Arcane is one of the most impressive animated shows to release in 2021, marking a monumental moment for video games and animation alike. The success and quality of the Netflix show have us wanting more Arcane video game series-like animated shows very soon. 

This is because of the simple fact that Arcane is a technical and creative achievement that we have yet to see in the games industry, at least in this way. Sure, there are video game adaptations out there (some really good ones, too!), but none like this. 

At the time of writing this post, I am about two weeks post-finishing the Netflix show and I quite enjoyed it. It is not perfect by any means nor do I even think it is a masterpiece. However, I think it is, hopefully, the herald of what’s to come for video games moving forward. 

The writing was pretty great in Arcane, capturing the feel of League of Legends and translating it into a way that makes sense and feels good for newcomers and veteran players alike. At the same time, it focused on what mattered the most: the characters and shining the light on some (in)famous ones from the MOBA, and even crafting new ones that have garnered fans.

Perhaps the most impressive part, though, is the animation. Sure, we have had great video game animated shows in the past, ranging from anything like Pokemon to Castlevania. Still, the animation has (in my opinion) always taken a backseat when it comes to those TV series. 

On the other hand, Arcane understood what makes an animated show special and went all-in on that idea. It was beautifully drawn and animated, looking unlike any other show to date and certainly better than basically any 3D show that Netflix has put out period. 

3D shows have always looked the worst on Netflix, but Arcane finally broke the mold on that. In addition, it broke the mold of what a video game animated series can be. 

Because of the insane success and high quality of Arcane, we seriously need more Arcane video game series-like shows soon. Be it through Netflix or someone else. There are just too many games begging to be animated and brought to your TV and mobile screens differently.

As such, I would like to go over the Arcane video game series-like ideas that I hope to see come to fruition in the future. It is worth noting that there were some criteria that I kept in mind when making this list. First and foremost, I focused only on animated shows this time around; live-action stuff deserves its separate post. 

In addition, these are the games that I think make the most sense in an animated format and need an adaptation in this way. As such, you will not see games like Call of Duty Vanguard or Deathloop, for instance, as I think that they would work better in the live-action format. 

Moreover, perhaps the most important part that you will see a recurring theme of in these Arcane video game series-like ideas that I have is the fact that I think that games that have strong characters would work best. It is a major part of what made Arcane so good (in my opinion, tied with the animation), so I think it is necessary to make this work. Here are the 10 (in alphabetical order) Arcane video game series-like ideas that I would like to see without further ado. 

Starting off this list is one that sort of breaks the mold in its way, unlike the other games on this list. While most of the other ones focus on characters and even story, Among Us is one game that I think would work in an animated format but not necessarily for those reasons.

Instead of extremely well-written characters, I think the idea of impostors, crewmates, scientists, and the other roles in the multiplayer game would make for a terrific animated show. Game shows like Squid Game have become quite popular and seeing a death game of sorts, but complex twists and turns sound fantastic. 

Perhaps controversially so, it could even be one of them, ironically, kids-friendly TV series on this list. Given the popularity of Among Us with kids, having a murder mystery in space without gore, blood, or scares could fill a niche that has gone unnoticed thus far. Better yet, this is also one show that does not require detailed animation, simply needing to replicate the game’s simplistic 2D art, making for a much easier show to make than others on this list. 

The next one on this list is more in line with the Arcane video game series series-like idea: Apex Legends. As mentioned, characters are a huge part of what makes an animated series like this work and Apex Legends more than has that area going for it. 

The game’s entire premise is selecting your favorite legend to go into battle with, almost being MOBA-like in that way, but trading lanes and towers for looting and survival against other teams. With every legend having a distinct personality and story, this is a very good fit. 

Respawn has already released some animated shorts in the past, certainly making this one feel like a natural progression at some point. We would be able to learn more about the characters, see some of the iconic backstory moments happen before us, and truly see some of the existing relationships we know about in action. 

Continuing with the first-person shooter train for a little bit, we come to the Destiny series. Oddly enough, while I am not here for a Halo animated series, I do think that Bungie’s Destiny would work in this format. It could be due to the style and graphics of the game or the (in my opinion) cheesier tone. 

Regardless, something is interesting about the Destiny world and lore. It does not quite come off well in the games, but a TV show focusing on the characters and setting could start to do it justice. 

We saw this happen with Arcane itself, taking the vague, retconned lore of the games and doing something really special with the world. Destiny could likewise benefit from this. It would also be an unlikely candidate, similar to LoL, for this treatment. 

Tied for my favorite video game of all time is The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. I remember playing it and, later, Oblivion as a kid and thinking how awesome it would be to see a TV series or movie for these games. This is something that I still stand by today and the success of this series is just begging for it. 

Then there is the fact that we have been waiting for a follow-up to Skyrim for a decade now and still no sign of it happening no less than two years from now. A show like this would not be a total replacement for a new game, but it would at least make the wait worth it. 

I’ve always wanted the story of The Real Barenziah to be told as it is a fantastic, near-masterpiece of writing. It is just a novel in a game. I also think it avoids the awkwardness of telling canonical versions of the protagonists from the main series games. Not to mention, the world of Tamriel is ripe for new and old stories alike to be told there. 

Perhaps my most anticipated entry on this Arcane video game series-like ideas list is Final Fantasy XIV. Not only is it one of my favorite video games of all time. It works perfectly for this idea, but we already know that a Netflix show is coming at some point down the line. 

However, it is quite concerning that we have gone this long without news about it, especially with the launch of the Endwalker expansion. Eorzea is a stunning and varied world with an unbelievable amount of strong characters and story beats that could be told. 

Personally, this is another situation where telling a mostly separate story from the main one would be best. Without getting too much into spoilers for Shadowbringers, I would like to see a prequel about the villainous Ascians and Emet-Selch, in particular, that would shed some light on certain content that happened before the MMO. 

One of the most surprising games on this list, at least in terms of not already having an animated series, would be Fortnite. This battle royale game has invaded just about anything you can imagine already, from merch to other games to the real world to comics and more. 

But it does not have an animated show of any kind at this point. I could see a series or animated movie work for Fortnite, honing in on characters like Jonesy and others to give us a better idea of this strange world. We could even see more of The Seven in action and learn why things are the way they are. 

Fortnite has such a strong following and popularity that it just makes total sense for this to happen. It would also be a hit for kids and adults alike, making it ripe for success all around. In all honesty, this particular idea is more of a when, not if, in my opinion.

Genshin Impact is a game that came out in fall 2020 and quickly rose to popularity on a level that likely many did not expect. Over a year later since its release, it does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon, continuing to offer new locations to visit and more content. 

Above all else, though, are the colorful and interesting characters that keep coming out with the most updates for players to unlock and play as. There are so many at this point, with each having their dedicated fans and unique personalities that lends itself quite well to a TV show. 

Having a Genshin Impact TV show would mean that players would have the chance to see their favorites in action, find out a little bit more about their personalities and motivations, and, of course, hear many more lines from Paimon. This one feels like a surefire hit.

One of the strangest additions that I put on this list is Minecraft. However, like Arcane, I think that taking a property that may not be begging for an animated TV show and turning it into one could be a welcome surprise that could lead to some great successes in the end. 

Minecraft is an odd pick since it is not exactly known for its characters and lore outside of Story Mode. However, Story Mode was, technically, a game and making a proper show that everyone can enjoy would be a way to make Steve and the gang more popular. 

Or, at the very least, it would be nice to see a follow-up to Story Mode as it feels like the whole interactive TV show thing was going to blow up for a moment there but never truly did in the way that we anticipated. 

If I had to rank the possible show ideas on this list, the number one that I want is Overwatch. Before Arcane was even announced, this was the series that I wanted to see an animated movie or TV show from due to just how perfect everything fits. 

First, you have the awesome and beloved characters you play in the game that are all so fascinating. Then there is the fact that Overwatch shorts are tremendously animated already and are begging for something more substantial to happen. 

I’m not even a huge fan of playing Overwatch. There is no denying that a show would get me there on day one. This is a serious no-brainer. Astonishingly, it has not already happened or been announced. In the end, though, there should be more pressing issues at Activision Blizzard these days, so it is understandable in that way. 

Last but not least on this list, I wanted to bring things full circle and bring up a MOBA game as an idea. After all, this started because of a MOBA and it is only appropriate that I pay homage to that. Out of the MOBAs that exist right now, I think that Smite is the one that makes the most sense. 

Another MOBA also received a show (which is pretty good) but definitely would not have been the title I would have chosen even if it did not. On the other hand, Smite is a MOBA with instantly recognizable characters in that it focuses on gods and religions from across time. 

You have mixes of gods and mythologies together, including Loki assassinating icons like Zeus and Mulan running lanes alongside Morrigan and so on. Having a grand scale show with so many different gods in perhaps a battle royale of some sort would be an intriguing premise and one that definitely should happen.