Ergodic literature

Interactive narration refers to works where the narrative is driven by the users interaction. In such titles there is only one possible narrative, whether it is linear or nonlinear, the plot lacks depth or does not progress in a meaningful way without user interaction. It is this lack of multiple narratives or ending which distinguishes it from interactive narratives, such as gamebooks, or video games with nonlinear gameplay, in which the user actively chooses the direction of the story.

The concepts of cybertext and ergodic literature were of seminal importance to new media studies, in particular literary approaches to digital texts and to game studies.

Terminology

Ergodic literature is a formal term coined by Espen J. Aarseth in his book Cybertext—Perspectives on Ergodic Literature, and is derived from the Greek words ergon, meaning "work", and hodos, meaning "path". Aarseth's book contains the most commonly cited definition:

This definition has been criticised for being too vague. As the terms literature, effort, reader and traverse are too vague in themselves. Literature implies that the narration is text-based, triviality is an arbitrary term, reader is not appropriate is many examples, and traverse implies the possibility that the narrative arc may not be completed.