New Research Reveals How TV Shows Drive Player Numbers

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According to new research from Ampere Analysis, TV adaptations of video games have become a powerful tool for boosting a franchise’s player base. The UK analytics firm’s report reveals that a TV spin-off is a more effective “supercharger” for a gaming franchise than a movie adaptation or even in-game content updates.

Ampere’s research found that TV adaptations lead to an average player uplift of 203%, significantly higher than the 48% seen with film adaptations. This trend is best exemplified by the breakout success of the Fallout series on Amazon Prime. Following the show’s premiere in April 2024, the game franchise’s monthly active users soared by 490%.

The report found that a remarkable 80% of the 14 million “activated players” were new to the series, a boost that far surpassed the average 17% increase seen from new content updates for Fallout 76. Sales also reflected this surge, with a 410% increase for Fallout 4 and a 150% jump in in-app purchases for Fallout Shelter.

The success of HBO’s The Last of Us series further solidifies the findings. Across its two seasons, the show increased the game franchise’s engagement by an average of 150%. By comparison, the release of The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered and the addition of The Last of Us Part 1 to the PS Plus catalogue boosted monthly users by a more modest 70% and 29%.

The research also found that this phenomenon isn’t limited to megahits. Even shows with “modest popularity” can provide a significant boost. The Netflix’s Devil May Cry series, for example, saw player numbers jump by 358% compared to the previous month after its April 2025 premiere. Even popular games like Minecraft saw their monthly active users increase by 30% with the release of a movie adaptation, with 54% of that growth coming from lapsed players.

Ricardo Parsons, an analyst at Ampere Analysis stated that “media adaptations are superchargers for the player bases of gaming franchises.” They attract new audiences at scale and, unlike traditional game content, extend the reach of the story to a broader audience. With more adaptations of franchises like Call of Duty, Life is Strange, and Dark Deception announced, Ampere expects this trend to continue, creating a “win-win” for both publishers and studios.