MEDIA RELEASE: Forget About It – No More Amnesiac Protagonists
For too long, amnesiacs have been over-represented in video game protagonists. However, this is not because the video game industry respects the memory loss syndrome. Instead, this is because video game plot writers—the most oppressed group in society—are lazy, uncreative hacks who think the easiest way to let the player choose their character’s path is to make the character an amnesiac.
By making the playable protagonist an amnesiac, game developers now have carte blanche to have both story mechanics and plot points lazily dictated to the protagonist.
Unlisted Thoughts and the Observatory for Video Games Plots and Stories, with the assistance of TV Tropes, believe that video game plot writers can do better. In the Observatory’s study of 16 video games where the protagonist is an amnesiac, they identified 12 alternative back stories that would have also worked. Additionally, they also suggest game developers can find better ways to integrate tutorial mechanics.
“I played Knights of the Old Republic. It’s brilliant, that is, but I just don’t see why my character just don’t know anything,” James ‘Frogert23’ Song said. Song suggests that games can take the Balder’s Gate 3 route of having some protagonists be amnesiac while others have established memories and backgrounds.
Gamers might not deserve better, but we think they should get better plot writing.
We grant an exception to games where the plot revolves around seeking the character’s memories. However, this can get contrived if the character turns out to be evil in the past or—heaven forbid—it was magic.
Enough is enough. We do not need more amnesiac protagonists.
We ask all video game plot writers to step up and do what’s right.
Acting Executive Director of the Observatory for Video Game Plots and Stories Ban Ki-Moon Please said:
“Amnesia should not be a tool for lazy writing. If we keep letting writers get away with it, I might need to give myself a memory deficit.”
TV Tropes Acting Senior Troper FuriousDragon said:
“It was innovative and new the first time, but having the reveal be that the action character in a full-body suit is a woman is tired and plays on old stereotypes. If you reveal that they’re an amnesiac—that’ll surprise me.”
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Media Contact: John Curtin