CD Project Red’s Witcher video game franchise is renowned for its quality and has set new industry standards in gaming. The pinnacle of this was achieved in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which is considered by many to be one of the greatest video games ever made in recent years. I recently revisited this game and still found it amazing. However, I did have a new perspective on the game during this particular play through. The change was brought about because this writer had spent a good deal of time as a reader of Andrzej Sapkowski’s book series, which the Witcher games are adapted from. With the knowledge from the books, I found my time in the Witcher world far more rewarding.

I had a new understanding of the world, places, and characters, particularly in their histories and backstories. I found this really enhanced my enjoyment of the game in particular situations, mainly in Toussaint for the Blood and Wine expansion. Sure, there are obvious instances where knowledge from the books would enhance the game, particularly when it comes to characters like Yennifer, Triss, Dandellion, Zoltan, Regis, and Ciri, but it goes further than that. Crache an Craite, Hjalmar, Dijkstra, Philippa Eilhart, Emperor Emhyr, Radovid, and even Duchess Henrietta, among others, are enhanced as well. The quest in particular that felt most rewarding as a book reader was when Geralt competes in the Toussaint tournament. Choosing between the two names and coat of arms means so much more when you know the stories behind each of them and it shows that CD Project Red really took the time to honor what came before it while also creating their own unique tale. So what is the purpose of all my gushing? Well, frankly, it stems around a particular question: why haven’t there been more book to video game adaptations?

Many of us have seen at least one movie or television show based off of a book. Hell, even the Witcher series got the treatment in the early 2000s with a TV series in Poland, where the stories and author are native too. There are also many books that are tie-ins to video games, with examples such as World of Warcraft, Dragon Age, and Assassin’s Creed. However, there are few video games that are just outright based on a book series. Sure, there have been games with strong influences, with examples such as Bioshock inspired by Atlas Shrugged and Bloodborne inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft, but nothing has been as direct as the Witcher. In most cases, a video game is made on a book property once it is first translated successfully to film or television. While the Witcher series was a TV show prior to the games, it wasn’t a popular show as it ran only one thirteen-episode season. It didn’t grab the world’s attention like Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, or Lord of the Rings. While there is a new Witcher show coming to Netflix, it is no doubt due to the success of the video games and not solely because of the books.

All of this is just a roundabout way of asking the following: why can’t more sci-fi and fantasy book series get a direct video game adaptation instead of having to become a movie or television show first? If the worlds in the books are rich with lore, characters, and settings, then video games would undoubtedly be a better medium. Furthermore, the books themselves wouldn’t need to be adapted directly, but rather serve as the games’ foundations. This is what the Witcher games managed to do so beautifully. They built their own epic adventure with unique stories while staying true to what made the books so great to begin with.

The Witcher games are a new type of adaptation that has not been explored nearly enough. With great characters and deep histories already established by authors, game developers can devise gameplay systems and stories that fit with what is already there while making it their own. The resources are there and the opportunities are boundless, but the matter of taking advantage of these opportunities is still left largely up in the air. The Witcher games, particularly The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, have set a high standard for this type of adaptation and, as of writing, really remain the only ones of their kind.

Isn’t it time that our literature is not only watchable, but playable? Are there any book series out there that you think deserve their own game or gaming franchise? Do you disagree with this entirely? Feel free share your thoughts in the comments.