environmental storytelling

noun

The art of conveying narrative elements through the game's environment rather than direct exposition; the method of using a space's design, objects, and subtle details to create a story that players can piece together on their own, making them active participants in the narrative.

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Meanings

nounenvironmental storytelling (uncountable)
  1. uncountablevideo gamesThe art of conveying narrative elements through the game's environment rather than direct exposition; the method of using a space's design, objects, and subtle details to create a story that players can piece together on their own, making them active participants in the narrative.

    Environmental storytelling is less direct. Instead of explicitly describing events, environmental storytelling shows the final outcome of a sequence of events, then it invites players to make up their own stories about what happened to cause that outcome.

    2015 November 12, Stewart, Bart, “Environmental Storytelling”, in Game Developer
phrase
  1. InternethumorousAccompanying a photograph or screenshot, noting that a preceding event, or sequence of events, can be easily inferred or imagined.

Origin

From environmental + storytelling. The phrase gained prominence as an internet meme and caption for images on Twitter in the early 2020s. (See KYM.)

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

environmental storytelling. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/environmental%20storytelling

MLA

“environmental storytelling.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/environmental%20storytelling. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “environmental storytelling,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/environmental%20storytelling.

Source: environmental storytelling on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.