
Earlier this week, there were more people playing CD Projekt RED’s outstanding open world role-playing game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on Steam than there’s ever been. This is a staggering statistic that bears repeating: on New Year’s Day the title accrued concurrents of around 102,000 players, which is the largest number it’s ever attained in its entire four-and-a-bit year history – including launch day. Why? The answer is simple: the release of Netflix’s aggressively advertised live action adaptation has revived interest in the series’ most recent game. But it begs the question: why aren’t more publishers taking note?
The Witcher is an adequate television show, but it’s not an all-time great. Netflix has clearly invested heavily in the first season of the fantasy series, and it’s delivered a luscious visual feast with a strong cast of lead characters. That said, its script can be questionable in places, and the overall plot is meandering – albeit, admittedly, eventually fulfilling. It’s occupying a role in a post-Game of Thrones world, and there’s nothing wrong with that; there’s an enormous audience for fantasy-themed yarns, and Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels provide plenty of lore to pull from.

The thing that interests me most about the Netflix adaptation is the overall impact it’s had on the game, however. While we currently only have access to Steam data, it’s perhaps safe to conclude that there’s been an uptick in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt players on all platforms; here on Push Square, for example, we’ve seen some of our legacy guides gain a spike in page views directly after the release of the live action series. CD Projekt RED, as any competent company should, has capitalised by putting its game into sales such as Sony’s gigantic January promotion on the PlayStation Store.
All of this is building renewed interest in a release about to celebrate its fifth anniversary, but if the impact is this great then why aren’t more titles being adapted? We’ve seen the odd attempt in the past few years, with Alicia Vikander assuming the role of Lara Croft in Tomb Raider and Ratchet & Clank making their way to the big screen. But cross-media in games is typically considered folly; a back catalogue of bad movie conversions has perhaps put some publishers off.
The Witcher is obviously aided in a couple of ways: the games are critically acclaimed, the novels provide plenty of fiction to work with, and Netflix has become such an accessible means of content consumption that the barrier for entry is low. I probably wouldn’t have bothered with the series if it was broadcast anywhere else, but the ubiquity of the subscription-based streaming service means that I was willing to take a punt on the first episode out of morbid curiosity more than anything else. Obviously, you eventually get hooked, and that’s the underlying beauty of the organisation’s business model.

But I really don’t think this is a perfect storm: there are plenty of other games ripe for adaptation that could, with the correct creative guidance, enjoy ample success if they were to attempt a cross-media strategy. I think this is where the formation of Sony’s new PlayStation Productions division is interesting; the unit exists purely to leverage the platform holder’s biggest and best intellectual properties in new ways.
Is it so hard to imagine Aloy slaughtering Thunderjaws on the big screen? Wouldn’t creepy clown Sweet Tooth make for a great anti-hero in some kind of Twisted Metal television show? We’ve seen ideas come and go: Sly Cooper was supposed to get his own animated movie (and, later, cartoon series) but it never materialised; the Uncharted movie is a never-ending joke that’s been in the pipeline for as long as this website has existed.
But now we need to see some results: there’s demonstrable potential in a unified cross-media strategy that The Witcher proves. You need a good game, a good adaptation, and a strong marketing campaign. It’s easy to write these things down, but obviously it takes investment and an unshakeable creative vision to see it through. And yet, we now have evidence that it can be done, and I think other publishers should be paying attention.
Which games do you think would work well as movie or television adaptations? Would you like to see more titles follow in The Witcher’s footsteps? Cast your lead in the comments section below.
Comments 35
I thought Henry cavill was outstanding as geralt as well as the rest of the cast in fairness. Yes the plot was disjointed in parts but remember this is just an opening season to introduce the characters, going forward I can only see the show going from strength to strength
In The Witcher's case, the success of the games made the books popular enough to gain interests around the world and had enough lore and content to create a good series based on said books.
Any video game worthy of being a movie is pretty much a movie in itself. Let the game studios make the movie using the game's cutscenes as the storyboard.
With all the motion capture going on these days in video games and Hollywood blockbusters, there isn't much difference between the two. The only difference is that game studios "get" the video game.
Naughty Dog could easily redo all cutscenes of Uncharted with Hollywood actors against a green screen and achieve the exact same thing in movie form: a modern day Indiana Jones
I've watched the first 3 episodes so far and have really enjoyed them, I've also started replaying the game and noticed that I basically have to play it on hard to get the Platinum. Better yet I never played Blood and Wine so that's my January sorted 😁
I really enjoyed the netflix series and it turned out much better than I expected. It's not perfect but as a big Witcher fan, it's an easy 8/10 for me.
I can safely say that the show definitely lives up to the game.
In that I found it largely unimpressive.
@GamingFan4Lyf although I agree with most of what you say about the process, I think we're not in the same boat with the last part.
Obviously the possibility is there, but the experience and the feelings would be different.
Personally, I rather game studios just stick to what they're good at with all the freedom they have in the interactive medium than making adaptations of their own stories. I'd go as far as saying it would be wasted effort to make the exact same story.
But overall, I agree with the technology being good enough. Death Stranding, in a way, really proves that.
I loved the first season. I'm in the same boat as other people, I went out and bought the Witcher 3 and I love it!
I really loved the show, once the initial confusion of timelines wore off. It honestly made sense to me as a good way to introduce Yen and Geralt’s backstories while also having Ciri in the show. Otherwise, Ciri would have only been in the last episode or the second series. I bought my mum Witcher 3 to start after she polishes off the last chapter and postgame of RDR2 as we both watched the show together.
I was really surprised with the first episode. I liked it a lot. I need to find time for the rest of the season.
I will admit im going to give it another honest shot. I love the show and Cavill as Geralt. I just did NOT like Geralt in TW3. I dunno if Cavill portrayal will exacerbate that or not. Im doing my due diligence
I liked the show enough to try the game again. Still don't really like the wonky as hell animations/movement and 'go here, watch cut scene' game design, but I enjoy it more knowing a bit of the back story.
It's funny but i've never liked Yennefer, I always ended up loyal to Trish, but now I'm thinking a should do another play through and just wave goodbye as the ship leaves the docks...
Edit: Just for clarity I like the Witcher 3 so much I replayed from the start each time they released to expansions (so much more than DLC!) So three play throughs including almost all side stuff!
Not sure it’s worth risking millions to make a TV show just for a short term dose of interest in your 5 year old game that often sells for peanuts? Maybe it’s better to just make a new video game instalment of the franchise.
The Witcher is a bit different, and all the pieces were in place for it to have a good chance at success - and even then, the jury is still out.
Totally fed up with series anyway, they are so dead these days. Great movies ftw! (Alright so I’m enjoying Ghost in the Shell occasionally and let’s see if the Hyper Light Drifter series boosts sales of that game huh?! Doubtful!)
Do you guys want to see us do a review of The Witcher Netflix series? Let me know.
Back on topic, I think Sammy brings up some great points here. While I admit that hearing "video game is getting a movie adaptation" usually makes me shake my head, I do think there's a lot to be said for TV shows and movies acting as gateways to games.
Obviously as Sammy says The Witcher is the perfect example. People went out and bought The Witcher 3 purely off the back of this show, and that's very impressive. If you can bring more people into a game, and have them discover something they end up really enjoying, I think that's great.
@Constable_What Sweet Tooth is a insane serial killer not a antihero... 😩
@ShogunRok yeah review Coro while you’re at it
So what you're really saying is you desperately want a Resogun tv Netflix adaptation, aren't you?
I'd watch that.
It worked on me, that along with all the witcher talk amongst the GOTY conversations got me thinking i need to pick it up again so i grabbed the super duper edition for $20 on the end of the year sale and have been rushing through it to get back to where i was years ago.
Ive been enjoying it very much and am surprised how quickly i was able to get as far as i am with skipping through dialog etc.
Ive come to realize that i was wrong when i said that all villages etc look like cookie cutter clones. Not sure what made me think that. None the less i have no right to say much seeing how little i progressed before. Ive basically only finished the white orchid area. Looking forward to the rest.
@TooBarFoo I've played through twice and I'm about to again, I've never chosen Triss and no matter how much I intend to this time I suspect the moment Yennefer shows up that'll go out the window.
@carlos82 geralt can never cheat on yennefer
@carlos82 Its the Unicorn thing isn't it, be honest now ? 😉
@TooBarFoo I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about 😉
I've played the game and read the books and enjoyed the series mostly. Cavill is superb as Geralt and carries the show for me. The battle of Sodden was awful though for what I thought it would be like.
Definitely one of the best series I watched from last year 9/10 from me, really excited for season 2 and I would love a Nier/Drakengard series
I thought it was a pretty well done show. PC gamers must have agreed, it started to gain amount of players through the week of the show.
Though the games are said to be better than the show, so if you thought the show was decent, you’ll get the game for the real experience. I think it’s also a case of the show being decent but not nearly as good.
Watched the first 3 episodes so far and enjoyed them. Certainly given me the urge to play, though thinking of trying two on my old 360 as I've never played it
@ShogunRok yeah review the show.
The show has a lot of potential and I think it will only get better. I really enjoyed it even if the plotting was a bit messy. Why couldn't they have just given Geralt a different haircut or armour to differentiate the two timelines? That would have made things a lot more obvious!
As for the game. It's a masterpiece, playing it is like living inside a novel. The world is so rich and detailed and has real weight to it. I was late to the party but I can add my voice to those others hailing The Witcher 3 as the game of the generation (even if I would give it to another). It deserves all the praise it has received.
As for other games....yeah, Horizon Zero Dawn could make a great film saga. Assassin's Creed could work as a TV series perhaps better than as a film. Those are the obvious ones for me.
@ShogunRok please do,and while you're at it please review every Disney franchise featured in kingdom hearts. Thanks!
@get2sammyb sorry, but a twisted metal TV show makes PlayStation's "powers" sound like a good idea. Anybody remember powers? sound of grasshoppers chirping
And horizon is too high concept for any studio to realistically consider. Even though I'd think up a dozen other IP's I'd like to see on the big or small screen, The last of us would actually be doable, even with a tight budget.
My only worry is companies will view this renewed interest in witcher III as people being willing to buy anything tied to movies or shows. Just like the old days.
You know what screw it, bring on the horrible tie-in ports.
I wouldn't get ahead of yourself here.
Sure, the Witcher was great on Netflix, amazing even. But that does not mean that others that would try to follow would be a resounding success.
In the movie franchise, it's been shown clearly on nearly every occasion that games>movies just does not work in a medium, and the reason is that people that make movies try to appeal to the masses rather than the actual people who like the content. What this tends to do is alienate the actual fans, and the film often itself isn't strong enough to stand up enough on it's own two feet to be quality content, so it ends up falling flat.
What made Witcher so unique is it didn't give a f*** about the general populace and almost completely pandered to the fans, which clearly worked. Maybe others will follow suit, but I'm not too hopeful at this present moment.
Please mind the language - Quintumply
Hmmm yes and no. Games typically do not lend themselves well to film because often the gameplay is the primary point. Even something like TLOU when you take away the gameplay and world building and leave just the story is pretty much just an episode of The Walking Dead.
The Witcher works because it is a series of book with characters and world building and CD Projekt Red did a great job of taking that and making a game out of it.
The best narrative games dont necessarily translate. I mean, can you imagine an Elder Scrolls film or series?
next make a tv show about the killzone games, that i would like to see
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