New Report Reveals Video Game TV Adaptations Lead to 140% Average Increase in Player Numbers

Research conducted by Ampere Analysis has found that TV adaptations of video games can drive player growth by an average of almost 140%. The UK-based analytics firm released its findings on September 16, 2025, indicating that TV spin-offs tend to have a more substantial impact on franchise engagement than film adaptations. According to Ampere's Games Analytics data, the average increase in players following a TV adaptation is 203%, compared to a 48% increase seen with movie adaptations. Notable examples of this trend include Amazon Prime's Fallout and HBO's The Last of Us. The release of the Fallout TV show in April 2024, which attracted 100 million viewers worldwide within six months, led to a 490% boost in the franchise's monthly active users, with 80% of the 14 million 'activated players' being new to the series. In contrast, updates to Fallout 76 in June and December resulted in an average 17% increase in monthly active users. Additionally, Sensor Tower reported a 225% increase in daily active users for Fallout 3 and Fallout 4 in the weeks following the show's premiere, while Fallout Shelter saw a 77% rise. Sales also experienced a significant boost, with Fallout 3 sales rising 125%, Fallout 4 sales increasing 410%, and in-app purchases for Fallout Shelter jumping 150%. The second season of the Fallout TV show is set to release this December. The Last of Us franchise has also seen substantial benefits from its TV adaptation, which debuted in January 2023 to 4.7 million viewers. Ampere Analysis found that the franchise's engagement increased by an average of 150% across the show's two seasons. In comparison, the release of The Last of Us Part 2 remastered for PS5 in January 2024 and the addition of The Last of Us Part 1 to the PS Plus catalog resulted in a 70% and 29% increase in monthly users, respectively. The research also noted that Sony's strategy of remasters and wider availability helped retain 20% of players 180 days after the game's peak engagement. Sensor Tower previously reported a 40% increase in daily active users for The Last of Us Part 1 and Part 2 following the show's season two premiere in April 2025. Although Neil Druckmann, co-showrunner of The Last of Us, has stepped down to focus on other projects, he will continue to 'shepherd' the series. Ampere Analysis's research also found that TV adaptations can benefit shows with 'modest popularity', such as Netflix's Devil May Cry series, which premiered in April 2025 and boosted player numbers by 358% compared to the previous month. The analytics firm also observed that 'perennially popular games' like Minecraft can experience growth from media adaptations, with Minecraft's monthly active users increasing 30% with the release of A Minecraft Movie in April 2025, 54% of which were lapsed players. 'Media adaptations are superchargers for the player bases of gaming franchises,' said Ricardo Parsons, analyst at Ampere Analysis. 'They attract new audiences at scale, from first-time players diving into Fallout's wasteland to lapsed gamers returning to Minecraft. Unlike DLC or remasters, hit adaptations showcase these stories to a wider audience, extending their reach. With adaptations of Call of Duty, Life is Strange, and Dark Deception announced recently, Ampere expects this trend to continue – creating win-wins for publishers seeking new players and studios hungry for ready-made fanbases.'