Netflix is now an absolute powerhouse in the 2023 media landscape. The platform’s push to include video game series may also make it partially responsible for the resurgence of adapting the medium into television and film.
From Castlevania to The Witcher to Carmen Sandiego to Trivia Crack, it’s clear that any game is, well, fair game when it comes to Netflix adaptations. Jokes aside, we’ve got a list of shows and movies partially or fully funded by Netflix and based on a video game or game world.
To clarify our definition of ‘partially or fully funded,’ if a show/movie was not directly made by Netflix but premiered exclusively on the platform first, we’re counting it. Those licensing fees aren’t cheap!
The Witcher (2019 — Present)
Let’s start with one of the more popular and recognizable entries on this list, The Witcher. Starring Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia (at least until season four, when Liam Hemsworth is taking over), this show is based on the book series of the same name by Andrzej Sapkowski and with games developed by CD Projekt Red. It’s also worth noting the existence of The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf and The Witcher: Blood Origin, an animated film and spinoff prequel, respectively. Both additions tie in to this live-action entry.
Castlevania (2017 — Present)
In terms of animated series’, we have what might have been among the first serial adaptations that wasn’t a commercial failure. The Castlevania animation proves that, if there was a curse, it’s broken now. The first seasons adapt Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, developed by Konami, and a new season/series, Castlevania: Nocturne will debut on September 28.
The Cuphead Show (2022)
Based on Cuphead by Studio MDHR, this slapstick animated series aired from February to November of 2022. As of this writing, the series has not been confirmed for a new season nor canceled, but it does seem as if there’s a loyal following awaiting any news on the future of The Cuphead Show.
Sonic Prime (2022 — Present)
Sonic Prime, based loosely on the infamous Sonic the Hedgehog games but laying out its own plot, is midway through its three-season run as of publication. WildBrain Studios, one of the production studios on Sonic Prime, confirmed a 24-episode run. Right now, we’ve seen 16 episodes make their way to the streaming platform.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (2022)
In the second CD Projekt RED entry on this list, we have Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. Produced by Studio TRIGGER, of Kill la Kill and Promare fame, Edgerunners paves its own path and serves as a pseudo-prequel to Cyberpunk 2077. It is a complete story, meaning we most likely won’t receive a sequel, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Arcane (2021 — Present)
League of Legends might not be everyone’s cup of (toxic) tea, but Arcane’s got a lot to love. The characters and stories from the infamous MOBA’s lore seemed to go down more easily as an animated series.
Dragon’s Dogma (2020)
Dragon’s Dogma was adapted from the 2012 game of the same name by Capcom. In 2020, the animation debuted with seven episodes, without much movement since. At present, it’s unclear if it’ll receive more episodes.
Carmen Sandiego (2019 — 2021)
The Netflix Carmen Sandiego takes its cues from the long-running learning game series. The animated version retrofits the titular villainess into the role of an anti-hero.
Tekken: Bloodline (2022)
This series bypasses the first two Tekken entries to adapt the events of Tekken 3. In the series by Studio Hibari, Jin Kazama trains under his grandfather, Heihachi Mishima, to take down his mother’s killer.
Dota: Dragon’s Blood (2021 — Present)
In much the same way that Arcane did for League of Legends, Dota: Dragon’s Blood is meant to apply a narrative to Dota 2. It premiered in 2021 and has run for three seasons and 24 episodes.
Other game adaptations to consider
If you’ve seen all of these adaptations, there’s still plenty more you might want to check out. Dragon Age: Absolution is a more recent release set in the Dragon Age universe. If you have little ones to look out for, you might want to try Skylanders Academy, which thankfully doesn’t make you buy a bunch of plastic toys to understand what’s going on. Also, for the kids (and adults, who am I to judge?), one of the more obvious picks would be Pokemon — it’d seem the Big, Red ‘N’ maintains first rights to every mainstream series in the long-running franchise for a while now. But, that’s subject to change!
In terms of films, Monster Hunter: Legends of the Guild is loosely based on the franchise of the same name, while NiNoKuni — with no spaces, trust us, we checked — is based on the famed RPG series. The Yinyang Master and its sequel, which are based on the game (and novel series) Onmyoji, and Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness tells a story featuring Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield.
And, if none of these scratch that video game adaptation itch, you could always watch Trivia Quest, which is based on the colorful mobile game Trivia Crack.
