Unveiling the Extraordinary Virtual Life of Ibelin

While ‘The Remarkable Life of Ibelin’ might not be the pioneer in the list of Warcraft films, it has certainly outshone all its predecessors. Unlike the 2016 big-budget Warcraft film by Duncan Jones, which revolved around the primary characters of Blizzard’s enduring universe, this fresh documentary on Netflix, directed by Benjamin Ree, stands out for its unique approach. Released just a month before the 20th anniversary of World of Warcraft, the film shifts the spotlight from the traditional protagonists to the actual heroes of WoW – the players who inhabit the realm of Azeroth. Narrating the captivating story of Mats “Ibelin” Steen, it offers an in-depth look into the intriguing aspect of digital life. The film drives the poignant message that relationships and friendships forged in the virtual world can be as meaningful and profound as those in the real world. This narrative, although not a novel concept for hardcore gamers, still manages to strike a chord and leave a significant impact, especially through the lens of ‘The Remarkable Life of Ibelin’.

The Journey Begins

The initial 20 minutes of the 100-minute documentary might give viewers a hint of what is to come. The film features home videos of Steen during his early days, from being a playful child in Norway to the unfortunate discovery of his Duchenne’s disease. This rare form of muscular dystrophy, gradually worsening over time, restricts Steen to a wheelchair as his muscles weaken. Consequently, his ability to interact and explore the world around him diminishes, leading him to seek comfort in video games, much to his parents’ dismay.

Unveiling Steen’s Online Persona

Through interviews, Steen’s family express their heartache over his worsening condition and the limitations it imposes on his life. Before his untimely demise at the age of 25 in 2014, Steen entrusted his computer password to his parents. This led them to unearth his blog, where he chronicled his life. Their decision to inform his followers about his passing resulted in an overwhelming response from his online friends spread across Europe, most of whom knew him by his WoW name, Ibelin. The emails were a testament to the impact Ibelin had on their lives, which came as a surprise to his parents. They were aware of his online interactions but were oblivious to the extent of their son’s digital life. One of Steen’s friends, the leader of the Starlight roleplaying guild, revealed that Ibelin’s in-game conversations and encounters were documented on the guild’s online forums, where Steen was an active participant.

Mats Steen suffered from Duchenne muscular dystrophy but found comfort in World of Warcraft.

Delving into Ibelin’s Virtual Life

The film takes an intriguing turn and begins to reconstruct key moments from Steen’s in-game life, based on over 42,000 pages of saved text conversations, character diaries, and in-game interactions from the Starlight’s online archives. The documentary transforms into an animated film, primarily set within the digital world of Azeroth. Here, Steen represents himself as a charming private investigator, living a life filled with love, camaraderie, heartbreak, and guild drama, all depicted in the style of an in-game WoW cinematic.

The Emotional Impact

The Remarkable Life of Ibelin is a tear-jerker, not because of its inherent sadness, but due to the relatable and beautiful story it portrays. It strikes a chord with millions of players, including myself, who have spent their formative years playing WoW or other MMORPGs. The film resonates with the audience’s experiences of online life, be it an online crush, forming lifelong friendships, or dealing with the drama that comes with being part of an enthusiastic online community.

Relishing the Familiarity

While being a WoW or MMO player isn’t a prerequisite to appreciate Ibelin’s story, WoW players, in particular, will enjoy the familiar sights and sounds of Azeroth, whether it’s the “mrrgggrlll” of a Murloc in the distance or recognizing the exact piece of armor a character in the background is wearing. As Ibelin explores the Alliance capital of Stormwind or travels along the road of Elwynn Forest, there’s always something intriguing to observe and hear. A few passing conversations between Stormwind citizens are bound to elicit laughter.

Mats Steen met his first crush in Blizzard’s MMORPG.

The Animation: A Key Element

The Remarkable Life of Ibelin’s in-game scenes are meticulously animated in a way that takes some liberties with how WoW player interactions actually work but still manages to feel authentic. In-game interactions and emotes are fully animated and brought to life, instead of the largely text-based versions used in actual WoW. It’s a smart approach, one that helps to capture the pivotal in-game moments from Ibelin’s life in a way that is true to how they were felt as opposed to how they literally transpired. It doesn’t show players typing on a keyboard, taking 30 seconds or more to choose their next in-character response (as is often the case in RP scenarios). One doesn’t reflect fondly on the in-game text emote that describes receiving a kiss from another player, after all, but rather the action itself. Ibelin in the film said even though a kiss from his online crush was virtual, he could “almost feel it.” The film does a great job of portraying these moments in a real and natural way so that those who haven’t played WoW or might not even be all that familiar with video games can still understand and relate to what’s happening.

The Man Behind the Animation

Given the quality of the animation, one would assume it was done by Blizzard’s own in-game cinematic team, or at the very least with some assistance from them. That, however, wasn’t the case. The Remarkable Life of Ibelin’s animated scenes are largely the work of Rasmus Tukia, an animator in WoW’s “machinima” community who has long used Blizzard’s world and character models to tell stories. It’s an incredibly impressive achievement. From the way characters run to how they hand each other flowers, it all feels true to Blizzard’s world in a way that can only come from Tukia having spent a significant amount of time within WoW themselves. Many of the film’s most dramatic and emotional moments happen in-game, and Tukia’s expressive animation brings those moments to life both with the care and the gravitas they deserve.