The Art of World-Building: Lessons from K. Yoland’s Masterclass

When it comes to world-building in games, it’s easy to focus on visuals: detailed maps, stunning environments, and futuristic cities. But according to interdisciplinary artist and game designer K. Yoland, world-building is about much more than aesthetics. It’s about crafting rich, believable worlds shaped by history, politics, culture, and human experience.

In her recent masterclass at MetStudios, Yoland shared how her background in film, theatre, and site-specific art informs her approach to game design, including her work on Disco Elysium. Here’s what we learned about building worlds that don’t just look great but feel alive.

Industry Insight

World-Building as Storytelling

At its core, world-building is storytelling. Every environment, character, and interaction should feed into a larger narrative. Whether you’re creating a dystopian sci-fi world or a historical fantasy, it’s important to think beyond the surface.

Yoland breaks world-building into several key areas:

• Geography & Environment: How does the physical world shape the people living in it?
• Culture & Politics: What belief systems, social norms, and power structures exist?
• Economy & Trade: How do people survive, exchange goods, and build community?
• Technology & Magic: What tools, inventions, or supernatural forces define daily life?

“If we think of the world as code, how can we imagine new systems beyond the ones we inherit?” Yoland asked. “World-building is about breaking down reality and reshaping it into something new.”

Real-World Inspiration

The most compelling game worlds often borrow from reality. Yoland’s own projects, whether site-specific art installations or game collaborations, are deeply rooted in real-world themes.

Take Operation Tumbleweed, for example. In this performance piece, Yoland paddled down the U.S.-Mexico border with a tumbleweed locked inside a bulletproof box. It was absurd, surreal, but also powerful: a commentary on borders, migration, and exclusion.

This blending of fact and fiction translates seamlessly into game development. Disco Elysium, for instance, draws heavily from the post-Soviet experiences of its creators, weaving complex political ideologies into every corner of its world.

Giving Players Agency

What makes game world-building unique is interactivity. Unlike books or films, games let players shape their own experiences.

“In a game, players can push against the world, make choices, and face the consequences,” Yoland explained. This is where world-building truly comes to life.

To create this sense of immersion, she suggests:

• Layering environments: Each location should reveal something about the world’s history or conflicts.
• Building interconnected systems: Player choices should have ripple effects throughout the world.
• Encouraging exploration: Let players uncover hidden details and lore at their own pace.

Games like Disco Elysium master this approach. The world of Revachol doesn’t just exist; it reacts, evolves, and challenges the player every step of the way.

The Responsibility of World-Building

With world-building comes responsibility. Games have the power to shape how players view real-world issues, from social justice to climate change. That’s why ethical storytelling matters.

“Ask yourself: whose voices are missing? What perspectives are being overlooked?” Yoland advised.

Her own projects reflect this commitment. When working on Operation Tumbleweed, she spent years engaging with border communities to ensure the work was authentic and respectful.

For game developers, this means:

• Consulting experts and local voices to inform storytelling.
• Avoiding stereotypes and one-dimensional portrayals.
• Creating diverse, inclusive narratives that reflect a range of experiences.

K. Yoland’s masterclass reminded us that world-building is more than crafting pretty backdrops, it’s about creating experiences that connect, challenge, and inspire. By grounding fictional worlds in real-world complexities, embracing player agency, and prioritising ethical storytelling, developers can build games that stay with players long after they’ve logged off.

After all, the most powerful game worlds aren’t just places you explore, they’re places that make you think.