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Steph Gingrich in close-up, as she appears during her introductory scene in Life Is Strange: True Colors.

The first everLife Is Strangetie-in novel, subtitled Steph’s Story,has been announcedfor next year. The novel will be a prequel to last year’sLife Is Strange: True Colors, and will follow recurring character Steph Gingrich and her bandmate-slash-girlfriend Izzie on the tour that will eventually lead them to Haven Springs, the game’s setting.

Life is Strange: True Colors - First 15 Minutes of GameplayWatch on YouTube

Life is Strange: True Colors - First 15 Minutes of Gameplay

Cover image for YouTube video

Steph was introduced as a supporting character inBefore The Storm, the prequel to the original game released in 2017. Her popularity led to her eventual return in True Colors in a greatly expanded role, as both a major character and potential love interest for protagonist Alex. She’s even playable in the bonus chapter that comes with the game’s Deluxe and Ultimate Editions.

Izzie, meanwhile, is someone that, as anLIS die-hard, I’ve been keen to get to know more. She made her brief debut in True Colors as the franchise’s first explicitly trans character and only trans woman to date, so I’m pleased that she’s becoming less of a throwaway side character, even though her eventual break-up with Steph is a foregone conclusion. Do I hope she has a secret superpower? Maybe a little bit. It’d be weird if there were none on display in a Life Is Strange story, after all.

It’ll certainly be interesting to see how the novel deals with the branching storylines from the games which result from choices left up to the player. The True Colors story DLC that made Steph playable has already shown that the fates of Rachel, Chloe, and the residents of Arcadia Bay had an understandably huge impact on her. But of the three, only Rachel’s destiny is set in stone; and, unlike a video game, a novel can’t ask you what ending you saw in Season One before deciding which version of the ongoing story to show you. Or can it? Honestly, I have no clue at this point.

According to Life Is Strange’s official social media, we can expect more details on this book, including a synopsis and pre-order info, very soon. For now, we must be content with the knowledge that Life Is Strange: Steph’s Story is due for publication on March 21st 2023.