A Look Back at the History of Game of Thrones Video Games

The lands of Westeros have dominated the fantasy TV landscape for years. Viewers were brought on a wild adventure through eight seasons of the critically acclaimed Game of Thrones, and are now gearing up for even more stories with House of the Dragon. While the ending of Game of Thrones was controversial, its world and stories are still considered to be some of the best that fantasy has to offer. It has been so successful that HBO has plans to further expand the world with different spin-offs in various stages of production.

While Game of Thrones has had immense success on HBO, it has always struggled with breaking into the video game market. There have been a couple of video games that take place in Westeros, but none of them have been received as well as the shows. The series has had a pretty interesting relationship with the video game industry, and the success of House of the Dragon will most likely lead to even more attempts at capturing the feeling of this fantastical world.

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A Game of Thrones Genesis

A Game of Thrones Genesis was one of the first non-browser-based video games set within the world of A Song of Ice and Fire. The game took place over 1,000 years of Westeros’ history, telling the origins of various kingdoms that dot the land. It was developed by Cyanide Studios in a strategy genre, and it hit store shelves during the first season of HBO’s adaptation. Players took control of various armies and would do whatever they could to maintain the Iron Throne, even taking the fight online to compete against seven other players. It seemed like it would be a recipe for success, but the game received very mixed reviews and is currently sitting at mostly negative on Steam. A Game of Thrones Genesis failed to make any sort of impact, and has been mostly forgotten.

Game of Thrones

Cyanide was not dissuade by the reception of Genesis, as it released Game of Thrones a year later. Instead of being a strategy game, Game of Thrones took on action-RPG mechanics and gave players control of two different residents of Westeros: Alester Sarwyck and Mors Westford. The game told a brand-new story during the events of Game of Thrones season 1, and it featured a couple of actors reprising their roles from the show. The player went on a high-stakes adventure, and the game featured four different endings.

Game of Thrones also featured a couple of DLC packs that further expanded the world of Westeros and told stories that took place before the main events. The game was also met with mixed reception upon release, but has been able to carve out a mostly positive rating on Steam. Right now, it is the only PC RPG set in this universe, and as such has a special place in the hearts of many fans of Westeros.

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Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series

After Cyanide failed to make an impact with its Westeros games, Telltale swooped in to deliver a fun story-driven title set within the fantasy world. Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series told a brand-new story following the unknown House Forrester during the time between the third and fifth seasons of the show. Players were given control of five different members of House Forrester spread across Westeros. They would be given choices that affect the future of the House and the fate of all these characters, making for a pretty exciting story.

Many characters also made their way from the show into Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series with actors reprising their roles. The game was made up of six different episodes, yet a planned sequel never came to fruition. It was praised for its storytelling even if the rest of the game did not match that quality, but it has since been delisted from storefronts with no news on whether it will ever come back. For now, Game of Thrones fans have to turn to other games to get their Westeros fix.

The Game of Thrones Mobile Games

Outside the above three titles, the majority of Game of Thrones video games have all been relegated to either mobile platforms or web browsers. There have been a decent amount of mobile games utilizing the Game of Thrones name, covering a wide variety of genres. Some of them have been ported to PC or other platforms, but the majority simply exist as mobile games.

Game of Thrones hit the mobile market and browser-based games in 2013 with the strategy title Game of Thrones Ascent. Players took control of a minor house and tried their hardest to build up their power in this point-and-click game. They would do battle against other players in PvP modes and build up massive alliances. The game was shuttered in 2019 with no reason given.

Game of Thrones Conquest took another strategy spin on the franchise, Reigns: Game of Thrones had player swipe cards to make choices for their character, Game of Thrones Slots brought the series to the casino, and Game of Thrones: Beyond the Wall put players in control of the Nights Watch for mobile strategy fun. There are even more mobile games on the horizon as Netmarble is hard at work on a brand-new experience.

Mobile development seems to be the future of Game of Thrones, as there has been no indication that a full-fledged console or PC game is on the way. The series has yet to break into the industry with a title as groundbreaking as HBO’s series, but fans are hopeful it might happen soon. Another studio may attempt it with the release of House of the Dragon, or maybe that will just pave the way for even more mobile games on Westeros.

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