Making its unexpected journey from one medium to another, the critically-acclaimed action-RPG Hyper Light Drifter is being adapted into an animated television series helmed by the game’s creator Alex Preston and Castlevania producer Adi Shankar.
In an interview with Polygon, Heart Machine’s Alex Preston confirmed that the show was in the earliest stages of planning, citing that him and Adi Shankar are still considering how to translate the game’s relatively hands-off narrative storytelling to a limited-series format.
“The difference between a series and a game is vast in a lot of ways,” Preston explained. “[We’re] leaning more towards something that’s representative of the game on the style side.”
Preston partnering with Adi Shankar is a good sign as well, considering the widely positive reception that Netflix’s Castlevania animated series has received for both its debut season and its subsequent season two. The Hyper Light Drifter animated series is just another addition to Shankar’s growing list of games-to-TV adaptations. Along with Castlevania and Hyper Light Drifter, Shankar is also producing television projects based on the ‘Devil May Cry’ and ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series.
As to why he’s decided to add an indie game to his repertoire of TV adaptations, Shankar noted that it’s not about picking what’s popular, so much as it is about a passion for creators such as Preston.
“It’s important for me not to just all of a sudden become the AAA junkie,” Shankar stated. “To just go like, ‘OK, what are the biggest franchise[s], I’m going to jump on all of them.’ That’s not why I’m trying to do this.”
While the project has been confirmed, Shankar and Preston did not mention anything about a possible release window, much less a release date. At the moment the two showrunners are looking to source writers that can lead the charge on the series’ adaptation to television.
Hyper Light Drifter first released in the spring of 2016 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, as well as on Nintendo Switch in 2018. The indie game was well-received by us at The Outerhaven; citing its beautifully unique art style, satisfying combat mechanics, and its engrossing atmosphere.
