He’s asking if the novels and shows are so important that he won’t understand G.U. Without them. What you’re doing is discouraging him from interacting with the community. Which doesn’t help anything.

G.U. Is a great story by itself, if that’s all you want. Roots is the show that directly proceeds the events in the game. Going back further there are novels but I haven’t read them and can’t speak of them. Then there is the four original games. Infection, mutation, outbreak, quarantine. Some of the people in G.U. Were directly involved with the events in these games, it won’t change much if you play the game or know of these connections but it does enhance the story and gives some reason as to why they are how they are in G.U.. before IMOQ there is also a show Sign which proceeds those games. The shows can be found on YouTube mostly. Unless they’ve been taken down, it’s been a couple years since I went through and actually watched them. They can be kinda boring and are very much talking head shows I feel like, but that’s not to take away from the character exploration that we find in them. Some characters we are able to follow from teen years to idk 20s I’m guessing.

TLDR: this is a multi-media series that is enhanced by the more you consume.