Published , by Shack Staff
Published , by Shack Staff
It seems llike a week can't go by anymore (and certainly not a month) without us hearing about a video game franchise being adapted to a Netflix series. What started with just Castlevania and The Witcher has grown to a list including such entries as Dragon's Dogma, My Friend Pedro, Cyberpunk 2077, Resident Evil, and most recently even Sonic the Hedgehog and Tomb Raider. If it's a cool gaming franchise, it seems there could be a Netflix series about it. With that in mind, each of the Shack Staff shared the gaming franchise they'd like to see get the Netflix series adaptation treatment.
Question: What game franchise deserves a Netflix series?
Maybe this is because I remember the DMC reboot, where I still look at that version of Dante and think of him as someone who would be cast in an edgy adaptation on The CW. But I look at Devil May Cry as it is now and I look at that rich cast of characters, from Dante, to Vergil, to Nero, to V, and especially to Nico, I think that a live action Netflix series could be really cool.
Think of this as the next step in demon-hunting, hour-long special effects showcases with quippy frontmen. Put it in the camp of the Blade movie or Joss Whedon's Angel. Find the right guy to play Dante and an even better guy to play Vergil and this show could be money.
I’d love a show that dives into all of the cool espionage of the Hitman series - one that shows Agent 47 going to vastly different locations across the world and taking on elite contracts. It would also be an awesome opportunity to dive into his character and humanize him beyond a simple blank-faced killing machine.
First off, this needs to be super anime, like we need Dragon Ball Z-style build-ups to each and every honk. Secondly, the Goose is now a wandering ronin who goes around annoying bad guys until they drive themselves insane. I’m thinking we get the team behind Cowboy Bebop to really make this thing shine. And it’s going to need the most epic anime opening ever, so call in The Pillows, who did the FLCL soundtrack, for some help. Then, last but not least, let’s get Alan Moore to write the pilot for a little psychedelic flair and a journey into the dark side of the titular Goose’s past.
While I don’t want a series that focuses on the narrative of the Portal series, I most certainly crave some sort of irreverent take on the day-to-day banalities at the Aperture Science Labs. Give me some lab staff tasked with inventing or dealing with all sorts of otherworldly tech while we get occasional snippets of Cave Johnson making unreasonable demands or offering inspiring monologues. The writing in the Portal games was fantastic and the best way to have a good series is to start with good writing. Please, someone at Netflix or Valve, hook this up.
Disco Elysium is the perfect RPG. It has stories worth listening to, a world worth revisiting, and characters that will make you laugh, think, and cry. If there’s one TV series I need to see brought to life, it has to be Disco Elysium. But it can’t be your normal type of TV series. I think someone like David Lynch would need to direct it. Or an alternative filmmaker who is willing to play with the medium.
It's been a minute since I could roll out my default Shack Chat answer, but if I’m looking for a series on Netflix, I’m hoping to get something related to Hinterland’s The Long Dark. It wouldn’t cost much to pay the cast since there would theoretically only be a single actor. You should film it in Canada because, well, that’s where the game is set. It would be a good discovery for people browsing Netflix who are into nature and survival shows. This one’s a long shot, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a great idea!
Mafia Definitive Edition was by far one of my favorite games last year. While it already hits most of the high notes you’d expect from a top-tier series or cinema experience, I’d love to see the franchise explored more through a television series, even if it was just a limited-run kind of thing.
Of course, if they were going to do that, they’d need to give it the full treatment, and not deliver some half-baked attempt at cashing in on the name. But, if we’re being honest, Mafia probably isn’t a big enough series to score any kind of attention from investors at Netflix. I really just want more mafia-themed content to enjoy. Someone please give it to me.
Parasite Eve has everything it needs to be a fantastic action and horror sci-fi in one series, plus it has the added bonus that it's been out of vogue long enough that many people might not know the story beat for beat. You cast a good actress that can bring a compelling leading lady like Aya Brea to life and then put in the solid mix of CG and practical effects for the monsters. Make no mistake, if done right, the monsters of this show created by Mitochondria Eve would haunt your dreams for weeks to come.
There's a lot of pseudoscience in Parasite Eve as well and it makes the story all the more interesting as Aya tries to figure out how and why she is manifesting psychic powers, all while trying to protect New York from an impending biological catastrophe. Put the detective drama together with compelling characters, fantastical supernatural events, and sci-fi body horror and it's something I'd come back to several times over if it was good.
Let’s be real. Mass Effect is basically Star Trek, and mostly all of the Star Trek series are great. I even enjoyed Seth Macfarlane's “The Orville” series. I know they have done some experiments in the past with the Mass Effect IP with animated stuff. The show doesn’t even have to be about the game's main story. It can simply take place in the world following a different captain and crew.
The Legend of Zelda was going to get a Netflix series until Nintendo pulled the plug. That being said, what other games deserve Netflix adaptations? I would really like to see a Metroid or Pokémon series. If it was on Netflix, the Pokémon series could be a little darker, similar to the likes of Detective Pikachu. The same could be said for the likes of a Metroid series. Metroid does a good job in terms of storytelling in the games so it feels like a made-for-TV series would be the next logical step.
“In the year 2112, the Earth has been invaded, by evil forces. You are ‘Mach Rider’!”
The 1985 post-apocalyptic motorcycle combat racer was a constant companion in my NES growing up, long after newer and cooler games had come out during the massive lifetime of the 8-bit console. The brutally honest black box cover art, cheesy but compelling Mad Max turned biker premise, and kick-ass theme instantly sell the IP for a Netflix TV series.
Taking an older game like this would leave so much room for creative interpretation and world-building. Writers don’t want to be constrained by existing characters and tropes present in a new AAA title. Give them a simple concept like Mach Rider and let them speed off into the pixel-sharp horizon.
That covers our picks for our dream video game franchise Netflix series, but what about you? Sound off! Let us know which franchise you'd like to see get a Netflix series in the Shacknews Chatty comment section below.