Making Tech Headlines · Page 8
Netflix Gives PUBG a Writers' Room, Because the Map Cannot Carry Every Scene
· New York time
Netflix is making a live-action series based on PUBG, with Donald Glover writing and directing. The project joins other game adaptations in the streamer's development lineup, including an Assassin's Creed series and a Gears of War feature film. The announcement brings a well-known game property into a different medium. PUBG provides a recognizable setting for a competitive survival game, while a live-action series needs to give viewers a sequence of scenes and characters to follow. Glover's announced role puts both writing and directing under one creative lead. Netflix's other projects show that this is not its only attempt to bring game properties to the screen. Each adaptation still has to find its own way to turn material associated with play into something people want to watch. Recognition can get an audience interested, but it does not write the dialogue or decide how a story unfolds. For players, a familiar game world can be part of the appeal. For a streamer, a familiar name can help a new show stand out in a crowded catalog. The challenge is making sure the series offers more than the satisfaction of recognizing the map. A battle royale may start with a large field, but a television season still needs a reason to follow someone through it.
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