The indie hit Vampire Survivors, known for its roguelike elements, is set to make the jump to the big screen in a live-action adaptation. The excitement is palpable at Poncle, the game’s developer, despite grappling with the unique hurdles of adapting a game that famously lacks a storyline.
Vampire Survivors, praised for its nostalgic pixel art and captivating gameplay loop, challenges players to fend off endless hordes of enemies while steadily upgrading their arsenal. The goal is simple: stay alive as long as possible. This straightforward aim has made the game appealing to a broad range of players and helped cement its status as one of the standout indie games of recent years. With the growing trend of video game adaptations for film and TV, it seems almost inevitable that Vampire Survivors would get its own movie. However, according to the game’s solo developer, there is a significant obstacle to overcome.
In a recent Steam update, Poncle shared that Story Kitchen is collaborating on the film project, a company with a track record of adapting games for the screen. The entire team is committed to ensuring that they “get things right,” a considerable task given the game’s original lack of narrative. “Nobody really knows what to expect from a film adaptation,” Poncle admitted, “which is what makes it so exhilarating.” In addition to the movie, Poncle teased that other “cross-media” endeavors are in the pipeline, with more details expected in 2025. As for the game itself, future updates will be less frequent but more substantial, and they’ve announced that cross-save functionality will be introduced in a 2025 update.
In October 2024, Vampire Survivors released its most ambitious DLC yet, Ode to Castlevania. This intriguing crossover with Konami’s iconic Castlevania series brought players an additional 10 hours of gameplay, familiar bosses, a whole new map, and an array of 40 new weapons. It also introduced over 20 characters and 30 music tracks from the beloved franchise, featuring voice work by Neil Newbon as the infamous Dracula. Fans responded enthusiastically, eager to step into the shoes of legendary characters like Trevor and Simon Belmont, Alucard, and others while battling endless waves of demonic foes.
Since its debut, Vampire Survivors has not only continued to attract new players but also picked up numerous accolades, securing Action Game of the Year at the 2023 D.I.C.E. Awards among others. Developer Poncle has mentioned that a sequel isn’t currently on the table because new features and updates can sustain the game’s allure for a while yet. If there ever is a follow-up project, Poncle expressed a desire to create something “radically new”.
