American McGee recently shared a story from his time at id Software working on Quake II. During a demo where Valve showed how their technology could handle character movement, multi-camera angles, and cinematic storytelling, he couldn’t help but exclaim “WOW” — only to be met with stares from the entire office.
He saw what the team wasn’t focusing on
McGee’s realization was clear: this technology could be used for proper cinematic storytelling. The problem was that id Software’s focus at the time was entirely on engine efficiency and gunplay feel — not narrative depth, camera language, or storytelling possibilities. His “WOW” moment planted the seed for what would later become Alice: Madness Returns.
The difference in perspective eventually led McGee to leave id Software and pursue his own vision — one that valued emotional storytelling through interactive media.