Jeeyon Shim’s “Keepsake Games” Combine Crafting and Storytelling

This week, host Karen Han talks to Jeeyon Shim, who designs immersive games that allow players to craft objects and tell stories. In the interview, Jeeyon discusses her career as an outdoor educator and explains how that work prompted her pivot to game design. She also explains what a “keepsake game” is and describes her latest game, called The Snow Queen, which repurposes chess pieces and allows players to craft narratives about them. After the interview, Karen and co-host June Thomas discuss the appeal of solo games. Then they reflect on Jeeyon’s comments about making a living as an artist and treating creative work as work. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Jeeyon lists some of her favorite games to play. Jeeyon’s games can be found at jeeyonshim.games. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews.