Want to know how to become a videogame writer?

You can start by playing a lot of video games in college.

That's what Rue did, and it's what changed his path from "future professor" to "current videogame writer."

Imagine:

working on an archaeological dig in Iceland...

...earning a PhD in Scandinavian & Medieval Studies - AKA Vikings - from UC Berkeley...

...and then landing a job working as a writer at Firaxis Games.

You just took an imaginary walk through the life of Rue Taylor!

Rue kindly agreed to sit down and share his experiences with us. In this interview, we talk about:

• Vikings, of course. "How does history become legend?" "Why are we still interested in these people, hundreds of years later?"
• How video games helped him get through his PhD program
• The game that changed everything for him...
• and the moment when he got to share a meal with one of the designers of that game (!)
• How game devs can use history thoughtfully and well in their games

When you're just starting a career as a game writer, other devs can feel like distant points of light. But once you're over the castle wall - once you've landed that first job - you realize that the gaming industry is awfully small - and very friendly.

Rue is a perfect example of that. 💕

Thanks for reading!

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Susan’s first job as a game writer was for “a slumber party game - for girls!” She’s gone on to work on over 25 projects, including award-winning titles in the BioShock, Far Cry and Tomb Raider franchises. Titles in her portfolio have sold over 30 million copies and generated over $500 million in sales. She is an adjunct professor at UT Austin, where she teaches a course on writing for games. A long time ago, she founded the Game Narrative Summit at GDC. Now, she partners with studios, publishers, and writers to help teams ship great games with great stories. She is dedicated to supporting creatives in the games industry so that they can do their best work.