If the streaming giant’s animated Castlevania series serves as any indication, Netflix may soon become a reliable source of quality video game adaptations. There’s no shortage of breathtaking mysteries and rich sci-fi epics to be found in the interactive medium, after all. The following outlines those intellectual properties that are practically begging for their own show on Netflix, if only for how intriguing their characters, visual styles, and narratives would be if transferred to the small screen.
Video Game Franchises on Netflix – Bioshock
The Bioshock franchise is synonymous with immersion in the video game industry. From the damp, brooding halls of Rapture to the sinister heights of Colombia, this series is responsible for introducing fans to some of the most imaginative yet cruelly realistic worlds in the medium. A show based on the first game in the series, as well as Bioshock Infinite, could capture this same atmosphere, introducing a whole new audience to the horrors of each forlorn city.
Netflix could choose to explore the fall of Rapture through the perspective of Andrew Ryan or the establishment of Colombia by Zachary Hale Comstock. It could simply follow the tales of Jack and Booker as each man tries to navigate across decaying civilizations. Whatever the scenario, a Bioshock series is almost guaranteed to attract a large crowd.
Video Game Franchises on Netflix – Mass Effect
Though the main trilogy’s ending left a little to be desired, there’s no doubting that Mass Effect is a fantastic space opera franchise that evokes the best aspects of some of entertainment’s most popular sci-fi properties. By adapting this series, Netflix could have a show that rivals Star Trek and Star Wars. The adventures of Commander Shepard and his (or her) crew are just that good.
The war between rival alien species draws parallels to modern society, thus broadening Mass Effect‘s appeal to audiences who aren’t familiar with the franchise’s video game iterations. There’s also drama to be found among the property’s intriguing secondary characters, despite the fact that people won’t be able to freely control Shepard. A Netflix adaptation could even go so far as to rectify a lot of the controversy surrounding its in-game endings, though the company would be wise to avoid referencing that.
Video Game Franchises on Netflix – Metal Gear
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A film based on the Metal Gear franchise might not do the stealth franchise justice, despite one currently being in the works. Seeing as how this saga takes place across time through the lenses of different men and women, there’s simply too much quality material here to fit into a single feature-length body of work. The various plot twists, government conspiracies, cloning experiments, and more could all be given the appropriate screen time through a series, however.
What’s more is that a show could piece together each plot point in an unambiguous manner that makes sense. Right now, it’s a bit difficult for even diehard fans to follow every narrative detail that takes place in the lives of Big Boss and his clones. A Metal Gear series on Netflix would give the franchise some much-needed clarity while fleshing out its universe in a new way.
Video Game Franchises on Netflix – Dead Space
Back in 1979, Ridley Scott’s Alien managed to seamlessly meld sci-fi and horror together to produce one of the most engrossing experiences nerds have had the pleasure to encounter. An adaptation of Dead Space could be Netflix’s attempt to capture the magic that Scott discovered decades ago.
Following space engineer Issac Clarke, viewers will get the chance to explore an abandoned ship inhabited by a mysterious alien species and unravel a conspiracy seeded by the former vessel’s residents. There’ll be plenty of monstrous Necromorphs to witness being disemboweled and a variety of characters to become invested in. Every episode could have its own new revelation, ensuring fans will see this horrific ordeal through to the end.
Video Game Franchises on Netflix – Uncharted
The world needs a modern day Indiana Jones series. Should Netflix feel adventurous enough, an Uncharted adaptation could fill those shoes. Starring a variety of memorable characters like Nathan Drake, Sully, and Elena, a show based on this Naughty Dog property could follow each treasure hunter’s journey across the world, from the tropical wilderness of South America to the desert sands of the Arabian Peninsula.
If the games themselves weren’t cinematic enough to provide good source material, perhaps the recent fan film with Nathan Fillion would suffice. There’s a lot out there for Netflix to work with and, as Nathan Fillion’s recent effort can attest, there’s plenty out there who would buy into such a move. What’s more is that it’s easy to lose oneself in one of Drake’s adventures. Combining this with the character’s dry humor is sure to draw a ton of people who had no idea what Uncharted was prior to the show. An adaptation of this property is almost guaranteed to be successful.
Video Game Franchises on Netflix – Red Dead
Within the entertainment industry as a whole, the western genre has mostly died out. A few properties are keeping it alive, the likes of which include the Red Dead series. If Red Dead Redemption 2 serves as any indication, people love to immerse themselves in the Wild West as outlaws on the run from the influences of American government. Why not convert this experience to a Netflix show?
Be it John Marston or Arthur Morgan, viewers will be able to experience what it was like to live out one’s final days as a cowboy before being subjected to the harsh reality of civilization. The solemnity of a fading era could contrast poetically with the gun-slinging antics of the Van der Linde gang. A Netflix show based on the world of Red Dead could even recall icons like Clint Eastwood and the famous westerns of the past, introducing a whole new generation to the charm of the Wild West while bringing back fond memories for older folks.
Castlevania has already bridged the disconnect between fans of a video game franchise and entertainment producers. Successfully adapting any one of the established properties above could further close the gap, simultaneously offering a new look into the lives of the characters we’ve had a chance to play as or interact with in-game. It’s a win for passionate fans and a win for show runners. Let’s just hope that Netflix is willing enough to fund such endeavors in the future.
