Doing Game Design in Theatre

Games and Theatre have a long shared history, but are often separated along disciplinary lines. We investigate this from a practical and design perspective, and present a unique project that supported nine professional theatres bringing game design and game technologies into their work over five years. Based on a series of interviews, discussions and direct reflections on game design work embedded within the project, we investigate the frictions and opportunities that emerge when game design practice operates within professional theatres. This includes practical issues, such as complexities of rehearsing shows with thousands of variations, differing expectations around technology development, to surprising design problems like convincing audiences that the game choices are actually real and not a theatrical trick. We highlight that while frictions between disciplines run deep, a shared spirit of experimentation, and desire to tell interesting and rewarding stories, creates genuine opportunities for creative exchange that can enrich both disciplines.