The Last of Us Is TV's Highest-Rated Video Game Adaptation of All Time

By Cameron Bonomolo

HBO's The Last of Us isn't just a hit with critics: the live-action series is television's highest-rated video game adaptation among fans. Creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann's adaptation of the acclaimed Naughty Dog and PlayStation video game has already been renewed for season 2 after scoring HBO's second-largest debut — behind only the network's Game of Thrones spin-off House of the Dragon — and series-high ratings with "When We Are in Need," the penultimate episode of its first season. Ahead of the March 12th season finale, a study found that The Last of Us has the highest average rating for any game-to-TV adaptation as voted by IMDb users.

The Last of Us is the most successful adaptation, with the highest average rating of 9.4 across the 2013 video game and 2023 TV series, according to a study conducted by online casino guide 6Takarakuji. (On IMDb, which publishes weighted vote averages, the video game has a 9.7 score; the HBO show has a 9.1. score.)

By studying user ratings from IMDb for TV adaptations and the original video games they were based on, 6Takarakuji determined the average star rating of the pair together. The data shows that The Last of Us is the highest rated video game to TV adaptation of all time as voted by IMDb users, who ranked Netflix series The Witcher second with an average IMDB star rating of 8.3 across the video game and TV series. 

Rounding out the top five highest-rated TV video game adaptations: Netflix's Arcane: League of Legends (average IMDB star rating of 8.1 between the video game and TV show), Netflix's Castlevania (average of 8.05), and Paramount+'s Halo (average IMDB rating of 7.95 across the video game and TV adaptation). Below, see a chart comparing the top 10 titles as ranked by IMDb voters.

TV's Top 10 Highest-Rated Video Game Adaptations

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(Photo: 6Takarakuji)

"When analyzing the IMDb ratings of the titles that were studied, it's clear that studios often struggle to find stable ways to appease long-term video game fans," a 6Takarakuji.com spokesperson said. "There are a few exceptions to this, including The Last of Us, which only recently hit screens and is already the highest-rated TV adaptation ever. Fans are quick to share their thoughts, and a site like IMDb empowers them to do so."

A previous study found that The Last of Us, which premiered in January, topped the list for most-searched TV show adapted from a video game. The nine-episode series racks up more than 300,000 monthly searches, outpacing such series as Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Halo, Sonic Prime, and Pokémon.

New episodes of The Last of Us premiere Sundays on HBO and HBO Max. Follow for more The Last of Us on ComicBook.

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