Amy Hennig: The Trailblazer Who Wrote Emotion into Gameplay

Amy Hennig is arguably the most influential storyteller in the gaming industry, a creator who created games in a way that turned them into cinematic, emotional experiences, not just games. With a career of more than 20 years, and a list of credits that include game-changing franchises Kid Icarus, Uncharted, and Legacy of Kain, Hennig brought the spirit of Hollywood storytelling to the world of interactive entertainment, transforming how games are written, crafted and experienced.

Hennig began her career in the 1990s and established herself as a unique combination of writer, director and leader of creativity, but it was at Naughty Dog on the Uncharted series that created the thesis for her legacy. As a creative director and head writer, she created Nathan Drake not as a typical video game protagonist but as a flawed, likeable and very human character. She used beautifully written dialogue, cinematic pacing of storytelling and character driven plots to change how players experienced an action adventure game.

Bringing Cinematic Emotion to Video Games

Hennig's philosophy was groundbreaking: not only did she believe that gameplay and narrative were not separable, but they were also braided together. Her games did not merely take time-out to tell a story - they existed through their story. Rather than just a game, under her watchful eye and guidance, Uncharted became a passage through histo ry, humor, heartbreak, and heroism. The storytelling achievement that was realized became a standard for many studios around the globe, and the story-telling element was praised by the critics, the players, and Hollywood.

When you leave Naughty Dog, Hennig's influence is still felt throughout the industry. At Skydance New Media, she is again leading narrative-driven projects that will push the boundaries of interactive storytelling, including upcoming projects in the Marvel Universe and the Star Wars Universe. Hennig continues to be committed to redefining the possibilities of narrative design, and proving that games can also tell stories with the emotional richness and impact of formal storytelling and storytelling in film, or literature.

The embodiment of her influence is every character-focused title being released today, as she set out to leave a mark for many narrative designers and developers who follow the path she so bravely carved.