This is the personal website of Fasih Sayin, PhD
Creative Direction, Narrative Design, Production and Education
Narrative Designer
I craft immersive narrative experiences from the ground up—whether building haunting, atmospheric worlds like Hunt: Showdown or scripting every line of dialogue in a richly branching epic like Expeditions: Rome. From setting to sentence, I shape stories that players live.
Producer
With a foundation in film production and broadcast media, I bring a holistic, hands-on approach to producing—capable of running live operations, leading cross-functional teams, and steering complex game projects from concept to live service, as I did at Crytek’s Istanbul studio and beyond.
Lecturer
As an associate professor with a PhD in interactive storytelling, I combine academic depth with industry insight to teach the art and craft of game narrative—drawing from years of professional experience, international talks at events like Game Developers Conference and Gamescom, and a decade of university-level lecturing and workshops across the world.
Game Designer
As a game designer, I specialize in building systems that serve storytelling—from core mechanics to player progression. I’ve worked across genres and platforms, from sandbox experiments to VR exploration to tactical RPGs, always aligning gameplay with emotional and narrative goals. Whether designing entire worlds or fine-tuning moment-to-moment choices, I focus on creating experiences that are as meaningful as they are playable.
A Life In Interactive Storytelling
more about me
From designing massive sandbox games in the early 2000s to leading narrative teams at Crytek and THQ Nordic, I’ve devoted my career to pushing the boundaries of how stories are told in games.
My academic roots lie in the study of narratology and audience participation, earning a PhD in Cinema and Interactive Media with a thesis on The Role of the Audience as a Storytelling Device in Interactive Narrative. I’ve since combined theory and practice as a designer, producer, and educator.
Fluent in Turkish, English, and German, I work globally across diverse game genres and cultures. Whether it’s a virtual reality exploration, a tactical RPG, or a free-to-play shooter—I bring a story-first mindset to every project.
E-Mail:
dreamkin@gmail.com
Location:
Istanbul
20+
Years of experience
Work Experience
A selection of my more recent and significant roles is highlighted below. For a comprehensive overview of my professional journey, including earlier positions and collaborations, I invite you to visit my LinkedIn profile.
THQ-Nordic / Campfire Cabal
2022-now
Narrative Director
Co created the plot and led the narrative design process of the next game in the Expeditions series of historical RPGs.
Dynasty Studios
2021-2022
Narrative Director
Designed the world and direction of the multi media franchise Providence. Acted as creative director for the first game in the series.
Logic Artists
2019-2021
Lead Narrative Designer
Designed the plot and written two different iterations of Expeditions: Rome. Worked on the narrative design of Divinity: Fallen Heroes.
Crytek
2012-2019
Head of Narrative Design / Game Designer / Publishing and Operations Manager
Created the world and the story of Hunt: Showdown. Responsible for the establishment and operations of Crytek Istanbul. Worked on VR R&D and numerous other projects. Credits include but not limited to games such as Robinson: The Journey, Ryse: Son of Rome and the G-Face Social Platform.
Okan University
2021-now
Associate Professor
Responsible for the curriculum of the department of Digital Game Design. Teaching Analog Game History, Digital Game History and Introduction to Game Design.
Featured Projects
Here is a selection of projects that reflect my passion for narrative-driven design, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the craft of meaningful play, each one a milestone in my ongoing exploration of interactive storytelling.
Expeditions: Rome
2022
Hunt: Showdown
2019
On Life, Games and Metal
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Refresh the Demon — Reload Quake II
Some experiences come with a built-in soundtrack. They’re inseparable.A certain song, a particular riff, forever hardwired into your memory of a specific time and place. Just the other day, my dear friend Mikael Andersson mentioned how, for him, Ayreon’s The Human Equation is forever linked with Ice-Pick Lodge’s The Void . A seemingly exquisite, surreal…
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Ayreon: The Sound of the Universe Tuning Itself
I have a passionate love for certain things that I simply can’t explain properly to other people. Some things sound mundane even when you use the right words. Others just defy description entirely.Ayreon is one such thing. To quote a certain popular sci-fi movie: “No one can be told what Ayreon is. You have to…
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That Other Game That Is Not XCOM
Some games are classics. A few are legends. And then there are those rare ones that feel like they’ve always been with us, whispering from the cartridge, diskette, or pixelated memory card save… To me, Final Fantasy Tactics was timeless from the moment I have played it. It is one of the two big pillars…
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When Headlines Lie: Clickbait in the Games Press
I know I said I wanted to focus on positive things here. But this particular issue has been annoying me for a long time, and I think it’s worth addressing: clickbait headlines in video game journalism. Let me be clear: I’m not talking about the many excellent journalists who do serious, thoughtful, and passionate work…
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Why I’ve Been Away
I had surgery. Yep… that’s why I’ve been missing in action for a little while. Turns out I had a mysterious tear in my meniscus combined with what’s commonly known as “Runner’s Knee.” Why mysterious? Because, let’s face it: I’m not exactly an athlete. I’m a game developer. Most of my day is spent sitting…
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Captain Goat and the Pleasant Shock of Discovering Avatar
Captain Goat is what I can only describe as a satanic sea shanty. And lately, I can’t stop listening to it.The obsession began right after the Iron Maiden concert in Warsaw, and while it was unexpected, it’s not unprecedented. Every now and then, a single song grabs me instantly and refuses to let go. When…