Narrating illness through play: a multimodal analysis of That Dragon, Cancer

The lived experiences of illness and caregiving are increasingly being conveyed through serious games; this article explores how That Dragon, Cancer transforms these experiences into an interactive, affective form through play and narrative. The study places the game as an experiential medium that promotes emotional engagement and a shared understanding of terminal illness and grief, drawing on research in serious games and games-for-health. Based on a qualitative methodology, this study employs Consalvo and Dutton’s (2006) qualitative game analysis framework to conduct a multimodal analysis of the game’s narrative design, mechanics, and semiotic elements, complemented by a thematic analysis of player reception through user-generated Steam reviews. To validate and triangulate these findings, a complementary thematic analysis of comments from high-engagement YouTube playthroughs and reviews was conducted, offering additional insights into community identity and ethical debates. This combined analysis sheds light on the ways that storytelling and gaming work together to mediate loss, hope, and vulnerability while promoting compassionate health communication. The findings demonstrate That Dragon, Cancer's capacity to turn virtual play into a contemplative environment for navigating stories of illness and experiences of caregiving. This study contributes to expanding digital media and health communication research by demonstrating the affective and communicative potential of serious games in addressing complex health realities.