Game of Thrones: 5 Ways to Make a Great Video Game Adaptation

3. Character/House Creation

A big temptation is making ASoIaF video game is to simply place the player in control of one or more of the various characters that populate the novels. I understand why this temptation exists. Who wouldn€™t want to play as Tyrion Lannister or Eddard Stark? The problem with this approach is that their paths are set in stone, and playing as them would mean that all you would get to do is replay sequences you already experienced from the books or show (unless they were to take the prequel approach). This has a certain novelty, but beyond that there really is no point. For me, excitement for ASoIaF video game doesn€™t come from taking control of an already established character, but from the prospect of creating my own identity and interacting with them. This is why the best approach is to allow the player to not only create and customize their own character, but their own house as well. Such an approach would give the game a much more personal feel, and as games like Mass Effect and Skyrim have shown, personalization positively adds to an already great experience. And since in Martin€™s world status and power are everything, you€™d also be able to create the house attached to your character. Name, sigil, words, and allegiance to one of the great houses would all be a part of this process. Giving the player the ability to create their own house and character adds all sorts of possibilities for the player, while also greatly expanding the personal investment. This raises the stakes considerably, which has the potential to make the events of the campaign a more exhilarating/exhausting experience. Character and house customization would be a fantastic way of personalizing each player's experience while keeping the aspects unique to the ASoIaF series.