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Game of Thrones author George RR Martin working on 'video game out of Japan'
Game of Thrones fans waiting for The Winds of Winter, the next book in George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire saga, caught a glimpse of the myriad projects the author is tied up in; including consulting on a new video game.
In a blog post responding to the divisive finale of the Game of Thrones TV series, Martin said that he is still busy with five shows in development at HBO, two at Hulu and one on the History Channel. Martin also said that he was also involved with ‘feature projects’, short films and that he has “consulted on a video game out of Japan”.
The game is rumoured to be a collaboration with Hidetaka Miyazaki’s From Software, the studio behind the critically acclaimed and notoriously challenging Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Martin is said to be credited as one of the lead writers.
Reportedly titled Great Rune (GR, get it?), the game is not set in Westeros but is set to be an open-world role-playing game based on Norse mythology. There will be several kingdoms for the player to visit in this new world, with abilities gained by killing their leaders.
It all sounds like a rather fine pairing, with Martin’s skill for world-building and kingdom-spanning conflict joining with From Software’s exceptional challenge and combat.
According to Gematsu, the new game will be published by long-time From Software collaborator Namco Bandai and is set to be revealed during next month’s E3 games conference.
As for The Winds of Winter, Martin says he is still writing and promises the book “will be done”.
“I won’t say when, I’ve tried that before, only to burn you all and jinx myself,” Martin wrote. “But I will finish it, and then will come A Dream of Spring. How will it all end? I hear people asking. The same ending as the show? Different? Well… yes. And no. And yes. And no. And yes. And no. And yes.”
That may not offer much solace for book readers disappointed with how Game of Thrones ended, but with a George R.R. Martin backed video game on the way, players may get the chance of creating their own finale.