Highlights
- High-quality video game adaptations like Sonic and Fallout are changing the industry for the better.
- The Last of Us and Fallout TV shows have attracted both old and new fans, sparking excitement.
- Studios like Naughty Dog and Bethesda may be missing opportunities to capitalize on their adaptations’ hype with new projects.
It feels like the video game industry may be entering a golden era when it comes to high-quality adaptations. After films like 1993’s Super Mario Bros., it seemed like there was no hope for video game adaptations. But now, that seems to be changing thanks to the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog, Detective Pikachu, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie. And that newfound success is not reserved for just the big screen, as TV shows like The Last of Us and Fallout have recently blown audiences away.
The release of Fallout on Amazon makes those two post-apocalyptic video game series getting fantastic adaptations in the last couple of years. The Last of Us was so popular that it even seemed to push past players and hook those who may have never touched the game before. It remains to be seen if Fallout can do the same, but even if it cannot, this show has put the entire franchise in the spotlight once more. Yet, just like with Naughty Dog before it, Bethesda does not seem super interested in capitalizing on it with something big.
Fallout Show Gives Gamers a Reason to Revisit Fallout Shelter
Fallout Shelter releases a brand-new update based on the Fallout TV show, giving players a reason to revisit the 2015 mobile title.
Naughty Dog and Bethesda Are Missing Out on the Hype
Fallout and The Last of Us Are On the Top of the World Right Now
The weekly releases of HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation were a sensation across the internet. Gamers and non-gamers were discussing everything the show had to offer, and its writing would end up netting it multiple awards. It was so successful that it had the second-biggest premiere viewership for an HBO show since 2010, and those numbers would only grow as the series went on. However, Naughty Dog did not do anything major with the IP during that time.
That was Naughty Dog’s chance to capitalize on this newfound hype with new projects and announcements. Even if it is years out, this was the perfect time to at least discuss what a possible Last of Us Part 3 might look like. Additionally, the studio could have shown off any other planned projects in The Last of Us universe. Instead, it just ended up releasing a remake of the first game a couple of months before the show premiered. Outside of that, there was nothing massive for fans to keep their eye on as the show topped the charts.
Now, it seems like Bethesda may be following in those footsteps with Amazon’s new Fallout show. The show has just been released, and so far, it has been met with rave reviews. People seem to be loving it, and social media is abuzz with conversations about the entire franchise. Yet, all that the studio has announced so far is the release date for Fallout 4‘s next-gen update, a couple of show tie-ins within other games, and a few bonus events. While it may have more up its sleeve as the months go by, it currently seems like it is not capitalizing on this popularity as it could be.
Of course, these studios don’t owe their fans anything, and waiting to announce or reveal anything until they are prepared to do so should always take precedence over a hype bandwagon.
Now Would Have Been the Perfect Time to Discuss the Futures of These Franchises
These shows have been massive hits for their respective streaming services and video game franchises, making it a great time for even more projects. Not only are old fans paying attention, but these series have also helped make new fans, and those fans likely want to engross themselves in the world further.
These studios not discussing the future of The Last of Us or Fallout isn’t all too surprising, but if there was ever an ideal time to do so it would’ve been now. The next Fallout isn’t expected until after The Elder Scrolls 6 anyway, so assuming Fallout 5 would be announced so soon might be far-fetched, for example. Either way, both studios will likely ride this wave of live-action popularity and infuse that hype into their next projects, whenever they get announced or revealed.
Fallout 4
Fallout 4 is an RPG in the Fallout series, being the fourth major installment. This time around, players are in The Commonwealth, formerly Massachusetts, in the year 2287.
- Released
- November 10, 2015
- Engine
- Creation
- ESRB
- M FOR MATURE: BLOOD AND GORE, INTENSE VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE, USE OF DRUGS
- How Long To Beat
- 27 Hours
- X|S Enhanced
- No
- File Size Xbox Series
- 51 GB (December 2023)
- Metascore
- 87
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
