Small- and big-screen video game adaptations are driving viewers back to the source, says one new report.
Data analysis company Sensor Tower analyzed video game adaptations’ influence on source material popularity.
According to their findings, Amazon Prime Video’s action-packed Fallout show drew many players back to the cult-classic RPG franchise.
In the weeks following the series premiere on April 10, 2024, daily active users (DAUs) for both Fallout 3 and Fallout 4 rose by 225%.
Sensor Tower also reports that, as game prices fell around the time of the series premiere, sales of Fallout 3 and Fallout 4 climbed 125% and 410%, respectively.
The franchise’s offshoot mobile game, Fallout Shelter, also saw an uptick in DAUs of 77%, while revenue from in-app purchases rose 150%.
Audience interest impacted more than just game sales; even downloads of the Amazon Prime Video application rose 20% the week the Fallout pilot aired.
Thanks to the series’ commercial and critical success, Amazon has already confirmed the show will return for its second season in December 2025. The studio has already greenlit a third season, as well, though no timeline has been confirmed.
Fallout is one of several successful video game adaptations in recent years, a subgenre once synonymous with subpar box office performance and poor critical reception.
In the last five years, star-studded big-budget flicks inspired by video games have dominated theaters and streaming services in the United States.
From HBO’s award-winning thriller-drama The Last of Us to Paramount’s family-friendly blockbuster Sonic the Hedgehog film franchise, game adaptations offer approachable entertainment for audiences of all ages, backgrounds, and interests.
Sensor Tower reported similar data following the HBO show’s Season 2 premiere; daily active users for Naughty Dog titles The Last of Us Part I and The Last of Us Part II jumped 40% after the zombie drama returned on April 13, 2025. HBO Max downloads also rose 6%.
A Minecraft Movie, the most recent hit, influenced IP interest, as well. In the month following its cinematic release, the mobile game’s in-app purchases climbed 44% while those on console jumped 36%.
According to Sensor Tower, mobile and console Minecraft players rose 9% and 41% post-movie release, respectively.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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