Paramount Games Studio is planning to adapt several of its flagship television properties into video games, targeting popular drama series such as Yellowstone and Lioness for future interactive projects.
The multimedia giant formally unveiled its new gaming division during Summer Game Fest, signaling a major strategic push into video game production. As part of its debut announcements, Paramount Games Studio revealed a collaboration with Bayonetta developer PlatinumGames to work on an adaptation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin. Early teaser footage for the action title showed a dark, futuristic vision of New York City.
While the Ninja Turtles, Star Trek, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and SpongeBob SquarePants form the core foundations of the studio's gaming plans, executive Shawn Kittelsen confirmed an interest in expanding Taylor Sheridan's television universe. Kittelsen, who leads creative and production at Paramount Games Studio, identified Yellowstone—a neo-Western drama centered on the Dutton family ranch—and related titles like Tulsa King, Landman, and the popular spinoff Dutton Ranch as top priorities. Additionally, he pointed to Sheridan's CIA spy thriller Lioness as another property ripe for interactive adaptation.
Addressing the approach to these adaptations, Kittelsen stated that the studio intends to act as a cultural steward for its franchises rather than treating them strictly as tools for financial extraction. He noted that haphazardly licensing properties to fill company coffers risks alienating dedicated audiences who have invested significant time and money into these story worlds.
To safeguard quality, Paramount Games Studio is adopting a player-first philosophy and being extremely selective about its development partners. Kittelsen emphasized that the company is seeking out studios with established track records of delivering classic titles, aiming for targeted, high-impact releases rather than broad licensing efforts across all available properties.
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