl. They can enter a post-apocalyptic flooded world or puzzle their way around Moominvalley as Snuffkin.

All this makes clear that (just as great stories do) the best video games encourage participants to see the world from different perspectives, placing the player at the heart of emotionally complex and meaningful experiences. The power of video games to develop creativity and empathy and cultural awareness is vividly demonstrated by example.

Sharna Jackson who was consulted on the new gallery brims with enthusiasm for the way that it ‘explores the incredible artistry and scope of storytelling through video games,’ and illustrates how players can ‘step into the shoes of a diverse range of characters, exploring fantastical worlds, making decisions that inform the narrative of the game… experiencing a range of emotions: empathy, curiosity, resilience and hope’.

Children and parents are encouraged to learn, play, imagine and enjoy themselves together, sharing stories told through video games. Visit The Story Arcade this summer for a dose of joyous, story-telling fun.

 

More information can be found at https://www.storymuseum.org.uk/explore/the-story-arcade