How Beloved Video Games Are Inspiring Acclaimed TV Shows

There was a time when “video game adaptation” meant stiff dialogue, unsound characters, and plots that barely held together. But lately, that image has been rewritten. In recent years, video games have become fertile ground for television - fueling series that are emotionally rich, visually striking, and narratively ambitious. These shows go beyond gaming roots, using cinematic storytelling and universal themes to resonate with a broad audience. Rather than simply mimicking the visuals of the games, these shows tap into the emotional core, rich world-building, and layered characters that video games have spent decades honing. The result is something greater than adaptation - stories that stand on their own, resonating far beyond the original player base and drawing new audiences into the worlds they were born from.

Here are four standout examples that show just how far the genre has come.

The Last of Us – HBO (2023)

More than just a faithful adaptation, The Last of Us captured the raw emotional landscape of its source material and brought it to the screen with devastating intimacy. Joel and Ellie’s journey through a ruined world was reimagined with depth, nuance, and haunting beauty - drawing in both longtime fans and those encountering this universe for the first time.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners – Netflix (2022)

Set in the same dystopian sprawl as Cyberpunk 2077, Edgerunners didn’t shy away from the darkness at the heart of its world. Instead, it leaned into it—telling a self-contained story full of heartbreak, rebellion, and introspective themes of purpose, identity, and belonging. Its distinct visual style and emotional honesty gave new weight to the game’s universe, showing that a great adaptation doesn’t need to retell - it can be reinterpreted.

Arcane - Netflix (2021)

What began as a stylized dive into the lore of League of Legends quickly became a revelation. Arcane defied expectations with a story that felt personal, urgent, and deeply human. Through stunning animation and intricate character arcs, it explored themes of power, inequality, and sisterhood - proving that even the most combat-driven games can birth emotionally sophisticated narratives.

The Witcher - Netflix (2019)

Though rooted in literary origins, Netflix’s The Witcher owes much of its tone and appeal to the atmosphere created by CD Projekt Red’s game series. With its morally tangled world, brooding protagonist, and richly imagined lore, the show captured the complexity that fans had experienced through hours of gameplay—and transformed it into a brooding, epic saga for the screen

These series mark a shift in how we think about games and storytelling. No longer relegated to novelty tie-ins, TV adaptations of video games are now standing shoulder to shoulder with the best of serialized storytelling. They honor the emotional depth of their source material while carving out something entirely new - bringing beloved worlds to life and reminding us just how powerful a good story can be, no matter where it begins.