Jane Jensen Quotes

Powerful Jane Jensen for Daily Growth

About Jane Jensen

Jane Jensen (born February 17, 1963) is an American video game designer, writer, and artist, best known for her work on graphic adventure games. Born in Chicago, Illinois, she studied painting at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago before moving to California in the early 1980s to pursue a career in animation. Her breakthrough came in 1990 when she joined Sierra On-Line as a concept artist for King's Quest V: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder! However, it was her next project, Phantasmagoria, that truly showcased her talents as a storyteller. Released in 1995, Phantasmagoria was one of the first interactive movies and is considered a classic in adventure gaming. The game's gripping narrative and mature themes set it apart from other games of the time. In 1997, Jensen founded her own studio, Pinkerton Road Studio, with her husband, Lori Ann Cole. Their first game, Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers 2 (1999), was a sequel to Jensen's most successful creation, Gabriel Knight, a series that blended mystery, humor, and supernatural elements. The game was praised for its compelling storytelling and rich setting. Jensen's later works include the drama-focused adventure game Gray Matter (2005) and the sci-fi mystery Moebius: Empire Rising (2013). Despite a hiatus from the gaming industry, she continues to be celebrated for her contributions to narrative-driven games and the depth of her characters and stories. Her work has influenced a generation of game designers and continues to inspire new narratives in video games today.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Storytelling is a powerful tool for understanding our world and ourselves."

This quote emphasizes the significant role that storytelling plays in human life. By telling stories, we create narratives that help us make sense of the complexities of our world and our place within it. Stories allow us to explore various aspects of reality, from historical events to personal experiences, offering insights into human behavior, societal norms, and the intricacies of relationships. Furthermore, storytelling encourages self-reflection, as we often draw parallels between fictional narratives and our own lives, enabling a deeper understanding of ourselves and our emotions. In essence, Jane Jensen's quote underscores the transformative power that stories have in shaping our perception and comprehension of both the outer world and our inner selves.


"A good game tells a story; a great game lets you live it."

This quote emphasizes that while all games tell some form of narrative, great games provide players with an immersive and interactive experience where they can participate in the story rather than just passively observe it. By allowing players to make choices and influence events, great games foster a sense of agency and emotional investment, transforming the game from a simple form of entertainment into a personal and engaging journey.


"The best way to predict your future is to create it."

This quote by Jane Jensen underscores the power of personal agency and proactive decision-making in shaping one's destiny. Essentially, it suggests that rather than passively awaiting what life brings our way, we should actively design and create our own future through thoughtful planning, hard work, and determination. This idea encourages individuals to take control of their lives, set meaningful goals, and pursue them with purpose and persistence, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling and self-directed existence.


"In the end, stories are all that really last – everything else fades away."

This quote suggests that the enduring value and significance in life lie primarily in the stories we create or experience. While physical objects, achievements, and momentary experiences may fade over time, the narratives we weave—our personal journeys, the tales of our loved ones, the histories of civilizations—endure in the collective human memory. Stories enrich our understanding of ourselves and the world, connecting us across generations and cultures. They serve as a means to record, preserve, and pass down wisdom, emotions, and experiences that shape our identities and societies. In essence, stories are the essence of human existence and the threads that bind us together through time.


"Every life has its twists and turns, its moments of joy and sorrow, and a good storyteller knows how to weave those threads together into something beautiful and compelling."

This quote emphasizes that every human life is a unique tapestry woven from various experiences, emotions, and events. The art of storytelling, according to Jane Jensen, lies in skillfully combining these threads - the joyous moments, sorrowful episodes, and everything in between - into a captivating narrative that resonates with audiences. It suggests that compelling stories are born out of the raw material of life itself, making them relatable, engaging, and beautiful.


I went to a seminar early in my career on the craft of storytelling by Robert McKee. It was really life altering. There are basic principles on how to craft an engaging story and he covers them well. He's got a book out, 'Story,' that I would highly recommend to anyone interested in improve their storytelling.

- Jane Jensen

Book, Career, Storytelling, Robert

I think the mainstream gaming industry has a very narrow focus on the young male audience. There are plenty of other people out there who enjoy playing games, but if you walk into most game stores, there's nothing on the shelf for them. I mean, imagine if you could only buy cheeseburgers and nothing but cheeseburgers in every restaurant?

- Jane Jensen

Game, Other, Very, Narrow

For any character, male or female, I think it's important to have... it's cliche to say a flawed character, but to really think about the good and the bad and make sure that both are present, and it doesn't just become a glossed over icon of perfection.

- Jane Jensen

Bad, I Think, About, Perfection

There are now college degrees in game design and interactive media, so if I were starting now, I would probably do that. When I started, you had to break into design from QA or programming or art, but it's really not true anymore.

- Jane Jensen

College, Game, Interactive, Programming

I've always been interested in the paranormal, but 'Gray Matter' is a more subtle, mature expression of that - looking at the powers of the brain and more delicate evidence of the extraordinary.

- Jane Jensen

Always, Been, Delicate, Powers

I like the 'Blackwell' adventure games, and I'm fond of some of Telltale's games, like 'Hector' and 'Puzzle Agent' - simple stories, but fun. I thought 'Heavy Rain' was amazing.

- Jane Jensen

Rain, Some, Agent, Fond

I love 'Gabriel Knight' and will always be proud of it. Despite the fact that I've done many other things, it seems to be the one thing that people remember. I hope 'Gray Matter' is as memorable.

- Jane Jensen

Love, Fact, Other, Gabriel

There are plans for a Wii port of 'Gray Matter,' and I hope it happens.

- Jane Jensen

Matter, Plans, Gray, Port

I would say I'm a storyteller first, but game making is very wrapped up in how I think of story. If I were to have a story idea, and I decided to write a novel with it instead, I'd have to very consciously de-couple it from gamedom - for example, deliberately add in things that could not be represented in a game scene.

- Jane Jensen

Game, I Think, Very, Wrapped

I'd really love to work with virtual reality at some point. You could make a killer adventure game with that.

- Jane Jensen

Love, Some, Virtual, Killer

I frequently have scenes that take place in places I've never been or characters who have professions that I know nothing about that I've got to research. But that's what Google is for.

- Jane Jensen

Nothing, Been, Frequently, Scenes

Before I became a game designer, I was a software engineer.

- Jane Jensen

Game, Software, Became, Engineer

Story may not be a great addition to some games - games where action is the whole reason for the game to exist.

- Jane Jensen

Reason, Some, Exist, Action

I really just wanted to work on adventure games, so Pinkerton Road is our own little indie studio that's focused on that.

- Jane Jensen

Work, Own, Studio, Indie

I have a thing for working with wounded characters.

- Jane Jensen

Working, Characters, Thing, Wounded

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