Free-to-play games have become a method to build up a large player base in recent years, and many have developed stories that could make for great TV.
With The Last of Us set to premiere in 2023 and The Witcher succeeding in mainstream popularity, it seems video game adaptations have finally begun to have some success. With a historic background of movie failures, many fans are skeptical of their favorite games being adapted.
Video games have an ability to build unique and in-depth worlds that players can invest themselves in as much as someone reading a book. While it doesn't always translate well onto the big or small screens, there are many free-to-play games that could still fit well in a TV format.
Lots of free-to-play games are player versus player based, with in-game costs centered mainly around cosmetics. Valorant was RiotGames' answer to the first-person shooter, with a colorful and stylized world of action.
Players quickly got so attached to the characters and world of Valorant that the game began to develop lore and backstories for the world. Like with Riot's other series, Arcane, a Valorant series would probably work best in animation.
The Warcraft franchise had a chance with a movie in 2016, but the box office flop likely lowered its chances of a big screen sequel happening any time soon. Still, the iconic franchise is rich with stories of all sizes, given that it has over two decades of consistently built lore.
If Warcraft wanted to take a stab at TV, animation in the style of Hearthstone could be a clean way to go about it. The high fantasy, stylized magic setting would be hard to fulfill in live action without the heavy reliance on CGI, thus not capturing the magic as well.
Space Jame: A New Legacy already involved characters from across the Warner Bros. property list, but that was just a glimpse at the whacky crossovers that the company could muster. The new MultiVersus game puts it on full display, with tons of memes being made about it already.
The mix of various characters in MultiVersus could make for a fun animated series on HBO Max, centered around action and adventures of the strange crossovers. It wouldn't be the first time characters like Batman and Scooby-Doo crossed over.
One of the classic MMORPG games, RuneScape is still kicking with a dedicated fan base that plays the remaster and the old-school version online. The fantasy game has brought so many people together over the years and could continue to do so on TV.
The game has always had a cartoonish style but is not as vibrant as the Warcraft universe. Its settings appear as mainly typical medieval settings, which could be accomplished well in live action as well as animation.
The franchise has existed since 2003 when Defense of the Ancients was created by a fan developing a mod for Warcraft 3. The idea caught on and has been one of the most popular Steam games since its creation in 2013.
Since League of Legends has had its own TV adaptation, it's only fitting that the other wildly active MOBA game gets some representation for its lore. The high magic fantasy setting could pull off an equally aesthetically pleasing look as Arcane, with its own style based on the game's art.
While DC Comics has no shortage of shows compared to many other games, the plot of DC Universe Online is uniquely appealing in that it gives fans an entrance point to be their own hero among icons like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. A similar idea could make for an interesting series.
Centered around an original hero and villain both gaining powers and learning to utilize them with the help of the Justice League or Legion of Doom, preparing to face off against each other could make for an interesting DC show, in either animation or live-action. The apocalyptic threat of Brainiac's invasion also adds a high-stakes element to the game's world. It would be among the many DC characters deserving of a show.
Warframe is one of the best "live service" games of all time. A science fiction-based MMORPG that has been among the top free-to-play games for years, Warframe would make for a fascinating live-action show.
Despite Halo receiving poor reviews from fans of the games, the scope of the show did reveal how a science fiction property could look with TV budget. A studio would be taking a chance on Warframe, but with strong writing that respected the show's lore, they could find success with an intergalactic, action-based show with political and economic themes.
Mythology has had a place in Hollywood for a long time, but normally, these adaptations haven't crossed over. While a number of actors have played Zeus or King Arthur, none have ever crossed paths. Thor: Love and Thunder has gotten as close to Smite as possible so far.
An action-based animated series based on the world of Smite could be epic, as the gods of mythology have always been great character studies for adaptation. Combining different pantheons of mythology could create a conflict of egos as a storyline could make for some great action.
The Battle Royale genre has taken over much of gaming since Fortnite's phenomenon of popularity in 2018. Call of Duty, an older gaming franchise which struggled to stay relevant for some time, released their response to it which propelled them back to the top.
The older Call of Duty games were known for their compelling campaigns as well as their player-versus-player and arcade game modes. Combining the Warzone world which many are familiar with and the story elements of previous game campaigns could make for an awesome action thriller series. The show could even incorporate some of the Call of Duty franchise's most iconic lines.
The game everyone has heard of, Fortnite launched into the mainstream and brought certain elements of gaming such as streaming and e-sports with it in 2018. While the hype for the game has surpassed its peak, the game is still immensely popular and is constantly being updated with new cosmetics and game modes.
The popularization of the game resulted in a demand for some story to it, and these elements were added to it. The multimedia aspect that allows for superheroes and other pop culture figures to appear in the game likely wouldn't make it into a show, but Fortnite does have its own original characters and concepts to play off of.
Charlie is a recent graduate from SUNY Purchase College, working as a freelance writer in Brooklyn, NY. He specializes for ScreenRant in writing Lists about TV and movies, both contemporary and old. Charlie is an avid movie lover, with his favorites being Magnolia, Mulholland Drive, Blade Runner, and Once Upon a Time in the West. His favorite shows are Twin Peaks, The Wire, and Peaky Blinders. He loves all genres, but mostly crime, mystery and comedy. He runs a personal movie blog on Instagram at @streamguidance where he writes about new movies and shows he watches.