Background information
He passed away at 25 – but Mats Steen lives on in World of Warcraft
by Luca Fontana
Life Is Strange was my substitute home when I had to leave my real one
10.5.2025
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
Ten years ago, I was confronted with a difficult family situation. I found solace in the video game Life Is Strange.
Video games can be more than just entertainment. In winter 2024, Netflix released a documentary that tells the touching story of World of Warcraft player Mats Steen. While his frail body severely limited him in everyday life, he became a legend thanks to his unique nature and the influence he had on fellow players. Editor Luca did a wonderful job telling Mats’s story:
With Life Is Strange, I experienced firsthand just how much emotional support a game can provide. Shortly after leaving school, I had to grow up quickly, just like the two protagonists in the game.
On my own
When I was 19, I moved out of my parents’ house in a cloak-and-dagger operation. I’d like to keep the reasons private. All I’ll say is that it was a necessary decision and the only way out of a bad situation. But the move was just the beginning.
Although I got support from a family member in my endeavour, that didn’t protect me from my cold water plunge into the adult world. I had to register my move, open a bank account and phone my health insurance to postpone bills. There was too much going on to process. Instead, I had to find a job without any qualifications and, ideally, already know what I wanted to do with my life. It didn’t help that the lady from the insurance company gave me a hard time because I had to push my bills back by four months.
Fortunately, those days are a thing of the past. When I think back on them, I’m proud of what I achieved at a young age. And a sense of nostalgia washes over me when I recall the games that accompanied me through those days. One particular beacon of positivity was Life Is Strange.
Source: Square Enix
Video games as escapism
Through their interactivity, video games are easier to immerse yourself in than other forms of media. You’re not just watching a story, you’re behind the steering wheel. You decide where you go – this was a complete contrast to the situation I found myself in, at the mercy of external factors like the insurance company representative.
Life is Strange tells the adventure of Max Caulfield as she attends a school in her hometown and discovers a power that changes her life. Namely, she can turn back time. But that’s not all. The supernatural teen drama also deals with the case of missing schoolgirl Rachel Amber, Chloe Price’s best friend – who in turn used to be Max’s best friend.
Source: Square Enix
The story really tickled my crime genre penchant. This is also the reason why I kept returning to Arcadia Bay, where the story takes place, after moving out of my parents’ house. Despite already knowing the plot after my first playthrough, I continued to enjoy wandering through the surroundings as Max on subsequent playthroughs, soaking up every single detail.
I’d look at the photos in Chloe’s house that showcased her experiences throughout the years of Max’s absence. I’d also take the time to read through the name plaques on the doors of the Blackwell Academy student rooms. To this day, I wonder why bully Victoria Chase, of all people, had Ghandi’s «be the change you wish to see» prominently on display. Except, of course, to emphasise her hypocritical nature.
Source: Square Enix
Life Is Strange isn’t a sandbox, but it offered me enough playroom to immerse myself in the game world I loved so much. This escapism allowed me to take a deep breath and gave me the strength to get back behind the wheel.
A problem shared…
Max, Chloe and Rachel showed me I wasn’t the only young woman facing overwhelming challenges. At a time when my world was smaller than it is today, this gave me comfort. By taking on the role of Max and turning back time to prevent my friend Chloe from ever getting shot, I realised I could take on my problems even without superpowers.
Source: Square Enix
Fortunately for me, I didn’t have to find a missing friend, but only ask for the fourth time over the phone what the difference is between my health insurance premium and deductible. If Max and Chloe could master such a mammoth task, I’d also manage to get back on my own two feet.
What also helped was that in addition to dire problems, the video game heroines were also confronted with the typical teen troubles. At 19, I was intimidated by the world, awkward and couldn’t get through a job interview with confidence. But, like so many things, that would come over the span of the next ten years.
In the meantime, further games in the Life Is Strange series have been released. I buy each one with religious conviction – though now for entertainment, not for moral support.
To this day, the mere mention of Life Is Strange gives me a warm feeling. Taking trips into the supernatural world of mysteries and interpersonal relationships feels like coming home to me. Because to me, that’s exactly what Life Is Strange was: home.
Cassie Mammone
Freelance Editor
cassie.mammone.freelance@gmail.comI wrote my first text about video games when I was eight years old. I haven't been able to stop since. The rest of my time is spent on my love for 2D husbandos, monsters, my cats and sport.
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