storydriven

Storydriven, or story-driven, is an adjective used to describe media, products, or processes in which narrative plays a central organizing role. A story-driven approach prioritizes plot, character development, and narrative structure as the primary means of engaging audiences and guiding decisions, in contrast to approaches that emphasize mechanics, data, or optimization.

In video games and interactive media, story-driven games place the narrative at the forefront. Player choices influence the story, dialogue, and character fates, while scenes, pacing, and worldbuilding reinforce themes. While some games blend systems and story, story-driven titles aim to immerse players through coherent arcs and emotional engagement.

In software and product development, story-driven design uses user stories and scenario-based reasoning to shape features and flows. User narratives describe real tasks and outcomes, helping teams prioritize work and align stakeholders around a shared experience from the user's perspective.

In marketing and branding, story-driven campaigns craft a brand narrative across channels to evoke meaning, trust, and memory. Stories connect products to user identities and values, guiding messaging, content, and customer journeys rather than focusing solely on specifications.

Critics caution that an overemphasis on narrative can obscure usability, performance, or innovation if not balanced with practical constraints and testing.

See also: narrative design, storytelling, user stories, game design, marketing campaigns.