My latest for The Atlantic: an excellent TV show based on the best video games I’ve ever played. (Gift link) www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv... - ThreadSky

petersagal.bsky.social • 1 day ago

My latest for The Atlantic: an excellent TV show based on the best video games I’ve ever played.

(Gift link)

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/04/tv-adaptation-video-games/682326/?gift=fXb4ymsFcV2ntAzqIpmYvYLhUbOV1DgCihZEIpy2jd0&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share

Comments

regretfulfaerie.bsky.social•1 day ago

I remember when you played TLOU! People laughed and thought you were kidding when you said it’s great art.

czaple.bsky.social•1 day ago

The only game I can think of that, where in the final act I was crying so hard I had to pause the game to gather myself.

LoU P2 is the only game I've yet to finish because I'm afraid of how emotionally wrecked it's going to leave me.

petersagal.bsky.social•1 day ago

I would say: pretty damn wrecked.

missharpylady.bsky.social•1 day ago

Games are powerful; in the best and worst ways.

Awareness is key.

deaddropholiday.bsky.social•1 day ago

When you absolutely, positively need an emotional rollercoaster. Accept no substitutes.

cobieef.bsky.social•1 day ago

They made a TV show passed on Persona 5? Or Control? Or Snake Eater? Oh. Right. That one.

celtzo.bsky.social•1 day ago

Wonderful article! Thank you.

Also, wouldn’t it be great to turn on CBS news one night and see Bill Kurtis saying “Bill’s Back Bitches!”?

(Listened to that episode of Wait Wait recently)

runningsignal.com•1 day ago

Glad to see someone else think so. It was a masterpiece.

bgreener.bsky.social•1 day ago

Hard to understand the hate for TLOU2; I thought the direction, gameplay, and desperate feel were as close to perfect as a video game could be.

Thanks, peter.

ryanmccune.bsky.social•1 day ago

It makes people uncomfortable, which was the whole point. Absolute masterpieces, both of them.

swan0ftrumpeter.bsky.social•1 day ago

I’ve heard people’s dislike for the second one stems not from the gameplay, design or atmosphere so much as it misfired the execution of its writing, which is a bummer because the set up for 2 with Abby was apparently great.

Heard hoping the Tv show season 2 succeeds where the game 2 failed.

petersagal.bsky.social•1 day ago

As I say elsewhere: both games are works of art, and art divides by its nature. I don’t think anybody is wrong for disliking it, anymore than I’m wrong for disliking [redacted.] What’s more boring than universal appeal?

dagnypaul.bsky.social•1 day ago

People hate being uncomfortable so much they're willing to lay waste to an entire nation in order to avoid it.

darth-babaganoosh.bsky.social•1 day ago

They were uncomfortable because they didn't want to admit that their hero Ellie was actually the villain of the game.

dagnypaul.bsky.social•1 day ago

And she's a gay (!) woman (!!)

arcendus.bsky.social•1 day ago

Have you at all looked into the criticism of TLoU2? Some of it is silly and surface-level, but there's a lot of valid criticism that's fairly easy to understand. IMO Part 1 is essential and thought-provoking, but Part 2 had nothing new or interesting to say.

seenaswg.bsky.social•1 day ago

♥️♥️♥️

feiryred.bsky.social•1 day ago

Red Dead Redemption 2 is ART

jpschnurr.bsky.social•1 day ago

Really? I never saw the "Barney Miller" video game. Maybe I missed it. To call this excellent TV, you might need to rate it only amongst its contemporaries and not the best of all time.

kylecassidy.bsky.social•1 day ago

Dang!!

desireewhite.bsky.social•1 day ago

Not sure if I feel seen or attacked by this 😂

"Before The Last of Us, I had never been a serious gamer, for the same reason I don’t do cocaine: I’m an ADHD-addled depressive with escape fantasies, and if I tried it, I might never come back."

feiryred.bsky.social•1 day ago

RDR2 is so worth it!

schlagwerk.bsky.social•1 day ago

I put off playing TLOU 2 until now. I couldn’t get in the right headspace to play it when it came out during the pandemic. It is an incredible game so far. I am just starting Abby’s chapter and questioning everything I’ve done up to this point.

rinonero.bsky.social•1 day ago

Long-time gamer here but TLOU moved me like no other game. I found myself staring at the wall while the credits rolled on, feeling like one does after reading a great book. Still my favourite. I can't wait for the series season 2. (Guess it's a long way to say I agree with everything you wrote, eh)

fisherguy.bsky.social•1 day ago

TLOU best video game ever.
And the show is pretty damned close too

maxjes.bsky.social•1 day ago

As a Gam Dev, I am trying my hardest to not drop an essay here. While I am glad TLOU changed your view of the medium (as it has for many others), I encourage you to take that reflection and apply it back to Arcade Games and the Mario Karts you briefly mention.

maxjes.bsky.social•1 day ago

TLOU may be exceptional, but it is not an exception. It's filmic nature and themes just makes it easier for people to take it seriously.

As silly as it may seem on the surface, developer Naughty Dog got to TLOU making mascot platformers and kart racers. They are more alike than they are disparate.

petersagal.bsky.social•1 day ago

What do you think my view is the medium is?

maxjes.bsky.social•1 day ago

It's hard to tell from one piece, so I risk conflating you with similar articles most gamers can trace the outlines of. The author usually has an understanding of games informed by arcades, or Nintendo staples, and views them as well-crafted toys at best, and childish distractions at worst.

maxjes.bsky.social•1 day ago

They are then blind-sighted by a serious game with adult themes. If we were having this conversation in Comics Books it would be something like Watchmen or Maus, Persepolis or A Contract with God. Whether intentional or not, the current of "not like all those other things for kids" flows throughout.

maxjes.bsky.social•1 day ago

It establishes the work as an outlier, a revelation in the medium, rare gems in the mines of low art; and then folks like me get in the comments to defend the honor of the medium. Game designers have had inherent little brother syndrome to film/tv prestige for as long as I can remember...

maxjes.bsky.social•1 day ago

...and that goes doubly so when TLOU is inherently filmic, and got noticed more by mainstream press only once it was adapted.

Like I said, I don't know or think that's your view of the medium, but the piece follows the same flow, and I think that should be avoided and recontextualized.

oscarg.bsky.social•1 day ago

It doesn't have the same relationship dynamic, but I recommend the original "Bioshock". Mechanically, it's a first person shooter. But it's environmental storytelling is awesome, and it plays with that concept of you controlling a blank slate.

joekerrr.bsky.social•1 day ago

Very well written. Great article.

craignewman.bsky.social•1 day ago

I didn’t actually play the game, but I watched my oldest kid play it and I couldn’t agree with you more. Also, episode 3 remains one of the best hours of television I’ve ever watched.

old-iron-balls.bsky.social•1 day ago

Recently rewatched the season, 3 is one of the best episodes of any show.

2findout.bsky.social•1 day ago

I hated the video game. But I love the show.

manderleygeorgia.bsky.social•1 day ago

📌

timheuer.bsky.social•1 day ago

We loved season 1 of the show. Last night, we watched the 6 minute season 1 recap. When it finished, my wife said, "do we really want to watch something like that with the new reality of the tRump administration?" I gotta say, I'm conflicted.

notanothernazi.bsky.social•1 day ago

Too bad we will never get more games due to Neil. He fired or drove away all the really good talent at naughty dog.

georgejameslampman.bsky.social•1 day ago

Peter you nailed it. Having played through TLOU2 twice I’m dreading the emotional flood on Sunday nights for the next 7 weeks.

petersagal.bsky.social•1 day ago

The hardest part of writing the article was not giving away S2 spoilers even though millions of people already know them.

vtmark.gobirds.online•1 day ago

It's appreciated, though, since I haven't played the second game yet but wanted to read this piece. I clicked over immediately because of how much I loved the original game, and it was great to be reminded why again. Guess I need to finally pick up a PS5. Thanks, Peter.

mxhrad.bsky.social•1 day ago

Excellent write up

jcoblentz.bsky.social•1 day ago

Pedro Pescal is awesome

ordinarymaps.bsky.social•1 day ago

not to possibly feed an addiction, but have you also played disco elysium?

petersagal.bsky.social•1 day ago

No, although it’s been recommended to me.

airball47.bsky.social•1 day ago

I've played Part 1 probably 3-4 times start to finish, and can't wait to watch the show. (Long story.) Like a lot of people I absolutely hated Part 2.

I know you can't cancel a show mid-season, but I'd be interested to see the viewership numbers (not that we will) over the course of the season.

petersagal.bsky.social•1 day ago

I would have loved to write about the reaction to TLOU2 and what it portends for S2 of the show but it’s impossible without spoilers. I loved Pt 2 even more than the original, though I get why many didn’t. It’s a work of art, and great art divides.

seenaswg.bsky.social•1 day ago

Of course, there was not just "one reaction" that summed up the hate. There were many reasons why people "hated" the game. Some I "get" - others were just anti - woke rubbish.

I've been gaming 53 years. I have to say that game was the most difficult for me to play - ever.

It was a masterpiece.

ryanmccune.bsky.social•1 day ago

Then we’ll look forward to the sequel to your Atlantic piece after part 2 gets its full HBO treatment.

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply