10 Video Game Franchises Netflix NEEDS To Develop
Would you kindly... make this into a series?
Video games brought to live-action have had a rough history, but last year we were blessed with a little Christmas treat from Netflix in the form of the eight-part series, The Witcher. Admittedly it's based off a book series, but we shouldn't discredit the fact that most people who tuned in were probably more familiar with the games.
Aside from being a fun, gory, and sometimes sexy show that has been commissioned for a well-deserved second season, it has proven two things to the mass market. The first being that Netflix once again chooses wisely and correctly with what material to commission and produce, and the second being that video game adaptations don't have to be movies.
Why not make series' out of them instead? Sprawling narratives and complex characters deserve to be fleshed out over digestible hour-long segments instead of condensed 90-120 minute films. So let's look back at some big game franchises and cherry pick those that would could be Netflix's next big hit.
Why Netflix? Well the streamer would be the ideal adaptation platform because not only can they reach a broader audience, but their track record of allowing creators to work with their material and not get involved might also amputate the stigma of "studio interference".
10. The Legend Of Zelda
If Netflix were to lean into video game adaptations, a certain part of the business model would be to look into fantasy genres that have dominated the industry for decades. The double-edged sword of this move is that it's an imaginative aspect to explore, but a miss-step could lose viewers' attention by being too niche or unrealistic.
For The Legend of Zelda - a brand that has existed for over thirty years - a live-action series centered around Link and the world of Hyrule would not only be a wonderful stroll down memory lane for nostalgic fans of the earlier games, but an amazing introduction for a new generation of younger fans.
In the universe of The Legend of Zelda, the obscure and fantasy elements would be a wondrous adventure for audiences to explore in episodic increments as they follow the lead hero on their journey. The games never felt above the player, which translated to a live-action setting would allow audiences to never feel alienated whilst watching the show.
Zelda would be an ambitious adaptation, but pull it off and it could open the doors to other series' including...