How Visual Novels Are Bridging Books and Games
Hello Creatives,
In today’s blog post, we’re going to discuss how visual novels are bridging books and games. For some people, this may be an odd combination because books are a word-based medium and games are a visual medium, so it may not be entirely apparent how these two creative formats are influencing each other.
What is a Visual Novel?
What’s interesting is that this isn’t a new trend by any means. At least not in the modern sense, because visual novels as it relates to digital interactive fiction have been around since the 80s in Japan. There’s an entire database dedicated to tracking this storytelling format. Visual novels should not be confused with graphic novels or manga because there’s an interactive element attached to them. A digital manga has a very clearly defined arc and the reader moves through the story in a linear fashion. What makes visual novels compelling is that the reader engages with the story much like a rudimentary video game.
These choose-your-own-adventure visual novels share a lot with traditional literature. They focus on character plots that resonate with readers, but because of the branching narrative that gives the reader agency over what happens to the characters, it’s bridging the publishing world with a gaming world.
Science Fiction Visual Novels Spark Interest in North America
Steins;gate is a popular science fiction visual novel game that was published in 2009. The story follows a group of students as they discover and develop technology that gives them the means to change the past. It was first release in Japan and then brought over to the North American market in 2014. What’s interesting is that from this game, there has been a manga adaptation and a movie made. There in lies a very clear bridge with visual novels. You’re already creating the world and because you have the story arcs, the aesthetic, all of it fairly well fleshed out, it makes it very easy to then adapt into a published book format.
Stories like these help show that franchising a story across multiple mediums can be a way to build a fandom in ways that may not otherwise have been accomplished.
Now, not every visual novel has to have as big of a production value as as some popular visual novels, such as Steins;gate. There are also plenty of visual novels that can be created through free tools like twine. You can search visual novel games made with twine on the independent game distribution platform itch.io and find over 1000 results.
The wonderful thing about visual novels is is that they appeal to both readers and gamers. Creating a story as a visual novel, not only appeals to people who love to read, but also appeals to those who enjoy video games. It serves as a great entry point into the world you have created for your story. You can still have physical books and you can still later down the road develop a different kind of video game, while the core of the story can be experienced as a visual novel.
Visual Novels Are On The Rise
There are certain shifts happening in the industry that will make visual novels, a more compelling and growing market. Technology and platforms are moving toward mobile gaming, which means visual novels will be more available globally. It’s easier now than ever to create mobile games that are compatible across ecosystems. Popular genres within the visual novel industry like romance, mystery, and thrillers, lend themselves to an interactive experience that appeals to a wide audience.
All this combined makes sense why, according to an Orbis research report, the global market for visual novels was estimated to be $139M in 2023 with a forecast of being worth $250M in 2030. That’s an 8.6% growth year over year by the end of this decade. This leaves plenty of room for independent publishers and video game developers alike to explore and maybe make a little bit of money along the way.
I hope this inspires you to pursue a new project in this in the space. Let me know if you’re a visual novel reader or if you’re working on one!
Until next time,
Rochele Rosa