2025 was a monster yr for Stephen King film and TV variations… so the place are all of the video games?

2025 was an enormous yr for Stephen King variations. In film theaters this yr we had The Monkey, The Lengthy Stroll, and The Operating Man, and on TV there was IT: Welcome to Derry and The Institute. That makes it the most important yr for King variations since 2017, which gave us The Darkish Tower, It (the film), 1922, Gerald’s Recreation, and TV sequence primarily based on each Mr. Mercedes and The Mist.

Everyone knows the previous couple of years have additionally seen an increase in nice co-op horror video games like Deadly Firm, REPO, Content material Warning, and Sons of the Forest—players appear to get pleasure from nothing extra lately than getting scared collectively.

So, like… the place are all of the Stephen King video games at? Huh? Folks love Stephen King. Folks love scary video games. There is definitely no scarcity of fabric to work with, to the tune of 60+ books, 200+ novellas and brief tales. Can we get occurring this already?

Associated articles

I used to be really shocked to be taught that regardless of King having been cranking out horror fiction since 1974, there have been solely a tiny handful of video games formally primarily based on his works. There was a textual content journey for The Mist in 1985, a side-scrolling beat ’em for The Operating Man in 1989, and one other journey primarily based on The Darkish Half in ’92. The Lawnmower Man, which one way or the other grew to become a film in 1992 additionally one way or the other grew to become a sport in 1993, and a set of informal video games referred to as Stephen King’s F13 appeared for Home windows in 2000.

However that is it. Clive Barker has extra video games than King, and he is nowhere close to as prolific. Would not appear proper.

I do not know if there is a particular motive for therefore few King variations—I did request an interview by means of King’s agent, although I have not heard again but and do not particularly anticipate to—however with a lot crossover between motion pictures and video games lately, it appears pure that there can be extra crossover from books to video games, too. I am not saying I need to see tons of licensed videogame dreck being churned out, however certainly the grasp of horror is deserving of some nice videogame variations to go together with all these motion pictures.

As proof for the potential for Stephen King video games, here is some elevator pitches I got here up with. If somebody can get this listing to Steve, I might be comfortable to debate these concepts (and my modest six determine consulting payment) with him.

The Shining: A resort administration gameManage the Overlook Resort year-round: rent workers, handle provides and budgets, adorn, make guests comfortable, take care of occasional horrors in among the rooms and elevators stuffed with blood and hedge maze monsters, and be sure to carefully display screen your winter caretaker.

The Lengthy Stroll: A QWOP Battle RoyaleA hundred gamers begin strolling with QWOP or Child Steps-esque controls. Decelerate or fall over too many instances, and also you get your ticket.

Battleground: An asynchronous PvP shooterOne participant is Renshaw, a normal-sized particular person, and the opposite 50 gamers are little inexperienced military males. It is conflict, the best way Toy Story ought to have been. (Based mostly on the brief story in Night time Shift.)

Associated articles

The Mist: A horror extraction shooterDrop in with buddies to a city shrouded in a murky, monster-filled mist, rescue stranded residents and loot for gear, and attempt to get out once more inside half-hour. Pleasant fireplace is enabled.

Survivor Sort: A survival gameI did, in a single survival sport, eat my very own useless physique after respawning in a brand new physique. However I’ve by no means eaten my physique whereas I used to be nonetheless inhabiting it. (Based mostly on the brief story in Skeleton Crew.)

Below the Dome: A metropolis builderTired of individuals shifting out of your metropolis once you do a poor job managing it? Nicely, now they cannot depart. ‘Cos of the dome. Be careful for meth labs.

Quitters, Inc.: A manufacturing unit gameSet up enjoyable automated therapy facilities to assist the inhabitants stop smoking—like rooms the place they watch loved-ones get electrical shocks. (Based mostly on the brief story in Night time Shift.)

Distress: An open world motion gameThere’s an enormous, absolutely simulated open world, however you largely ignore it to hold round your home to verify your favourite creator finishes his new guide.

Pet Sematary: A comfy life simThink Animal Crossing however you are tending a burial floor, overseeing the resurrection of zombie pets, and ensuring your villagers do not attempt to bury actual our bodies there.

And that is simply off the highest of my head! Really, a number of of our heads: The Mist as an extraction shooter was Jake’s concept, and Wes’ got here up with the pitch for Pet Sematary.

Both approach, there’s heaps to work with. Let’s get on it.