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Key insights

6 takeaways

01
The Last of Us Part 1 sales reportedly jumped 238% after the TV show launched, according to the document's cited UK boxed charts source.See it on page 2
02
The first episode of Halo (2022) broke Paramount+'s record as the most-watched original series premiere worldwide.See it on page 2
03
The authors argue that successful adaptations come from identifying which elements of the IP are essential to keep, which can be dropped, and which can be expanded on.See it on page 3
04
Assassin's Creed (2016) scored 19% on Rotten Tomatoes and made $240 million worldwide despite a $125 million budget.See it on page 5
05
Arcane: League of Legends (2021) is cited as a widely successful adaptation, scoring 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.See it on page 5
06
Warcraft (2016) scored 29% on Rotten Tomatoes, and the document notes that it was not able to leverage its complex lore to engage its US audiences.See it on page 5

Summary

Ipsos, a global research agency, examines how gaming intellectual property is being adapted into film, TV and anime, and what makes such adaptations succeed or fail. The document draws on examples including The Last of Us, Arcane, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Halo, Detective Pikachu, Assassin's Creed and Warcraft, and cites external sources for several figures. It notes that the rapid growth of the gaming industry over the past 10 years has made games a more sophisticated medium in their own right. Cited data includes sales of The Last of Us Part 1 jumping 238% after the TV show launched, and the first episode of Halo (2022) breaking Paramount+'s record as its most-watched original series premiere worldwide. The authors argue that adaptations can attract both fans and newcomers, but that a poorly received adaptation can harm a franchise's reputation. Citing Rotten Tomatoes scores, Arcane is reported at 100% while Assassin's Creed (2016) scored 19% and Warcraft (2016) scored 29%. Assassin's Creed is cited as having sold more than 200 million games, yet its film made $240 million worldwide on a $125 million budget. The document concludes that successful adaptations identify which key elements of a game to keep, drop or expand.