How A Video Game About Terminal Cancer Could Change The Industry

Ryan and Amy Green’s son Joel was diagnosed with terminal cancer when he was just one. He lived another three years before eventually succumbing to the disease. Heartbroken, yet thankful for the additional time with their son, Ryan and Amy created That Dragon, Cancer as a way to honor their son’s memory.

Though the material may seem heavy, the game’s mechanics and way of telling their story is both tasteful and impactful, foreshadowing a potential new genre in the industry which allows players to work through grief.

With a runtime of just under two hours, players experience the ups and downs of Ryan and Amy’s time with Joel. That Dragon, Cancer makes the player empathize and relate, forcing them to take part in the action, it creates an immersive experience unlike any other.

The story is symbolic and imaginative yet still deeply moving. Instead of simulating life in the hospital or visits to the park exactly as it happened, the game uses metaphors to retell the emotional highs and lows of Ryan and Amy’s time with Joel. In one example, Amy sits in a boat with Joel while Ryan swims nearby. Amy scolds her husband for not joining them on the boat and Ryan accuses his wife of paddling without oars or any sense of direction, a jab at her belief that their son will recover despite his prognosis.

Shortly after the dispute, Ryan sinks into the ocean, demonstrating another unique way in which the game helps players empathize and understand Ryan’s feelings. Players can intervene and direct Ryan towards the surface, but each time he curls into a ball and refuses to go any farther. However, as soon as players make him swim towards the bottom, he swims eagerly in that direction, hinting at the reality he believes he is facing alone.

That Dragon, Cancer demonstrates a way in which a new video game genre about sensitively experiencing different viewpoints and experiences could emerge. In a world brimming with misunderstanding and quick-judgement, games centered on empathy offer an infinite number of possibilities.

The amount of new ways to “step into someone else’s shoes,” are endless. However, too much could be equally damaging, launching players into a world where they confuse video game stories with actual life experiences, behaving as if they too have dealt with the same difficulties.

The fine line between gratuitous voyeurism and the empathy that this game fosters is something that other developers would do well to keep in mind.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

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