Don’t you just want to look at an awesome book or an amazing film and say, “Wouldn’t it be awesome if I actually got to play this as a videogame?” And we’re quite sure a lot of people thought of the same thing. Some of these people turn out to be producers, game publishers, and game developers – and some of them have the resources to convince owners of these IPs to allow them to make games out of their material. And while some of these games turned out to be… less than promising, this doesn’t mean we can’t turn amazing IPs into potential successes.
In fact, maybe some of these publishers and developers need a good nudge in the right direction – say, the best books, films, and even series to make video games out of, perhaps? This list serves such a purpose. And if a game dev or a publisher is reading this, please oh please make these dreams a reality.
Game of Thrones should have its own strategy and tactics game. Fans (or fans-turned-haters) of GoT‘s Season 8 will likely understand our sentiments when we say we should’ve been able to try setting up castles and battalions ourselves in a war simulation. In fact, Game of Thrones has everything it needs for an interesting and hit war game – it has different factions, unique cultural differences enough to merit every House their tech tree, and complex political relationships that can make for interesting dynamics between factions. The game can play like other popular strategy titles, or even be grand strategy or 4X game like Civilization.
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- Game of Thrones has all the elements needed for a great RTS or even a 4X game, as it has a huge environment to work with, as well as different factions with different motives. 4X in particular can have a field day with GOT, as the politics surrounding the series can translate into various social, economic, political, and even religious issues.
- Wars in GOT can be elaborately planned by players. And unlike other RTS, a GOT RTS can include strategic placement of units, and maybe realistic unit interaction. We can even tackle things outside the main battle line that can affect the outcome of the battle, such as being able to destroy supply lines, intercept lines of communication, and even insert spies.
Hunger Games could make a killer (pun intended) battle royale game. What better way to immerse ourselves in a battle royale story like Hunger Games than with an actual battle royale game? 12 Districts with two (2) combatants each make for an insane 48-player match, and dynamic environments can add a whole lot of depth to gameplay. Plus, an added feature of securing benefits from sponsors and customizing special regal dresses for events can make a battle royale Hunger Games game quite exciting. If we’re going for in-depth adaptations, we can include unique game modes in the form of tournament-style Quarter Quells and even massive revolutions a la Mockingjay.
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- Hunger Games can play exactly like the usual battle royale game, except when players pick their Districts, they may be granted special skills. Moreover, it can be made a default rule that only players of the same District can team up. This can give players incentive to choose Districts wisely, and cooperate with each other.
- The usual Hunger Games match can even take advantage of elements from the books, such as the Cornucopia with supplies, and even dynamic environments. To make things unique, there can even be a story mode that players can tackle “progression quests” that involve doing something during multiplayer matches.
Supernatural can make a scary but action-packed horror title. We’re finally seeing the last of the Winchesters in Supernatural‘s 15th and last season, and the series has gone to Hell (quite literally in the series) and back exploring various mythological concepts, folklore, urban legends, and everything scary in between. A Supernatural game can have a ton of material sourced from the series, with the game perhaps set as a sequel after the series, a prequel that sets the games’ major events, or even in a setting that happens “alongside” the main continuity. The mysterious nature of hunters make it quite interesting to make a game out of the Supernatural mythos, as players may be able to wield an assortment of normal and magical weapons, and even have an arsenal of magical spells and other skills to defeat monsters.
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- A Supernatural game can be in many gameplay styles – it can be an RPG where players can level up various Hunters, or even a full-blown FPS action game set at the End of the World. The many issues, mythologies, and folklore tackled by the series can be great material for any game, which might make a lot of fans see this as a great opportunity to make a gaming franchise.
- A co-op game where players can become the Winchester Brothers can be an amazing option as well. This not only encourages cooperative play and multiplayer, but this can make for some interesting cooperative mechanics. This could be in the vein of games like recent Resident Evil titles, where both players tackle the campaign from a cooperative setup.
How To Get Away With Murder can make an interesting legal simulation game with a twist. Fans of legal shows will likely understand how HTGAWM sets itself apart from its contemporaries. That’s because HTGAWM explores various cases per episode with an overarching plot that involves, well, getting away with murder. Producers and game devs can make a legal sim that allows players to take on various cases and interact with various key people and objects in cases and allow them to defend their clients. Meanwhile, the game also lets players – in this case the Keating 5 protagonists – to solve another case that, if left untouched, might get them all caught.
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- HTGAWM shows promise as a story-driven game, especially given how the cast has shown remarkable acting through its seasons. The show even won various awards because of its interesting narrative and superb acting. If a HTGAWM game gets the entire cast to voice their characters, it’s as though you’re watching an entire episode yourself.
- A HTGAWM game can be a completely interactive game, where players can be in a fully open world Middleton University. They can either play as one of the Keating 5, or even as a totally new character. In this FPS, they can interact with objects, talk to people, and help solve cases by roaming around and gathering clues. If we include some staple mechanics from publishers like Bethesda, this game can have dialogue options that may win or lose the case, and dialogues that may change depending on who and what the character interacts with.
CW’s Arrowverse can be an entire MMORPG. If Marvel has the Marvel Cinematic Universe for its on-screen hero fun, CW (Warner Bros.) have the “Arrowverse,” or its slate of television shows that take place in its own multiverse. These include headliners Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl – each with their special crossover episodes and major events. While there’s DC Heroes Online for a superhero MMO in the DC Comics realm, it’s interesting to see an MMO set in the more realistic and more grounded superhero universe in CW’s television shows. Imagine being able to use powers as a vigilante, or even do small-scale heroics in a massive open world?
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- There are a lot of superhero RPGs in the market, popularized by now-closed City of Heroes game. Right now, we have freemium online games like Champions Online, and DC Heroes Online. However, all of these games usually tackle heroics on a larger scale. What makes a potential Arrowverse MMO interesting is that each Arrowverse series tackles superhero life in a realistic manner – small-scale situations, with a few big events here and there.
- An Arrowverse MMO can have players be metahumans, or the DC Comics term for people with superpowers. However, instead of getting costumes outright, the Arrowverse MMO can chronicle the players’ journeys into becoming heroes – with changing costumes, and improving powersets.
Video Game Adaptations and Where to Find Them
When we talk about video game inspirations, we often look at mythologies, urban legends, and even things we encounter on a day-to-day basis. Thing is, game devs and game publishers can also look at a lot of modern material across film, television, and even books that they can turn into video games. Given enough traction and potential, popular materials we see in pop culture may be transformed into games we’d like and enjoy!
Unfortunately, not all popular materials we see and encounter today get turned into video games. Sometimes, these materials need enough traction and fan clamor to even be considered being turned into a title. And even then, there’s a ton of intricacies involved when transforming a material into a piece… but that’s a tale for another time. Do you have other works of fiction (or maybe even historical realities) that you want to get turned into a game? Feel free to share with us in the comments!
John Salazar
John Salazar is a certified techie-at-heart, but he shares a love for all things science and technology, health and wellness, and even a bit of music on the side. As a creative writer, John makes sure to write both informative and entertaining pieces. He loves writing, and he plays the guitar when he has free time.
