5 Biggest Franchises That Have Somehow Never Had a Video Game Adaptation

For decades, developers have been taking popular IPs and turning them into video games. From Little Nicky on the Game Boy Color to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre on the Atari, developers have taken just about everything and tried to make it into a successful adaptation. However, several incredibly popular franchises haven’t been given that same chance. That’s surprising because a few of those franchises seem poised for video game adaptations that would please long-time fans, and likely make thousands of new fans in the process. Here are five of the biggest franchises that have somehow never had a video game adaptation.

5) Red Rising

Red Rising is a massively popular dystopian science fiction series from author Pierce Brown. The original book was first published in 2014, and fans have been treated to five more novels, with another on the way. In 2021, the series got a board game adaptation from Stonemeier Games, who has also produced tabletop hits like Scythe and Wingspan. There have also been a few rumors of a film or TV adaptation, but none of them have come to fruition.

That’s surprising because one of Brown’s strengths is writing cinematic battle scenes that leap off the page. If you’ve read any of the novels, you’ll agree that an open-world action game starring Darrow and his trademark sickle would sell gangbusters. Sure, you’d probably miss out on some of the character-building Brown does on the page, but getting dropped into Mars’ Institute and fighting off the Golds would be an absolute blast.

4) Seinfeld

Hear me out: Seinfeld‘s “Game About Nothing” would make for a great Telltale-style adventure game. In fact, it’s amazing that it never happened when Seinfeld was at the peak of its powers. After all, the 1990s were filled with great adventure games. How did a Seinfeld adaptation not make the cut? Maybe developers were worried they couldn’t fill it with enough jokes? We’ll never know for sure.

Before you think I’m off my rocker, there was a project for this exact concept making the rounds in 2020. The developers posted publically about the project to try and build fan anticipation and force the Seinfeld rights holders to the table. It did not work out for them, and the project went dark relatively quickly. Still, it’s a phenomenal idea. It’s a shame Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld will never need more money for the rest of their lives, or the project might someday become a reality.

3) Escape From New York

Escape From New York is a chronically underused franchise. The 1981 classic from John Carpenter got a sequel in 1996, a few comic books, and two board game adaptations. There is a project for another sequel currently making the rounds, but it’s perplexing that this is all we’ve gotten from such a great concept. To be fair, there was a cancelled anime project in the early 2000s and, importantly for this list, a few cancelled video games.

Still, an Escape From New York game that apes gameplay from Arkham City would be an instant classic. Just let Snake Plissken loose in an open-world New York and let him go to work. This one almost sells itself. Granted, Escape From New York isn’t as big of a deal these days, but if that sequel ever becomes reality, they’d be smart to capitalize. It also doesn’t hurt that John Carpenter loves video games. Getting his blessing might not be easy, but he’s much more likely to sign on than Larry David.

2) Mistborn

Depending on when you’re reading this, this entry might be outdated. Mistborn author Brandon Sanderson recently said that he is actively talking to video developers about adapting his wildly successful epic fantasy series. That said, it hasn’t happened yet, so I’m adding it to the list. Of course, it’s not for a lack of trying. In 2012, Sanderson announced a prequel game, but that was cancelled in 2017 without much ever being shown.

If it does happen, Mistborn in the style of classic stealth games like Dishonored might be the way to go. After all, thieving and magic play a major role in Mistborn‘s story. The magic system would be greatly expanded, but the principles would stay the same. Using your powers of stealth and Allomancy, you’d flit around the world, working to overthrow the empire. If that’s not an easy sell for developers, I’m not sure what is. Plus, Sanderson penned the story for that cancelled prequel, so you could probably get him involved to make sure the plot is up to snuff.

1) The Hunger Games

This one technically doesn’t count, but I’m choosing to ignore the 2012 Facebook game. Sure, it lasted for eight years, but is a Facebook game really in the spirit of this list? Absolutely not. The Hunger Games is ripe for adaptation, but it’s worth noting that there are going to be some serious barriers that we might not ever be able to cross.

Let’s be for real: The Hunger Games is, at its core, about killing children. I don’t think they even let you do that in Grand Theft Auto. It’s always going to be a weird concept that most people probably won’t be able to get past. Even if the game is great, nobody is going to want to hunt teenagers through the woods. Thankfully, the series did build in a way that could potentially let us get past that. The 75th Games brought back old winners. That event ended without a winner thanks to outside interference, but you can easily retcon in another Games that brings in older contestants. It’s not a perfect solution, but the universe does seem perfect for a video game.

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