Top 8 Graphic Novels Game Developers Should Adapt Right Now

Hook: Why game developers should be scanning graphic novels in 2026

If you’re a developer or publisher tired of chasing the same recycled IP and blitzed by live-service fatigue, here’s the simple truth: graphic novels are a goldmine of playable worlds. They offer ready-made art direction, layered characters, and serialized storytelling that map cleanly onto modern game design. With transmedia deals surging in late 2025 and early 2026 — and outfits like The Orangery getting WME representation — now is the moment to act.

"The William Morris Endeavor Agency has signed recently formed European transmedia outfit The Orangery, which holds the rights to strong IP ... such as hit sci-fi series ‘Traveling to Mars’ and the steamy ‘Sweet Paprika.'"

That Variety headline is not a casting call — it’s a market signal. Agencies and IP studios are packaging graphic novels as ready-to-adapt franchises. Your job as a developer is to match property to studio, not the other way around. Below: eight high-potential graphic novels (including The Orangery’s hits) paired with the exact genre and studio archetype that would make an ideal adaptation in 2026.

Top 8 graphic novels game developers should adapt right now

1) Traveling to Mars (The Orangery) — Genre: Cinematic sci-fi exploration / narrative action — Ideal studio: Remedy Entertainment

Why it fits: Traveling to Mars reads like a serialized space odyssey with a human core. Its episodic beats, moral dilemmas, and layered conspiracy map directly to Remedy’s strengths: cinematic pacing, environmental storytelling, and dramatic set-pieces (see Control, Alan Wake).

Vision: A third-person, episodic single-player experience that blends ship-based exploration, character-driven investigation, and scripted cosmic events. Remedy would create a narrative hub (ship/station) with planet-side missions that change the meta-narrative across episodic DLCs.

• Engine: Unreal Engine 5 for photoreal lighting and large set-pieces.
• Platforms: PS5 / Xbox Series X|S / PC + optional cloud streaming for larger reach.
• Monetization: Premium release with episodic story DLCs and cosmetic ship modules — avoid gameplay paywalls.

Actionable tip: Pitch a vertical slice showing one planetary mission and ship-hub interactions tied to a reissue of the first graphic novel volume. Studios and IP holders respond to playable proof more than prose treatments in 2026.

2) Sweet Paprika (The Orangery) — Genre: Mature narrative romance-noir — Ideal studio: Dontnod Entertainment

Why it fits: Sweet Paprika is a steamy, character-first property built on intimate conflict and brittle secrets. Dontnod’s portfolio (Life is Strange, Twin Mirror) is tuned for empathy-driven player choice, branching arcs, and cinematic romance.

Vision: A choice-driven third-person narrative adventure that leans into mature themes, relationship systems, and branching consequences. Integrate a relationship meter that visibly affects dialogue, scenes, and obtainable endings.

• Engine: Unity or Unreal for flexibility on character lip-sync and facial animation.
• Platforms: Consoles + PC; plan a built-in photo mode and episodic chapters timed with comic issue drops.
• Transmedia: Release an illustrated motion-comic prologue co-produced with The Orangery to onboard non-gamer readers.

Actionable tip: Propose a co-marketing plan linking game chapter releases to limited-edition print runs and author Q&As — this increases preorders and reaches graphic-novel readerships who rarely buy games.

3) Descender — Genre: Systems-driven sci-fi RPG — Ideal studio: Larian Studios

Why it fits: Jeff Lemire’s machine-infused universe has rich systems potential: robot companions, faction reputations, and moral tech dilemmas. Larian’s mastery of player-driven systems and party AI (Baldur’s Gate 3) would turn those themes into emergent gameplay.

Vision: A deep party-based RPG where AI companions evolve based on player choices and hardware upgrades. Include modular robot customization, faction diplomacy, and branching tech-ethics narratives.

• Engine: Divinity engine tech or Unreal for large-scale NPC behaviors.
• Platforms: PC-focused for mod support, with console ports planned after launch.
• Monetization: Expansion packs with new planets and companion arcs.

Actionable tip: Start with a systems prototype that demonstrates one emergent behavior loop (e.g., robot upgrade -> behavioral change -> faction reaction) and present it alongside a serialized comic chapter that teases companion origins.

4) Blacksad — Genre: Immersive sim / detective noir — Ideal studio: Arkane Lyon

Why it fits: Blacksad is atmosphere-first: smoky streets, moral ambiguity, and puzzle-led investigations. Arkane’s immersive-sim skills (Dishonored, Deathloop) would let players interrogate environments and NPCs with multiple gameplay approaches.

Vision: First-person or close third-person detective sim with investigative tools, social stealth, and branching morality. Add a reputation system mapped to anthropomorphic societies — choices should have systemic consequences.

• Engine: RE-engine/Unreal for complex AI and physics interactions.
• Platforms: Consoles + PC, with a focus on haptics and audio for interrogation mechanics.
• Transmedia: Noir radio show podcasts and animated shorts to deepen the world.

Actionable tip: Offer an investigative prototype where a single case can be solved three different ways (stealth, persuasion, force) — that demo sells the adaptability of the graphic novel to game mechanics.

5) Gideon Falls — Genre: Psychological horror anthology — Ideal studio: Supermassive Games

Why it fits: Jeff Lemire’s Gideon Falls is perfect for anthology horror and fragmented timelines — Supermassive’s approach (The Dark Pictures Anthology) is already tuned to episodic horror scares and player-directed branching paths.

Vision: Episodic horror where reality itself is unreliable. Mix traditional gameplay with FMV/interactive sequences, making each episode a light standalone and a piece of a larger mystery.

• Engine: Unreal Engine for high-fidelity psychological effects and lighting.
• Platforms: Multi-platform with VR optional episodes for immersion.
• Monetization: Seasonal narrative drops; premium anthology boxed editions for collectors.

Actionable tip: Leverage short-form streaming and Twitch-driven interactive episodes (audience choices) to increase discoverability and create water-cooler moments.

6) Monstress — Genre: Dark fantasy soulslike / narrative-rich ARPG — Ideal studio: FromSoftware

Why it fits: Monstress is a dense, richly illustrated world where trauma, colonialism, and magic interweave. FromSoftware can transform its lore-heavy, gothic landscapes into a punishing but narratively rewarding ARPG.

Vision: Soulslike combat with a layered story revealed through environment, codex items, and optional companion quests. Keep the art direction faithful to the graphic novel’s intricate motifs.

• Engine: Proprietary engine or Unreal for fast iteration and combat tuning.
• Platforms: Primarily PS5/Xbox Series X|S/PC for technical fidelity.
• Transmedia: Collector’s paperback lore book and animated prologues to onboard new readers.

Actionable tip: Prioritize authentic art bibles and a lore-expert consultant on the core team to preserve thematic density while designing accessible combat loops.

7) East of West — Genre: Tactical campaign + online faction warfare — Ideal studio: Respawn Entertainment

Why it fits: East of West blends western motifs, geopolitical intrigue, and apocalyptic stakes. Pair that with Respawn’s expertise in tight gunplay and live multiplayer systems to create a hybrid single-player + faction-based online model.

Vision: A campaign-driven shooter with competing persistent factions. Single-player story missions feed seasonal multiplayer maps where faction control alters the campaign’s narrative endpoints.

• Engine: Frostbite-like engine or Unreal for large-scale multiplayer and destruction.
• Platforms: Cross-play across consoles and PC with cloud backend for persistent faction states.
• Monetization: Season pass structure centered on story content and cosmetics — avoid pay-to-win.

Actionable tip: Build a two-way narrative feedback loop: player actions in multiplayer should unlock or close campaign content — this encourages cross-audience engagement without predatory monetization.

8) Daytripper — Genre: Episodic narrative experiment / emotional sim — Ideal studio: Annapurna Interactive

Why it fits: Daytripper is about life’s micro-decisions — perfect for an experimental studio that champions auteur-driven experiences. Annapurna’s curation of short, literary games positions them to translate introspective comics into compact, emotionally resonant chapters.

Vision: A series of short vignettes where each chapter explores a life milestone with subtle branching and unique art treatments for each outcome. Keep playtime per chapter short (30–90 minutes) for accessibility.

• Engine: Unity or Godot for a stylized visual approach.
• Platforms: Switch + PC + mobile to reach casual and indie audiences.
• Transmedia: Limited print run with alternate endings exclusive to book buyers.

Actionable tip: Test one chapter as a free demo bundled with the graphic novel’s digital purchase to drive cross-format discovery.

How to pick the right studio for a graphic novel adaptation (the short playbook)

Stop matching budgets to ideas. Match design DNA. Use this 7-step checklist to evaluate fit and reduce risk:

1. Narrative Audit: Identify the graphic novel’s core pillars — tone, scope, serialized structure, and audience overlap.
2. Mechanics Mapping: Translate two to three scenes into gameplay loops (combat, investigation, relationship systems).
3. Studio DNA Match: Pick a studio whose past titles embody those mechanics and tone.
4. Prototype First: Build a week-long vertical slice that shows the core loop; present that with an art bible and licensing ask.
5. Rights & Co-Production: Negotiate adaptation rights with clear game deliverables, approval gates, and transmedia clauses.
6. Community Plan: Plan early community-building around both readers and gamers — graphic novel reissues timed with alpha access.
7. Monetization Ethics: Design monetization that respects the narrative experience; prefer cosmetic or story DLCs.

2026 trends that will shape successful adaptations

Be explicit about these market realities when you pitch — they increase credibility and align expectations.

• Premium single-player resurgence: After years of live-service oversaturation, 2024–2026 saw players return to narrative-rich premium titles. Position adapted IP as a story-first product.
• AI-assisted prototyping: Generative art and LLM dialogue tools accelerate vertical slices, but maintain human oversight for voice and ethics.
• Crossplay and cloud delivery: Expect simultaneous crossplay support to be a standard ask; cloud demos reduce friction for press and partners.
• Transmedia packages: IP holders and agencies (WME included) now bundle graphic novel print runs, animation proofs, and game pitch decks. Demand a co-development clause.
• Ethical monetization: Players penalize predatory models. Adaptations that tie monetization to cosmetics and meaningful narrative expansions win trust and retention.

Practical proactive steps for studios and publishers (actionable checklist)

If you want to move from idea to pitch within 90 days, follow this executable plan.

1. Week 1–2: Read the full graphic novel and create a two-page Narrative Pillars doc (tone, themes, 3 key scenes).
2. Week 3–4: Build a one-scene prototype (vertical slice) focused on the core loop. Use UE5 or Unity depending on scope.
3. Week 5–6: Draft a 10-slide pitch for the IP holder: vision, studio fit, target platforms, rough budget, and marketing plan.
4. Week 7–8: Reach out to IP holders or their reps (in 2026 many use agencies like WME). Include the prototype link and a co-marketing plan tying book releases to game milestones.
5. Week 9–12: If interest exists, negotiate a short-term option or co-development agreement; secure an approved creative liaison from the IP holder.

Common adaptation pitfalls — and how to avoid them

• Over-scoping: The remedy is to pick a tight vertical slice that captures scale and tone rather than a full-world demo.
• Copy-paste mechanics: Don’t strap an existing engine to a book’s story without redesigning systems around the novel’s themes.
• Ignoring readers: Include novel readers early — they become vocal evangelists when treated as partners, not afterthoughts.
• Monetization mismatch: Avoid gating essential story beats behind DLC. Keep core narrative intact on launch.

Final notes: Why now — and what to do next

2026 is the year transmedia packaging matured into a reliable funnel for games. The Orangery’s WME deal is emblematic of the larger trend: agencies and IP studios are assembling rights, art bibles, and built-in audiences to make game adaptations less risky and more lucrative.

For developers, the opportunity is tactical: pick the graphic novel that aligns with your studio DNA, prove the core loop with a vertical slice, and structure rights deals that reward both narrative fidelity and commercial ambition.

Call to action

Ready to adapt a graphic novel but don’t know where to start? Download (or request) our 90-day adaptation pitch checklist and prototype template on topgames.website — or drop a comment with the novel you want to see next. If you’re a studio, publisher, or IP holder, reach out to collaborate: we’ll connect you to experienced devs and transmedia strategists who understand how to turn panels into playable worlds.

Related Reading

• Streamer Safety Checklist: Protecting Your Accounts After the LinkedIn/Facebook/Instagram Takeover Wave
• Best Executor Builds After the Nightreign Patch
• Games Should Never Die? How Devs, Publishers, and Communities Can Keep MMOs Alive
• Why AI-driven Memory Shortages Matter to Quantum Startups
• Build a Subscription Model for Your Running Podcast: Lessons from Goalhanger