Today's youth come to the English language arts class with a diverse range of ideas and experiences that give them the ability to develop and blossom into proficient and talented writers for multiple audiences; constant engagement with new media and digital literacies provides them multiple opportunities and multiple channels through which to explore these ideas. In particular, video games can provide today's adolescent a deeper understanding of real-world issues and real-world audiences. The authors provide suggestions for using popular video games to engage students in authentic expository, persuasive, and creative writing. (Contains 4 figures.)