Open Development Still Needs Great Storytelling

Let’s talk about open development. It’s been a method more and more dev teams are espousing—inviting players into the process early, building transparency, and fostering collaboration between devs and their communities. It can be a great way to build loyalty and create a sense of shared ownership. But here’s the thing: if you don’t hook people emotionally first, it doesn’t matter how open you are. You’re just shouting into the void.

Gamers—hell, humans—are storytellers by nature. We connect through shared experiences and emotional beats. That’s why an amazing announcement trailer has been a staple of the industry for so long. Think about the Dead Island trailer. Did it show gameplay? Nope. But it made you feel. That reverse slow-motion sequence, the haunting piano score—it told a story of desperation and loss that immediately grabbed your attention. Same with Gears of War’s Mad World trailer. One minute, and you knew exactly what kind of emotional journey that game was going to take you on.

These trailers didn’t just market a game; they pitched a vision. And in the era of open development, that emotional hook is more important than ever.

Why Storytelling Is Still King

Some of the recent open development projects I’ve seen have missed the mark. They’re transparent, sure. They’ll walk you through the core gameplay loop, progression mechanics, and technical details like a dev diary. But they’re missing the heart. Where’s the vision? Where’s the spark that makes you want to care about this world and its possibilities?

Here’s the reality: you can’t build a community if people don’t care. And people don’t care unless they feel something first. Open development can’t just be a SaaS roadmap or a set of patch notes—it has to start with a story. The kind of story that makes someone sit up and go, “I need to be a part of this.”

Bringing the Magic Back

Think about a game announcement that hit you in the feels the first time you heard about it. That’s the kind of energy studios need to channel at the start of an open development journey. You’re not just inviting people to test a game; you’re asking them to invest in a dream.

In an ideal world, open development should feel like an epic quest. You’re the developer setting out with an idea, a vision. The early adopters? They’re the adventurers joining you on that journey because they believe in what you’re building. But they’re not going to board the ship unless you sell them on the adventure first.

Once they’re in, then you can start building together. Talk about mechanics. Test gameplay loops. Solve technical challenges as a team. But none of that matters if you haven’t first made them feel something.

This Thursday, we’ll all sit down and watch The Game Awards. It’ll be over three hours of new game trailers, back-to-back. Pay close attention to the ones that hit you in the feels. What was it about those trailers that hooked you? What made you want to know more about the game?

These big-budget trailers are masterclasses in storytelling, but here’s the thing—it doesn’t always have to be a trailer. The same principles of emotional connection, compelling vision, and world-building can be applied in other ways. Maybe it’s a developer blog that tells a heartfelt story, a piece of concept art that sparks curiosity, or even a short story that sets the stage for your game’s world.

If you’re working on an open development project, remember this: players will forgive unfinished animations, buggy builds, and untextured character models—if they believe in the vision. Start with a story that moves them, and the rest will follow.

I am fascinated by open development and am committed to figuring out how to sell the vision, tell stories and connect on an emotional level with players.