As anticipation builds for the imminent release of Inner Space, we spoke with acclaimed author Jakub Szamalek — renowned for his gripping novels and for shaping narratives in blockbuster games like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
We explored the inspiration behind his new novel, the fascinating contrasts between writing books and games, and unearthed a hidden The Witcher easter egg!
Inner Space and its inspiration
The publication of Inner Space is far from Szamalek‘s first time at the center of a major release: the Polish writer has spearheaded ambitious projects like The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, alongside publishing multiple books such as the Ukryta sieć trilogy.
Still, we asked how he feels about launching new work:
AS ALWAYS, IT’S A MIX OF ANTICIPATION—AND APPREHENSION. I’M VERY PROUD OF THIS BOOK, AND IT DEMANDED TREMENDOUS EFFORT FROM ME. SO OF COURSE, I HOPE IT WILL BE SOMEWHAT SUCCESSFUL.
Inner Space unfolds in the hostile, unforgiving setting of the International Space Station (ISS), amid tensions that threaten not only the crew but the entire international landscape.
When asked about the inspiration for this setting, Szamalek shared:
IT STARTED WITH MY DAUGHTER, MATYLDA. WHEN SHE WAS LITTLE, SHE WAS FASCINATED BY SPACE… SHE BOMBARDED ME WITH QUESTIONS… I QUICKLY REALIZED HOW LITTLE I KNEW… AND THAT I’D LOST THE BEAUTIFUL SENSE OF WONDER CHILDREN POSSESS. SO I STARTED READING… AND THE MORE I READ, THE MORE I WANTED TO KNOW.
THEN ONE SUMMER, WE TOOK MATYLDA TO THE SPACE MUSEUM IN TOULOUSE… I STEPPED INTO A LIFE-SIZE REPLICA OF THE MIR SPACE STATION… I FELT CLAUSTROPHOBIC… CRAMPED SPACE, WIRES… TINY WINDOWS… SHARP EDGES. AND IT OCCURRED TO ME—IS THIS WHERE PEOPLE ARE SO EAGER TO GO? SPENDING MONTHS TRAPPED IN A METAL TUBE, SURROUNDED BY LETHAL VACUUM? WHY? WHAT DRAWS US TOWARD THE STARS? THAT’S WHEN THE IDEA FOR THE BOOK BEGAN TO TAKE SHAPE.
Writing in games and books
As noted, Szamalek has worked extensively in both games and books — media with vastly different structures, requiring nuanced narrative approaches. For him, the core distinction lies in the protagonist-audience relationship:
THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IS IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PROTAGONIST AND THEIR AUDIENCE. IN A VIDEO GAME, THEY MUST BE ALIGNED—PLAYERS NEED TO IDENTIFY WITH THEIR CHARACTERS’ MOTIVATIONS AND GOALS… OTHERWISE, THEY WON’T FEEL MOTIVATED TO UNFOLD THE STORY. IN BOOKS, READERS ARE PERFECTLY HAPPY FOLLOWING A CHARACTER THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND—OR EVEN DISLIKE—AS LONG AS THEY’RE INTERESTING ENOUGH.
When comparing books and games, character motivations and complexities also differ significantly. Game narratives are often constrained by mechanics, while books leverage tools like internal monologues and textual depth to explore psychology.
This divergence presents unique challenges, as Szamalek notes:
PORTRAYING INTERNAL MONOLOGUE IN GAMES IS DIFFICULT… PARTLY COMPENSATED FOR BY CHOICES. I THINK OF CHOICES AS MANIFESTATIONS OF THE PROTAGONIST’S INNER CONFLICT: SHOULD I DO THIS, OR SHOULD I DO THAT? AND THAT TENSION IS IMMEDIATELY GRASPED BY THE PLAYER. IT CREATES AN INCREDIBLY STRONG CONNECTION AND DEEPLY IMMERSES PLAYERS IN THE STORY.
Easter Egg in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Blood and Wine
Finally, true to O Megascópio’s style, we asked Szamalek about The Witcher 3. The writer led the narrative for the Blood and Wine expansion and shared insights about his experience — including a hint about a personal easter egg:
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WRITING THIS SPECIFIC MISSION AND HAD GREAT FUN DOING IT. THE WORLD OF THE WITCHER CAN BE VERY DARK, SO HAVING A PRETEXT TO PLAY AROUND A BIT WAS A WELCOME CHANGE. THERE’S ALSO A TINY REFERENCE TO A BAND I LOVE THAT MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY MISSED—A MINISCULE RED HOT CHILI PEPPER UNDER ONE OF THE BRIDGES…
You can explore Jakub Szamalek’s new work, Inner Space, in our review below:
