‘Our brains were never the same again’ on What Made Uncharted a Reality That’s Related to This $50B Franchise

Amy Hennig has made one of the biggest marks on the video game industry with her narrative genius and storytelling. Known for her groundbreaking work on Uncharted, Hennig took inspiration from classic cinema franchises like Star Wars, which she encountered as a young girl in 1977.

Her journey from a film student to a pioneer in video games reflects her passion for storytelling and her belief in games. And this belief shines through in her work with the Uncharted series. She can take her Star Wars inspiration even further now with her upcoming project with the franchise.

Even Amy Hennig Couldn’t Escape The Cultural Impact Of George Lucas

According to her interview with The LA Times Hennig’s childhood in the 1970s was marked by three cultural milestones. Star Wars, the release of the Atari 2600, and Dungeons & Dragons. The impact of the franchise on her young mind was the source of her passion for storytelling and bringing depth to the screen.

Our brains were never the same after that.

Hennig has often described Star Wars as rewiring her brain, altering her creative path, and guiding her career’s trajectory. Her exposure to the first movie in 1977 and her childhood experiences with video game consoles laid the foundation for her later work.

Her move from film school into gaming led her to work with Sony. After establishing her name through contributions to the Legacy of Kain series, Hennig joined Naughty Dog in 2005. At that time, the PlayStation 3 was struggling in a market dominated by Microsoft and Nintendo.

Can’t believe it’s been 15 years! So proud of what we achieved with this game – great memories! https://t.co/A6sJR5AVPQ

— Amy Hennig (@amy_hennig) October 14, 2024

These experiences influenced her approach to video game design, where she aimed to merge narrative and interactivity in a way that could evoke emotion. Her interest in exploring nuanced character arcs would later show when she helped develop Uncharted.

Hennig Has Come Full Circle With The Franchise That Started It All

Much like George Lucas’s journey with Star Wars, Hennig’s career shows the impact of one visionary creator on an entire industry. In the 1970s, Lucas’s decision to focus on character-driven storytelling changed Hollywood’s approach to film franchises forever.

We are proud to announce that @LucasfilmGames is teaming up with Skydance New Media to create a richly cinematic action-adventure with an original story set in the legendary Star Wars galaxy. Read more here: pic.twitter.com/4tr4yUZNS3

— Star Wars (@starwars) April 19, 2022

Similarly, Hennig’s work with Uncharted proved that players would play games not just for the gameplay and graphics but for good stories too. With her nuanced approach to character development and world-building, Hennig was a big part of the evolution of gaming.

I couldn’t be more excited to be working on a new #StarWars game with @LucasfilmGames again for our second project @Skydance New Media!https://t.co/Ymd0xy8SRz

— Amy Hennig (@amy_hennig) April 19, 2022

Hennig helped pave the way for narrative-driven games across genres, inspiring developers worldwide to adopt a more story-centric approach. We can see this in games like The Last of Us, Red Dead Redemption, and even the newer games in Lucas’ sci-fi franchise.

Hennig’s career has come full circle as she has returned to the franchise, working on a new project with the studio Skydance New Media. Working with Lucasfilm Games, Hennig is creating a new action-adventure game.

Just as how she redefined what a video game could be, Hennig’s work with the sci-fi franchise could deepen players’ connections with the galaxy far, far away. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.

Have you been influenced by Hennig or Lucas’ work? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!