Keynote 2024

Josh Sawyer started in the industry in 1999 at Black Isle Studios, where he worked on the Icewind Dale games. Since 2005, he has been at Obsidian Entertainment, where he has directed Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, and the 2022 narrative adventure game Pentiment. He is currently Obsidian’s studio design director.

We Are Always Living in the Final Days

FROG 2024 – Keynote

Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction always tends to reflect the collective social fears of the times in which they were created. A generation ago, the fears reflected Cold War escalations and post-Cold War fears about rogue nuclear weapon perfusion throughout the world. In recent years, our fears have shifted to those of pandemics and climate crises. Despite the material circumstances of our collective downfall, post-apocalyptic games focus heavily on the depths of human depravity and ruthlessness in desperate and lawless times.

This talk will examine this trend and propose that there is room for more portraying more hope, ingenuity, and perseverance in humanity even in the wake of devastation. Our imagined apocalypses necessarily draw blueprints for our destruction, but they can also contain the seeds of hope for the future.

Dawn Stobbart completed her doctorate at Lancaster University, whose first monograph Videogames and Horror was published in 2019, and is currently focusing on how videogames allow players to foster critical thinking, empathy, and to navigate morally complex situations for her second monograph. She has fingers in many pies, including queer studies, cultural studies, and media studies, as well as an overarching focus on horror and the Gothic that bleeds into everything she does. She has an interest in contemporary Media, and especially in looking at how narrative translates to videogames, and what that means for the player experience.

From Ruin to Resilience: Thriving in Virtual Devastation

FROG 2024 – Keynote

During this talk, we will embark on a captivating journey through the intersection of gaming and apocalyptic themes, exploring how videogames are uniquely positioned to engage with our deepest fears and hopes about the future. As games like “Fallout,” “The Last of Us,” and “Days Gone” captivate millions, they do more than entertain—they offer immersive experiences that challenge players to confront scenarios of societal collapse, environmental devastation, and human resilience.

I will examine how games use storytelling, world-building, and player agency to create compelling post-apocalyptic visions. By dissecting narrative structures and gameplay mechanics, we will uncover how these virtual worlds enable players to navigate moral complexities, make strategic survival decisions, and reflect on the real-world implications of potential global crises.

Additionally, I will consider the educational and psychological dimensions of apocalyptic games, examining their role in fostering critical thinking, empathy, and adaptive skills. I will also discuss the cultural significance of these games in an era marked by rapid technological advancement and environmental uncertainty, and how they resonate with contemporary anxieties.

Ultimately, I will explore how gaming the apocalypse not only entertains but also illuminates the human condition, offering insights into our collective psyche and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of existential threats.