Jane McGonigal is born in the United States. From an early age, she develops a passion for games and storytelling, setting the stage for her future career path. The early immersion in creative activities laid the foundation for her later exploration of games' potential to engage and motivate individuals.

McGonigal attends the University of California, Berkeley, where she studies English and performs improv comedy. This period hones her storytelling abilities and her understanding of how to engage audiences, skills which would later become central to her game design philosophy and lecturing style.