Example that just came up in a discord I'm in: Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. I havent played this game but someone who had said the game's story of "Roxas hates his day job but tolerates it because afterwards he can hang out with his friends" is enhanced by the gameplay being "player hates the mission structure but they tolerate it because the story cutscenes are amazing"
Someone else said they doubt that was intentional, and I agree. But I asked the question of whether Death of the Author applies to game mechanics.
I say yes. But its something I hadnt considered before for sure.
I think that's valid. Stories are a collaboration between the creator and the audience. Creators don't always know what it is they have actually created, and aren't always aware of all their biases and inspirations. Your experience is as real as their intention.
Definitely this, ultimately a point that I feel gets painfully lost in current game discourse is that the story of a game is the entirety of the game as you play it, the only way to experience "just the story" is to experience the game secondhand.
well said.