The 6th International Conference on Computer Games; Challenges and Opportunities (CGCO2021) February 2021 – University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran Possible Worlds theory and its application to videogames: A case study of Life Is Strange Seyed Sajjad Hosseini Zohreh Taebi Noghondari * Roghayeh Farsi Department of English Language Department of English Language and Department of English Language and Literature Literature, University of Neyshabour Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Neyshabour, Khorasan Razavi, Iran Mashhad, Iran Mashhad, Iran
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Abstract— Dontnod Entertainment's episodic adventure video contrary to the belief of narratology. Gonzalo Frasca introduced game, Life Is Strange got published for PC, PS4, PS3, and Xbox ludology to computer game studies by proposing it as a new One in 2015.The nonlinear narrative line of Life Is Strange denotes methodological approach for the study of games and game similar narrative strategies employed by forking path narrative structures [3]. Ludology is based on the belief that the only thing for projecting different possible worlds. Exploring the literary that game studies must be focused upon is just rules, structure, narrative potential of this video game can help to clarify the and mechanics of gameplay. As one of the leaders of ludology, dispute between ludology and narratology. Benefiting from Ryan's Eskelinen states “Games are just games, not narratives.” theory of Possible Worlds, this study displays the literary Sometimes games may be dressed in narrative costumes, but narrative potentiality of this video game. Based on Ryan's theory, stories are just a matter of beauty and trivial decoration for a fictional work is considered like a universe that projects different games [4].