Thanks to the imagination of George RR Martin and that of HBO acclaimed Game of Thrones show, Westeros has become one of the biggest names in fantasy. Viewers have come to love the diverse landscape of the continent and the inhabitants who live in it. The story of the seven kingdoms of Westeros and its homes vying for control of the Iron Throne has been thrilling audiences for years and will only grow in popularity as House of the Dragon begins his tenure. Westeros shows no signs of stopping, like even more Game of Thrones spin-offs are in different stages of production, making the world just bigger.
The lands of Westeros have had great success on TV screens and in novels, but the property has always struggled to break into the video game market. Many attempts have been made to capture the look of the series, but most of the titles have fallen short. Games have tried to bring the world into the strategy genre, episodic storytelling, and even a card-based game. However, developers have not tried to change the world of Game of Thrones to the MMO genre. The fantastic world George RR Martin created seems to be a perfect fit for an MMO-esque World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy 14 Online.
Westeros is a vast fantasy landscape
The continent of Westeros was once made up of seven distinct independent kingdoms vying for a place in the war-torn world. Since the conquest of Targaryen, these seven kingdoms were placed under the leadership of the Iron Throne and Westeros was split into nine distinct kingdoms with their own ruling house. The north was led by House Stark, the Vale of Arryn was led by House Arryn, the Riverlands were controlled by House Tully, the Iron Islands followed House Greyjoy, the Westerlands were controlled by House Lannister, the Crownlands served as the seat of power before Westeros, the Stormlands were ruled by House Baratheon, the Reach followed House Tyrell, and Dorne was commanded by House Martell.
These nine realms and their ruling houses form the backbone of Westereos and its political structure. While ruled by the Iron Throne, these houses all fight for more control over the land. Murder, backstabbing, political espionage and palm smearing are all very regular activities, nor are they above war – as seen during the events of Game of Thrones. However, it pales in comparison to the looming crisis the White Walkers and their undead armies pose once winter rears its ugly head.
Westeros is not the only continent present in A song of ice and fire, because just east is Essos. This is where the nine Free Cities are and Daenerys Targaryen spends a lot of time Game of Thrones as she prepares to make the journey across the Narrow Sea to Westeros. These cities all compete for the resources of Essos and are important trading partners for the seven kingdoms of Westeros. Not much is known about the continent outside of these cities and the Dothraki that roam the land, as much of it has yet to be mapped.
The MMO potential for Game of Thrones is huge
The continents of Westeros and Essos are filled with stories waiting to be told. There is not only the exciting story of Game of Thrones and its prequel House of the Dragon, but also thousands of years of unexamined story. Perhaps one of the best ways to explore these lands and their characters is in MMO-esque form World of Warcraft. This not only allows developers to continuously expand the world with more stories, but also allows fans to actually be a part of the story and tell their own story in one of the most popular fantasy IPs.
The Game of Thrones MMO can take many forms. It allows players to create their own character and join one of the great houses of Westeros, or choose one of nine realms to start in. They can then explore Westeros and its characters in a familiar timeline such as Game of Thrones, or in a brand new timeline that viewers haven’t seen yet. They could travel through these countries and engage in all sorts of political espionage while making a place for themselves on this continent. Wars can be declared, faction lines can change, characters can die and the land of Westeros can be changed forever into an evolving online title.
Game of Thrones wouldn’t be the first major fantasy franchise to receive an MMO, and for some, it’s worked out pretty well. Lord of the Rings online is quite a popular MMO that allows players to explore the lands of Middle-earth and experience some brand new stories, and Star Wars The Old Republic has had great success with storytelling in a period not seen in the movies. Players want to tell their own stories in their favorite franchises, and these MMOs are some of the best ways to do that.
There’s never been a better time for the gaming industry to try again Game of Thrones as House of the Dragon brings Westeros back into the public eye. While it would take a lot of work and time to create a game on par with the hit show, an MMO is arguably the best way to explore Westeros. It would give players a way to live and breathe fantasy, and could further expand the franchise beyond HBO programming.
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