6 Great Gaming Documentaries You Don’t Want to Miss

Free to Play — Valve 

Great Gaming Documentaries You Don’t Want to Miss

Following the participants of the first Dota 2 International, Valve humanizes the monstrous money swarm of esports. The spectacular tournaments aren’t completely devoided of personality when it comes to teams, but it’s sometimes easy to forget that behind each victory and failure are stories of individuals and their struggles to transform a shared passion into their lifework. The ups and downs, the thrill and everyday pursuit of excellence — this documentary puts the emotional and intimate into tactics and profits.

This post was originally written by Olga Ivanova.

The Art of the Game — Story Developing 

Great Gaming Documentaries You Don’t Want to Miss

For those who are, or were, trying to get a career in games development, this might hit a bit too close to home. There is an umbrella line of general discussions about what defines games as a medium, but this documentary has an additional focus — the lives and artistic progress of students who compete for a place in the sun of games creation. Covering a 2K and Gearbox’s contest, ‘The Art of the Game’ unfolds what participants have to face and how they push forward, backing it up by a commentary from experienced specialists and researchers in the field. 

Those interested in expert opinions, human-interest stories and organizational nuances of games production will find this flick insightful and even somewhat inspirational. You can watch it on YouTube as a small series of three chapters, part one is right above. 

IndieGame: The Movie — BlinkWorks & Flutter Media

Great Gaming Documentaries You Don’t Want to Miss

If you are more interested in how things are done in the indie scene, this should absolutely be your pick. ‘IndieGame: The Movie’ penetrates the development process, presenting it as an emotional rollercoaster at any given stage. It is very upfront and honest about the costs of following your passion.

However, the film by no means discourages or diverts the audience from trying their own luck in the business, and balances the very real pressure that these people face with the joy they feel when they get the recognition and fan feedback that they were hoping for. Feeling down and unmotivated? Give it a watch. You can buy or rent it on the documentary’s website. 

How Designers Protect Players From Themselves — Game Maker’s Toolkit

Great Gaming Documentaries You Don’t Want to Miss

This short documentary will be most useful for those who are vaguely familiar with the reward and punishment mechanics implemented by game developers. Putting an emphasis on mission timers in XCOM 2, it reviews other examples, like the ghost enemy in Spelunky, playtime-based experience cuts in World of Warcraft, and easier hand-to-hand kills in Doom (2016). It’s a solid set of various implementations of gameplay visions and adaptive policies, with a brief overlook of consumers’ reactions. Amateur developers may find it worth watching for inspiration, while gamers will get a reminder that these features are only there to tweak their experience in line with a game’s style.

From Bedrooms to Billions — Gracious Films

Great Gaming Documentaries You Don’t Want to Miss

Decades ago, when the games industry was making its first shaky steps, UK developers were at the forefront of this process. Game development veterans share their stories of how an obsession with their work, and just a couple of devices allowed them to live off games they just felt like making. Immerse yourself in what seems a wildly utopian reality of the early game-making and see how computer shops and games press came along the way and boosted the industry’s growth. It can be purchased online on the film’s official website. 

Get Lamp — Jason Scott 

Great Gaming Documentaries You Don’t Want to Miss

“Before the first person shooter there was the second person thinker”, says the flick’s description, advertising the contrast between text-based adventures and the action-packed graphically enhanced games that became the market’s core nowadays.  This documentary stresses that it’s the human brain that creates the best environment and the most vivid and believable characters. In the world of stunning visuals and quick-paced playthroughs, there is still room — and high demand — for complex tales that reside in our imagination driven by text, as Scott’s creation proves, sticking to the spirit of the story in a simplistic and interactive manner. 

Bonus: Deus Ex: The Eyeborg Documentary — Square Enix

Great Gaming Documentaries You Don’t Want to Miss

Bonus round! While it only uses a video games series as a topic angle, ‘The Eyeborg Documentary’ succeeds in bringing it closer to life in a descriptive way. The rise of cybernetic implants and augmented reality are much closer than you think, which is exactly what this movie convincingly demonstrates. There isn’t as much on prosthetic eyes as you would think considering the title ‘The Eyeborg Documentary’, but it’s a good way to compliment playing ‘Mankind Divided’ now that it is free on Steam for a limited time.