It seems like Telltale Games is one of the busiest developers in the industry. Every time it wraps up one project, it feels like only a few weeks go by before it announces two more games in the works. It's tackled pop culture giants like The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones and even Minecraft, and soon it will be exploring the world of costumed superheroes with an upcoming Batman game and as-of-yet untitled Marvel projects.
Whether it's making sequels to beloved films from the 1980s or telling new stories in existing video game universes, Telltale Games has gotten the formula down and shown it is more than capable of tackling any genre, video game or property it can get its hands on.
It understands drama, consequence, emotion, humor and tension. It is one of the best storytellers in the business and it's for that reason that companies seem to be lining up to work with them. Telltale can do no wrong at the moment.
It's for that reason there are plenty of new Telltale games on the way, such as a Walking Dead spin-off game, another season of Game of Thrones and much more. With that being said, we have a few suggestions for properties the developer should tackle next.
These are shows, characters or films we think would meld perfectly with Telltale's preferred episodic release format as well as the story- and choice-driven nature of its games.
Do any of these actually have a chance of becoming a reality? We have no idea, but a gamer sure can dream.
The X-Files
The return of the X-Files, while fun, wasn't exactly the second coming of the franchise that many hoped for. That gives Telltale Games the perfect opportunity to further explore the paranormal and extraterrestrial adventures of special agents Mulder and Scully in an episodic game series. While there is an overarching narrative that occasionally rears its head in the X-Files, many of the best episodes in the franchise's history are singular, one-episode stories.
Telltale could mix up its formula by selling individual episodes as stand-alone stories, rather than one piece of a whole that players would have to wait months to see the conclusion of. This would give the developer the opportunity to make each episode of the season distinct and unique, allowing for even more exploration of the X-Files universe without the need to tie it all together at the end.
Deadpool
Deadpool is cleaning up at the box office, but his 2013 game was a bit of a stinker. We know Telltale is working with Marvel on as-of-yet unannounced projects, and that makes for the perfect redemption opportunity for the merc with a mouth. Just thinking of all the fourth wall-breaking opportunities that could be present in a Telltale-style Deadpool game, where players get to decide how the story will play out, has our brains spinning with possibilities.
Telltale has proven it can tackle grim, serious material (The Walking Dead) in addition to more light-hearted fare, making this seem like a perfect fit. Deadpool is both tragic and funny, juvenile and in many ways innocent, which could make for some great storytelling if put into the right hands. While Telltale could always go with an Avengers or Spider-Man game, a game starring Wade Wilson seems like too hilarious of an opportunity to pass up.
Constantine
NBC gave DC's Constantine show the ax after one season. Warner Bros. set out to pitch the show to other networks, but didn't find any takers. It was sad to see the show go, especially since it held so much potential. That, however, creates a great opportunity for Telltale to pick up where the show left off and continue the story of John Constantine, supernatural detective and occasional demon hunter.
Telltale has shown it knows how to pen a good detective story with its work on The Wolf Among Us, and lessons learned there would fit nicely into the gritty, supernatural world of Hellblazer. Pulling from the DC universe means there is near-limitless source material to take inspiration from, and Telltale could even tie the game to its upcoming Batman title, giving both hardcore and casual DC comic fans a reason to check out one of the publisher's most underrated characters.
Archer
The FX animated comedy series about a completely incompetent spy organization (which later becomes a drug cartel) is getting a seventh season, so why not a video game? Telltale has tackled dark fantasy, zombie apocalypse, classic movies and even other video games, but it hasn't done anything like Archer. From the show's animation style to the spy-movie trope humor, a season of Archer told in Telltale's signature adventure game style could be a great fit.
Ghostbusters
With a new film on the horizon (and, as rumor has it, a new game), now is the perfect time for the Ghostbusters to once again steal the pop culture show. The charm of the original film isn't easily replicated, but if any game developer could pull it off, our money is on Telltale. But that doesn't mean it would have to follow the original team. It could be a brand-new set of characters or even the stars of the new film.
What's important is that it captures the signature humor and attitude that made the first movie such a huge success. If Telltale can do Jurassic Park and Back to the Future, why not Ghostbusters?
What franchises would you like to see Telltale tackle next? Let us know in the comments below.
