Beyond the Game: The Producers of Life is Strange TV Show Declare It “Deserves to be More”

The announcement of a live-action Life is Strange TV series from Amazon MGM Studios has sparked a flurry of discussion, and the producers behind the project are not shying away from it. In a bold statement, the executive producers from Story Kitchen, Dmitri M. Johnson and Mike Goldberg, declared that the game “deserved to be more than just a game—it’s a cultural touchstone.” This is a strong statement from a company known for its work on video game adaptations like the Sonic the Hedgehog films, and it lays out a clear ambition for the show to transcend its origins and reach a new, wider audience.

A Story Born for Television

While some in the gaming community have raised concerns about how a choice-driven game will translate to a passive medium like television, the producers, along with showrunner Charlie Covell (known for The End of the F***ing World), believe the narrative is perfectly suited for the small screen. The game’s original episodic format, its character-driven story, and its focus on emotional beats over high-octane action make it a natural fit for a streaming series. The story of Max Caulfield, a photography student who can rewind time, and her relationship with her childhood friend Chloe Price, is a coming-of-age mystery that doesn’t rely on gameplay loops or boss fights. Instead, it’s about choices, relationships, and the consequences of those decisions, which are all classic elements of a successful TV drama.

As Charlie Covell stated, “I am a massive fan of the game, and I’m thrilled to be working with the incredible teams at Square Enix, Story Kitchen, and LuckyChap. I can’t wait to share Max and Chloe’s story with fellow players and new audiences alike.” LuckyChap, the production company co-founded by Margot Robbie, is also on board, which adds to the project’s high-profile status and its potential to be a major success. The series is a joint production between Amazon MGM Studios, Square Enix, Story Kitchen, and LuckyChap. This multi-studio collaboration signals a clear commitment from all parties to bring a high-quality, prestige adaptation to Prime Video.

The Elephant in the Room: The Lack of Original Creators

However, the project is not without its controversies. One of the main points of contention for the community is the lack of involvement from the original creators. Christian Divine, the lead writer on the original 2015 game, publicly stated that “the only people not involved are the creators,” and others from the original development studio, Dontnod Entertainment, have also confirmed their absence from the project. While Square Enix owns the intellectual property and has been working with a new developer, Deck Nine, for recent entries, the lack of involvement from the original creative team has cast a shadow over the adaptation for some fans.

Despite this, the project is moving forward, with producers at Story Kitchen confident that the new creative team, led by Charlie Covell, will do the franchise justice. Their belief that the story “deserves to be more than just a game” is a clear sign that they see a wider, mainstream audience that would appreciate the story’s emotional depth and character drama without the interactive elements. While some fans may feel that the heart of the game is its choice-driven narrative, others believe that the core of the story is strong enough to stand on its own as a linear, cinematic experience. It will be up to the new series to prove them right.

The Life is Strange TV show is set to be a fascinating experiment in the growing trend of video game adaptations. It will test the theory that a compelling narrative, even one with a “choose-your-own-adventure” structure, can translate to a passive medium. With a talented team and a clear vision, the producers are confident they can bring a new life to the beloved story of Max and Chloe, and in doing so, prove that some games are, indeed, more than just games.