Our 5 Favorite Video Game Adaptations!

Nowadays, the entertainment industry thrives off of adapting existing IP. Whether it’s a novel, a comic book, or even a real-life event, the appeal of a built-in audience is too strong for Hollywood to ignore. It might seem obvious for video games to be included in this strategy, but the format has proven challenging to adapt to the big screen. Despite the sweeping narratives and cinema-like qualities of some video games, they remain distinct from novels or comic books due to their interactive nature. The player is an essential part of a video game, and removing that part often removes the appeal. When we think of games like Uncharted or Tomb Raider, it isn’t the complex stories or interesting characters that fans find compelling but the sensation of exploring ruins and defying danger. When that playable aspect is removed, what’s left is just another Indiana Jones-type treasure-hunting movie.

With that being said, we’ve also seen many successful video game adaptations, especially within the past few years. What makes these adaptations successful is their unique approach to what makes the game popular and how to deliver that in a different medium. Below is a list of some of our favorite video game adaptations, as well as what makes the adaptation work!

1. "The Last of Us" (2023–)

This one is a bit of a no-brainer. Released in 2013, The Last of Us pushed the boundaries of what video games could achieve in storytelling. While player choice is present in the game, the primary appeal is the cinematic story and the relationship between Joel and Ellie. The game is well-suited for the the screen that when HBO adapted it into a TV show, there wasn’t any need for major changes. Everything from dialogue, visual framing, and wardrobes were all pulled directly from the game. In this case, the adaptation didn’t have to work too hard to translate between mediums because the source material was already so close to what they were trying to create. (Stream on HBO Max)

2. A Minecraft Movie (2025)

Minecraft is a much more challenging source material to adapt compared to The Last of Us because in Minecraft, there is no real story. Oftentimes, the biggest hurdle that video game adaptations face is the pressure to be faithful to the game while stringing together enough of a narrative to allow it to function as a movie. The most common approach to this problem is found A Minecraft Movie as well as The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Sonic the Hedgehog. None of the games that these movies were adapted from have rich narratives to replicate, but they do have recognizable iconography, characters, and worlds that audiences enjoy recognizing on screen. What A Minecraft Movie does differently is the way it brings the culture surrounding Minecraft into play. The movie is packed with references not just from the game but to YouTube creators and online jokes that have as much to do with the game as with the experience of being a gamer. (Stream on HBO Max and Prime Video)

3. "Arcane" (2021-2024)

Released in 2009, League of Legends is one of the most popular video games in the world. As a multiplayer battle arena game with over one hundred playable characters, the game’s storyline is flimsy at best. Each character has a backstory, but most players care more about their moves and fighting styles than anything else. Not to mention, the lore is barely present in the game. So when the first season of "Arcane" was released in 2021, critics were shocked by the heart-wrenching story that the writers were able to glean from the source material. What we find most interesting about "Arcane" and other examples like it is the fact that, in some cases, the creative freedom that comes from adapting a game with little to no story might prove more beneficial than painstakingly translating every detail. (Stream on Netflix)

4. "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners" (2022)

In the 1980s and '90s, the best examples of video game adaptations were Saturday morning cartoons featuring characters like Super Mario and Sonic. When the kids who enjoyed those cartoon became adults, the only options available to them were B-movies that, at best, made people laugh. Luckily, as video games rose in popularity, so did other formerly niche formats such as anime. While not always taken as seriously as live-action, it’s fair to say that there are some adaptations that would have failed if they hadn’t been animated. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a perfect example of this. Similarly to The Last of Us, Cyberpunk 2077 was a fairly cinematic experience to begin with. However, many experienced gamers found themselves questioning the purpose of recreating The Last of Us shot-for-shot without adding anything new. Transforming the world of Cyberpunk 2077 into an anime is already a major change, but "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners" takes it a step further by following an entirely new character who doesn't appear in the game at all. (Stream on Netflix)

5. "Fallout" (2024–)

Fallout began as an isometric RPG released in 1997 and was followed by several sequels, each taking place in the same world but following different characters in different settings. While there are occasional references to previous games, new players don’t have to start from the beginning in order to enjoy the game. Similarly, Prime Video’s live-action adaptation takes place in a new setting and follows new characters. Like "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners", it tells a new story while showcasing just enough recognizable elements to satisfy longtime fans. What makes this adaptation special, however, is how it manages to adapt such an expansive open world. With each installment in the franchise, the Fallout games became more and more complex with numerous quests and storylines that more than triple the amount of play time. In order to faithfully capture just how many routes there are to take in the game, the "Fallout" show follows not one but three different characters, each of whose stories might be a quest line within the game. This might be our favorite example in the list because of how accessible it is to fans and newcomers alike. (Stream on Prime Video)