Transmediality

A hallmark of world-building in the twenty-first century, Transmediality is what happens when parts of a multifaceted story are told across a range of media platforms. Hence the Marvel and Star Wars universes have unfolded through films, television series, comic books and video games, creating densely populated Storyworlds and a headache for those concerned with strict Canonicity.

Increasing connectivity has now added a further layer of fan creation, with blurred lines between ‘official’ world-building and the cottage industry of online creativity by enthusiasts. Where some Transmedial Storyworlds are difficult to manage, some are inherently unstable: the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting the Forgotten Realms exists in various supplements, novels and screen media, yet for decades players have been inventing their own details and populating the world with their own narratives.

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