The nominations for the2024 Game Awardsare in, and while the winners won’t be revealed until the ceremony on December 12,there’s already one clear champion of the event: Ella Purnell. Every year, the Game Awards celebrate the best new video game releases, rewarding everything from Best Narrative and Best Performance to Best Game in various categories overall. The2024 Game Award nomineesare full of exciting titles, includingElden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree,Final Fantasy VII Rebirth,andBaldur’s Gate 3.
While video games are obviously the central focus of the Game Awards, they also recognize adaptations based on them. This year’s nominees in the Best Adaptation category includeArcane, Fallout, Knuckles, Like a Dragon: Yakuza,andTomb: Raider the Legend of Lara Croft.All of these projects are among2024’s most-anticipated TV shows, but two of them stand out as obvious frontrunners in the category. And no matter which of the two wins,Purnell will earn recognition for her stellar acting.
Fallout & Arcane Are The Clear Frontrunners For TGA’s Best Video Game Adaptation
AlthoughKnuckles, Like a Dragon: Yakuza,andTomb: Raider the Legend of Lara Croftare based on beloved video games,these adaptations simply don’t reach the heights ofFalloutandArcane.Knucklescould have been as big, as it’s part ofParamount’s Sonic Cinematic Universe, but the series received mixed reviews and felt unfocused compared to the films.Tomb: Raider the Legend of Lara Croftalso got a lackluster reception, with viewers criticizing its animation. AndLike a Dragon: Yakuzaprobably received the least attention of the group, also dividing fans with its take on the games.
FalloutandArcaneseason 2 aren’t just some of the best video game adaptations of the year; they’re among the best TV series overall.
By contrast,FalloutandArcaneseason 2 aren’t just some of the best video game adaptations of the year; they’re among the best TV series overall.Falloutbroke viewership recordswhen it debuted on Prime Video in April 2024, and both seasons ofArcanehave been hailed as masterpieces when it comes to both storytelling and animation.These are the clear frontrunners of the Best Adaptation category, withArcaneseeming slightly more likely to take home the prize — especially since season 2 is the Netflix show’s final outing.
It’s Official, We’re In The Golden Age Of Video Game Adaptations
Fallout and Knuckles are very different from each other, yet they both continue a positive shift regarding video game adaptations, particularly on TV.
BothFalloutandArcaneseason 2 demonstrate what video game adaptations look like at their best, and either would be deserving of a win at the 2024 Game Awards. The two series also have another noteworthy thing in common:they both star Purnell in a leading role, and she gives a standout performance in each project.
Ella Purnell Shines In Both Arcane & Fallout With Entirely Different Characters
Purnell shines in bothFalloutandArcaneseason 2, soshe’ll be a winner at the 2024 Game Awards no matter which series takes home the Best Adaptation trophy.FalloutandArcanemake up some ofPurnell’s best TV shows, and they highlight her acting range. It’s a testament to her abilities that she’s able to play two incredibly different characters and do it so successfully.
Amazon renewedFalloutfor season 2 in April 2024, but there is no release date yet.
Fallout’s Lucy andArcane’s Jinx require Purnell to tap into totally different archetypes, with Lucy being kindhearted and naive while Jinx is a far more morally gray and tragic character. Lucy’s time outside the Vault could very well change her in future seasons ofFallout, but we’ve yet to see her experience the devastation and rage that Purnell’sArcanecharacter embodies. And Purnell plays both Lucy and Jinx believably, to the point where you wouldn’t realize the same actor is portraying them. She deserves a win at the2024 Game Awardsfor that alone.
Arcane
Cast
Arcane is an animated series set in the League of Legends universe, debuting in 2021. It explores the conflict between the affluent city of Piltover and the oppressed undercity of Zaun. Central to the story are two sisters whose allegiance to opposing sides of a technological and ideological war strains their bond.
Fallout
Set 200 years after an apocalypse, Fallout follows residents of luxury shelters as they re-enter a post-nuclear world. Confronted with a bizarre and violent landscape, the series explores the stark contrasts between their sheltered existence and the harsh realities of the outside universe.
