Mickey Mouse and 5 More Classic IPs That Could Become Video Games in 2024

It’s free real estate. The first day of the marks . During this annual occurrence, numerous works enter into the United States public domain and are free to use by anyone with no fear of any being levied against them. , works from 95 years ago will enter the public domain date, so the hottest media from 1928 is soon to be rife for adaptation.

What better source could there be for game studios to take ideas from? Here are the six best properties that should be adapted into , ASAP. 6. Renée Jeanne Falconetti as Joan of Arc in the 1928 film. Joan of Arc was a real historical figure whose story is perfect for video games. In fact, there have already been some well received games, such as 2006’s .

But I’m thinking an adaptation of the classic film could take the form of an court drama instead, considering the film’s story centers around the trial of Joan of Arc rather than the actions she became famous for later on during the English and French armed conflicts. Can you envision the French patron saint shouting out, “Objection!!!”? I can.

5. Charlie Chaplin in . What are people always saying video games need more of? Slapstick humor, yes that’s exactly what I was going to say, I’m glad we are on the same page. Well, nobody did slapstick better than , and that is on full display in . It is a love story set around... a circus (no surprise there) that includes incredible scenes involving monkeys, tightrope walking, and a hall of mirrors.

It’s a delight and I think it could work as a comedic platforming game. Tilda Swinton as Orlando in the 1992 film adaptation. ’s classic novel about a male poet who awakes one day to discover she is now a woman and then progresses to live for hundreds of years is a fantastic story. As a video game, I’m thinking we go for a like story that investigates the idea of a truly long life as well as leveraging some of the more literary minded elements of both and by having short interstitial stories in text form.

We could have fun with it and truly embrace the game’s themes of sexuality and gender as well as its commentaries on literature as an art form, maybe even extending that to a commentary on video games as an art form. 3. Disney’s Peter Pan. ’s copyright has always been a little weird. But the character goes into the Public Domain in the US in 2024, and there couldn’t be a better time for the boy who never grew up to join video games.

2023’s set up a thrilling universe based on old stories like and even hinted at some Peter Pan content in a future expansion, so we might not even have to wait long to see Peter Pan make his way into a new video game. 2. The 1931 film adaptation of . Do you know what I think would be a fun video game? A socialist critique of capitalism from the father of dialectical theater.

So isn’t it just my luck that Bertolt Brecht’s goes into the public domain in 2024? It’s been adapted into almost every medium video games. Well, I say it’s time! Take a page from or even and give gamers the complex social commentary underworld antihero experience that we all crave! 1. is considered the first appearance of Mickey Mouse.

Mickey Mouse is public domain now, baby! Unless pulls some weird legal shenanigans (think the ) then Mickey Mouse can now be used however you want him to be used. Do with that knowledge what you will. The public domain will probably only extend to this specific version of Mickey, so black and white but without a voice.

Don’t go trying to do anything with Mickey. But this does mean we can have a Mickey Mouse soulslike or first person shooter. Let’s get funky with it, developers..