One of the biggest points of discussion when it comes to video games is their relation to movies. Often, when a game’s story is good, the first reaction people have is for it to be adapted into a film for the big screen. But what if we flipped that discussion on its head?
Video game tie-ins for movies have been a thing in the past, but let’s be honest, when has a studio gone out of its way to make a licensed video game for its movie? Video games don’t grow from trees, so I see why it would be hard for big studios to invest in the development of a video game, especially when they have a long history of not going very well.
But I’m an optimist, so here are a few movies that I wish had an extended video game universe.
1. John Wick
John Wick is an action movie masterpiece, which is why it pains me knowing that the only existing video game tie-in for John Wick is a slow-paced strategy game. Yes, John Wick’s action scenes do look very clean and calculated, but at its core, it is still a crazy shoot-em-up. Video games are perfect for this type of action, as proven by Rockstar with Max Payne 3. Max Payne delivers the same type of smooth and chaotic combat that the John Wick movies present, making it the perfect blueprint for a John Wick game. Not only would the gameplay be great, but this would also allow the writers more leeway in the colorful world of John Wick.
Rockstar, give me a playable John Wick continental shootout, and my life is yours.
2. Die Hard
Speaking of action movie masterpieces, we also have Die Hard. A legendary action movie like John Wick, but famous for a very different reason. Die Hard does offer the same one-man army action star fantasy that John Wick does, but way less clean. Die Hard’s action is rough around the edges, forcing you to improvise and move around in unorthodox ways. The type of action that would remind me of Nathan Drake, Uncharted’s charismatic underdog. I believe Naughty Dog would be the perfect developers for a Die Hard video game, drawing the same heart-pumping action as the movies do.
Not every adventure has to be in an ancient tower; sometimes it’s just in Nakatomi Plaza on Christmas Eve.
3. Predator
I will admit, I am still on a high after watching Predator: Badlands. That film gave the Predator, or Yautja, some time in the spotlight as a hero. The Yautja have always been depicted as this antagonistic threat that picks off our heroes one by one, like the apex Predators that they are. Some Predator video games have already played into this fantasy before, but the Yautja were once again placed in the antagonist role. My dream Predator video game would play closer to a Monster Hunter game, wherein a Yautja controlled by a player must traverse different planets and hunt different trophies.
Give me my alien trophy armors!
4. K-Pop Demon Hunters
Netflix has always flopped when it comes to video games, but I believe it’s just because they haven’t tried hard enough. Netflix loves to play it safe, which is why K-Pop Demon Hunters came as a breath of fresh air for their audience. K-Pop Demon Hunters wowed the audience with top-tier animation and lore that is rich enough that it deserves its own universe. With a sequel coming up, I genuinely hope Netflix sees the potential of a video game spinoff in the style of Hi-Fi Rush! A rhythm-based beat-em-up that focuses on the mix of music and action sounds like the perfect genre.
Honestly, the possibilities are endless when it comes to this franchise.
5. Zootopia
Not to reveal my age too much, but does anyone else remember those old Disney tie-in games? I’m not talking about Disney Dreamlight Valley, I’m talking about the Game Boy Advance Aladdin Games, or the Incredibles video game that lets you play through the side-stories. I believe it’s time to bring that same vibe to Disney, and that should all start with Zootopia finagled into a Metroidvania game. The world of Zootopia is rich and filled with characters and side-stories that children (and adults, trust me) would love!
Heck, just let me explore the world on foot, and I’d be happy to play that for hours on end.
But let’s face the truth of the matter. As amazing as these licensed video games can be, we all know that creating them will always be a risk. That’s why every major company out there will only collaborate with Fortnite and nothing else. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But oh boy, I sure hope it does break.
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