Four characters explode from the top of a craft, ready to explore a new world, together. Art by Creative Director Joe Wills.
Parents all over the northwest have felt the struggle. Where do we take our kids? Do I spend a ton of cash and head into a restaurant or cafe? The mall isn’t what it used to be. 20 bucks seems to get us nowhere. Head outside? Is the weather nice? Is it safe? For many of us, this struggle usually means just staying home. Although home is where the heart is, it’s easy for each member of the family to begin to function separately. But the truth is, most families don’t find solace in separation.
Scrolling around online, a parent stumbles onto a game trailer. An intriguing new title comes on the screen. The parents wonder if the content is okay for their kid. If they think their kid would like the game, they’re worried about bothering their kid. Meanwhile, their teen finds themselves scrolling too. Perhaps they found a farm sim, a space shooter, or a mission-based game. They wonder if their parents would let them snag it. Many kids will scroll past, wondering if it’s worth spending their allowance on.
Parents and teens alike share not one but two realities: they fear they’ll bother the other, and they both want the same thing. Enter the modern game night.
After years at Xbox, and now as co-founder of Chronicler games, Derek Reese has seen this first hand. He’s had the chance to spot industry insights both as a parent, game maker, and of course a player himself. The most insightful stories he has shared with me are that of the LAN parties he’s attended that showcased families struggling to find games to play together. Now there is formalized research around gaming in families that has been performed, and it paints a pretty clear picture.
When teens are asked to rank their most important gaming experience, gaming with their parents is consistently at the top of the list. It even beats out playing with friends and siblings. Parents echo the sentiment. Yet when asked what type of game their counterpart enjoys, teens and parents alike are convinced the other family member doesn’t have an interest in gaming together. There lies the glitch: everyone wants to log in, but nobody is pressing start.
The ESA (Entertainment Software Association) Essential Facts Report from 2022 found that 61% of respondents said games help them feel more connected to their family. This is a massive find! So why do parents and teens both feel so underserved as a market?
One hypothesis is that they’re harder to sell. It can be hard for major publishers to see the benefit of pursuing new styles of gameplay when there is so much competition in the AA and AAA game space. Countless companies target the same demographic they always have. But the reality is that it isn't always representative of everyone who wants to play. In short, innovation needs to be pioneered and even co-opted (pun intended) in the games industry. Families are seeking shared adventure.
Many members of Chronicler have been able to see glimpses of this potential firsthand. Titles such as Sea of Thieves and Grounded demonstrate that the right environment can become a bridge for teens and parents. Xbox Game Pass was a critical addition to this, allowing a low-risk way for teens to discover and invite their parents. It took away one parental burden: the finances behind a single title. Teens were able to say, “Hey, try this with me!”
Later at LANFest, I sat with families navigating stacks of games as they tried to find the one perfect title that everyone could dive into together. The desire is palpable. Both parties want it. But finding the perfect game is still a struggle, even with a slated 40,000 games releasing on Steam in 2025 alone; options still remain frustratingly limited.
This disconnect is what motivates us to make great games and to ensure other companies can, too. Like a community of families in a neighborhood lifting each other up, our vision is for game makers and game players to create new, safe, super fun spaces to be in. The more voices heard, the better the gameplay.
As we develop our first title, talking with teens and parents around the country, and chatting with other teams that are trying to do similar things, we’re starting to find the foundations of a future space where third places are (in some part) digital. And that digital space is shared with those we love.
Seeing a dad strategizing with his daughter, a mom and son erupting with joy at a successful mission, and all of them laughing together is truly the vision of where games can and should be heading. In a world where we’re spending more time than ever at home and seeking methods to connect, games are where a connection can be more than just a cable.
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