4 video games we want to see adapted into Netflix series

Michael Gwilliam

With news that Splinter Cell and Beyond Good and Evil will be receiving Netflix adaptions, it seems like any game franchise could be ripe for a TV series, which begs the question: what games turned series should be announced next?

Turning video games into movies is pretty common and so far the results have been mixed at best. Everyone remembers the blunders of Mario Bros, Assassin’s Creed, and Max Payne. Only recently have some films rectified those embarrassments with the likes of Tomb Raider and Sonic the Hedgehog.

While movies haven’t really worked out well, TV shows and anime have had decent results. Castlevania, in particular, has been well-received by fans and critics. Its success is likely the reason why it’s rumored that Diablo and Overwatch will be getting animated series in the future.

So, without further ado, here is our list of four video games we want to see Netflix adapt into a series.

Watch Dogs

Watchdogs could make for an ideal Netflix series.

With Ubisoft seemingly having a good relationship with Netflix already, Watch Dogs could be prime for some sort of adaptation either as an animated show or live-action.

Seeing the success of hacker-based TV shows such as Mr Robot, a Watch Dogs series could potentially take the franchise in a more realistic direction and feature a group of characters we haven’t encountered yet.

Throw in some fisticuffs and action set pieces and you have yourself a series that could do extremely well, even for those who haven’t played the games.

StarCraft

Kerrigan and a Hydralisk on Char
StarCraft is so massive it may only work in animated form.

The original StarCraft and its sequel were massive esports juggernauts, but the campaign in each title ended up spawning plenty of novels to expand on the lore.

Really, the original StarCraft could make for a superb series on its own with either three seasons or three acts mimicking the style of the campaign.

If Netflix wants a good space opera, it should look no further than StarCraft. It would definitely be an attention-grabber given how many people played it throughout the 90s to the current day.

BioShock

BioShock is an a masterpiece of an FPS.

BioShock is one of the most atmospheric games to ever be released so trying to capture that within TV show form could prove to be challenging, yet extremely rewarding if they manage to pull it off successfully.

Its elements of horror mixed in with steampunk fantasy could be the right recipe for a hit program akin to something such as Love Death Robots. While the film adaptation of BioShock ended up cancelled, a TV show format could be the better medium to tell the story.

Sleeping Dogs

Wei Chen kicks people in Sleeping Dogs
Sleeping Dogs could bring the martial arts goodness to Netflix.

If there’s one open-world game that deserves a sequel it’s Sleeping Dogs. With a mix of Grand Theft Auto and the Arkham Batman games, it’s a fun open-world action game with some stellar combat mechanics and an immersive story.

Considering it’s already inspired heavily by gun-fu movies, the change up to a Netflix adaptation could be worth attempting, especially with the right fight choreography – think something similar to The Raid: Redemption.

There are a lot of places the story of Sleeping Dogs could go with its Hong Kong setting and considering all the different factors ongoing within that region, it’s something that could be interesting to explore.

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About The Author

Michael Gwilliam is a senior writer at Dexerto based in Ontario, Canada. He specializes in Overwatch, Smash, influencers, and Twitch culture. Gwilliam has written for sites across Canada including the Toronto Sun. You can contact him at michael.gwilliam@dexerto.com or on Twitter @TheGwilliam