Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Is Netflix’s Best Video Game Adaptation, Not Arcane

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Following a hugely successful first season, Arcane came back after three years with its second and last season. It was just as good as before, solidifying its place as one of Netflix’s best original series. With amazing animation, fantastic voice performances, and a powerfully moving story, it’s become one of the greatest animated shows of all time and a major hit of the 2020s.

Inspired by the popular video game League of Legends, Arcane vividly brings the world of Runeterra to life, showcasing cities like Piltover and Zaun. The show tells a compelling story and maintains consistently high quality – every episode has earned a score of 8.5 or higher on IMDb, making it a standout success for Netflix.

Many viewers felt the ending of Arcane season 2 was a bit hurried, but it’s still widely considered the best video game adaptation ever made. Even so, another Netflix series actually does an even better job of adapting a game, and it doesn’t get enough credit.

Arcane May Be The Better Show, But Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Is A Better Video Game Adaptation

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Although I still think Arcane is a stronger show overall, I definitely believe Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a much better adaptation of its video game source material. The creators of Arcane did an amazing job turning an online game into a captivating story with characters people genuinely connected with.

Many League of Legends fans were surprised by how well-developed the characters and story were, especially considering it wasn’t based on an existing campaign. However, some characters felt quite different from how they play in the game, and the story of Arcane didn’t fully capture the experience of actually playing League of Legends.

Unlike other adaptations, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners truly captured the essence of Cyberpunk 2077. The show perfectly recreated Night City, using locations directly from the game. Fans of Cyberpunk 2077 will also recognize the familiar sounds and music, making Edgerunners a remarkably accurate portrayal of the game’s world.

Both the game Cyberpunk 2077 and the Edgerunners TV show share a similar mood and explore the same ideas, with the show’s emotional story fitting perfectly into the dark and gritty world of Night City.

As a huge fan, I’ve always loved how brutally honest the Cyberpunk universe is, and that really comes through in both the game and the Edgerunners anime. The show just nailed that bittersweet feeling, which is a big reason why I think it’s one of the best sci-fi anime ever. Arcane is still amazing and so creative, but Edgerunners just feels more connected to the original Cyberpunk world – it really gets what makes that universe special.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners’ Haunting Ending Cements It As One Of The Greatest Video Game Adaptations Of All Time

Even if you haven’t heard much about Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, you probably know it has a very sad ending. Similar to the Cyberpunk 2077 game, the show emphasizes that there are no easy or happy resolutions in Night City, making for a TV finale that many people still talk about.

After David falls victim to cyberpsychosis, he makes a desperate, life-threatening fight against Adam Smasher, a dangerous and well-known mercenary. In the ensuing battle, most of David’s friends are killed. He’s on the verge of losing control completely, but a kiss from his girlfriend, Lucy, briefly brings him back to his senses.

David tragically lost his battle with Smasher, resulting in his death, but his sacrifice allowed Lucy to survive. She eventually fulfilled her lifelong dream of traveling to the moon, though she had to do so without him.

The ending of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners absolutely wrecked me, especially with that song, “I Really Want to Stay at Your House” – it’s become so iconic with the show. Seeing Lucy briefly happy, picturing a life with David, was just… devastating. Honestly, in just one season, Edgerunners managed to tell a love story that was both beautiful and completely heartbreaking. It really stuck with me.

Netflix made a smart move by ending Cyberpunk: Edgerunners after one season. Although there will be a sequel, it will feature a new story and characters, preserving the original show’s impact. This allows fans to enjoy more content within the Cyberpunk universe and solidifies Edgerunners’ place as one of the best video game adaptations ever made.

Arcane & Cyberpunk: Edgerunners’ Upcoming Follow-Ups Will Continue Making Netflix The King Of Video Game Adaptations

COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Video game adaptations are consistently improving, leading to more and more high-quality shows and movies. While other streaming services are trying to compete, Netflix still leads the way in this area. They’ve already created a fantastic collection of adaptations, and they’re planning to add even more with upcoming series like Arcane and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.

With the success of Edgerunners and the upcoming second season of Arcane hinting at more shows based on League of Legends – and one already in the works – Netflix is likely to add two more high-quality series to its growing collection. The future looks bright for these animated adaptations!

More video game adaptations are coming to screens! Both Splinter Cell: Deathwatch and Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft are getting second seasons, and animated series based on Minecraft and Crash Bandicoot are also being developed. That’s just a glimpse of what’s happening – HBO has The Last of Us, and Amazon’s Prime Video is enjoying success with Fallout, Secret Level, and several other projects in the pipeline.

It’s hard for any streaming service to compete with Netflix when it comes to adapting video games, and Netflix seems to have a very promising future. Shows like Arcane and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners have been incredibly successful, and their upcoming projects suggest Netflix will continue to dominate the space for a long time.

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2025-11-04 23:11