John Wick wasn’t a flash in the pan, but it is too soon to say how enduring its legacy will be as an iconic action franchise. It wasn’t the first movie series to have stunningly choreographed fight sequences, for instance, but Keanu Reeves’ irresistible charm and a well-lived-in universe via Continental Hotel lore have allowed it to excel. The proof is in the pudding, with many similarly styled melee or shootout sequences in action movies since being compared to John Wick for the last 12 years.
Whether John Wick’s influence will last much longer is another question entirely. Indeed, spin-off projects like The Continental: From the World of John Wick and From the World of John Wick: Ballerina have not been as remarkable or intriguing as the main installments, and it has been three years since John Wick: Chapter 4. If it had been released between John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4, Saber and Lionsgate’s upcoming AAA game would’ve been phenomenally hyped. Today, there isn’t any certainty that its fanbase will be nearly as fortified.
John Wick’s New Game is Too Little, Too Late
If John Wick has sloughed out of relevancy in the last few years, a video game may not be what propels it back. Besides, John Wick hasn’t had much luck in the realm of video games:
- John Wick Chronicles, a VR game from Starbreeze.
- John Wick Hex, a tactical RPG from Bithell.
- John Wick-inspired content in Payday 2.
- John Wicked-inspired content in Fortnite.
- Ballerina-inspired content in Call of Duty.
Saber’s untitled John Wick game could be the first truly spectacular John Wick game we’ve received, but it will conceivably be largely reinforced by the brand’s popularity, maybe more so than its actual gameplay and combat mechanics. If this game is released in 2027, it will be neat to see how many fans flock to it due to their love of John Wick, versus how many fans are allured by how stylish it looks as an action game.
Can Saber’s Game Uphold John Wick’s Legacy?
To be fair, Saber’s game finally looks like the John Wick game that fans have longed for, and it could sell itself on the premise of being an “original gameplay narrative that addresses a significant time in John Wick’s life” alone. Because we don’t know when a fifth John Wick movie may arrive, this upcoming game could basically serve as a prequel entry in the franchise that tides fans over in the meantime.
Either way, the anticipation for a cinematic action game tethered to the John Wick IP is difficult to gauge at the moment. The best-case scenario may be for the game to launch as close to a John Wick 5 as possible, so that one can generate excitement for the other, but only time will tell when it will launch and how much fans’ love for the franchise will fuel their interest in it.
- Developer(s)
-
Saber Interactive, Lionsgate Games
- Publisher(s)
-
Saber Interactive
- Number of Players
-
Single-player