Welcome to Night Vale cocreator Joseph Fink learned storytelling from Grim Fandango
News Source
β’2026-08-29T11:00:00-04:00
π° What Happened
Joseph Fink, cocreator of the hit podcast Welcome to Night Vale, says he learned storytelling from the video game Grim Fandango. He is promoting his latest book, The Nudge, about a man who cannot seem to outrun a mysterious evil. In interviews, Fink explains how the game's odd blend of funny and sad shaped his writing.
Grim Fandango's influence shows in his work's strange, dreamlike tone. Fans of the podcast will recognise the mix of weird and warm.
π The Backstory
Welcome to Night Vale began in 2012 as a strange podcast about a desert town where nothing is normal. It grew into a worldwide phenomenon with millions of listeners and live tours.
Grim Fandango is a beloved adventure game from 1998, made by Tim Schafer, packed with jazz, skeletons, and dark humour. Fink has long cited games and weird fiction as influences. His career shows how one art form can quietly shape another.
π― Why It Matters
It shows how art inspires art across very different formats. A 1998 game helped shape one of podcasting's most original voices. Creative people often find ideas in the most unexpected places.
Joseph Fink, cocreator of the hit podcast Welcome to Night Vale, says he learned storytelling from the video game Grim Fandango. He is promoting his latest book, The Nudge, about a man who cannot seem to outrun a mysterious evil. In interviews, Fink explains how the game's odd blend of funny and sad shaped his writing.
Grim Fandango's influence shows in his work's strange, dreamlike tone. Fans of the podcast will recognise the mix of weird and warm.
Welcome to Night Vale began in 2012 as a strange podcast about a desert town where nothing is normal. It grew into a worldwide phenomenon with millions of listeners and live tours.
Grim Fandango is a beloved adventure game from 1998, made by Tim Schafer, packed with jazz, skeletons, and dark humour. Fink has long cited games and weird fiction as influences. His career shows how one art form can quietly shape another.
It shows how art inspires art across very different formats. A 1998 game helped shape one of podcasting's most original voices. Creative people often find ideas in the most unexpected places.