Poncle Discusses Film Adaptation Hurdles: 'Vampire Survivors Lacks a Plot'

Vampire Survivors developer Poncle has shared insights into the challenges of adapting their popular game into a film, originally announced as an animated series in 2023. In a recent Steam post, Poncle confirmed they are collaborating with Story Kitchen on a live-action film, despite the inherent difficulties due to the game's lack of a traditional plot.

Poncle emphasized the importance of finding the right partners who can bring creativity and a deep understanding of the game to the project. "As mentioned last year, rather than jumping the gun and make stuff for the sake of making it, we have preferred to wait to find partners that felt right, especially because to make anything that isn't a video game out of Vampire Survivors requires good ideas, creativity, and that quirky knowledge of the game," Poncle stated.

The developer humorously acknowledged the irony of adapting a game with "no plot," saying, "the most important thing in Vampire Survivors is the story." This highlights the unique challenge of translating the game's mechanics and atmosphere into a narrative-driven medium like film. As a result, no release date has been announced yet, as even Poncle remains uncertain about how the adaptation will ultimately take shape.

Vampire Survivors is a fast-paced gothic horror game with rogue-lite elements, where players face hordes of monsters and can experience rapid progression through strategic choices. Initially launched as a modest indie title on Steam, it quickly gained immense popularity, becoming one of the most unexpected hits in recent years. Poncle has since expanded the game significantly, now offering 50 playable characters and 80 weapons, along with two major expansions and the Ode to Castlevania DLC.

In IGN's 8/10 review, the game was praised for its deceptive simplicity and deep gameplay, though it was noted that players might encounter periods of less engagement when they outpace the game's challenge curve.