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From Graphic Novel to Game: Lessons from The Orangery's Transmedia Moves

sscrambled

2026-01-29

10 min read

How The Orangery’s WME deal shows graphic novels like Traveling to Mars can become addictive games—practical steps for devs to adapt panels into play.

Hook: Why your next hit game might already live in a comic panel

Bored players, scarce bite-sized word puzzles, and IP owners who don’t know how to turn a bestselling graphic novel into an evergreen game — if any of that sounds familiar, you’re standing on the exact pain point the industry is trying to solve in 2026. Publishers want discoverability. Creators want scalable interactive experiences. Gamers want fresh, social, and narrative-rich play that fits ten-minute commutes and weekend marathons alike.

Big news that matters to game creators

In January 2026, The Orangery, a European transmedia studio led by Davide G.G. Caci, signed with talent powerhouse WME. The Orangery’s catalog includes strong IP like the sci-fi graphic novel series Traveling to Mars and the sensual drama Sweet Paprika — properties already built for cross-platform storytelling.

“The William Morris Endeavor Agency has signed recently formed European transmedia outfit The Orangery, which holds the rights to strong IP in the graphic novel and comic book sphere such as hit sci-fi series ‘Traveling to Mars’ and the steamy ‘Sweet Paprika.’” — Variety, Jan 16, 2026

That headline matters because agents like WME don’t sign studios for PR — they sign them to help package IP for film, TV, and, increasingly, games. For developers and creators, The Orangery’s move is a playbook in miniature: it shows how a focused IP studio, the right representation, and modern tooling can turn panels into playable systems — fast.

Why graphic novels are fertile ground for games in 2026

Graphic novels are already halfway to a game: they contain art direction, pacing, character beats, and visual motifs. In 2026, several trends supercharge that advantage:

Modular artwork: High-resolution panels and assets are easier to repurpose across 2D, 2.5D, and 3D pipelines thanks to AI image upscalers and layer separation tools.
Serialized storytelling: Comics are built as episodes; games can mirror that structure with episodic content and live ops.
Community hooks: Fans love theorycrafting over panels. Games add points-of-competition and co-creation opportunities (UGC, mods, level editors) — see the modern community hubs & micro-community playbook for tactics that keep fans engaged.
IP credibility: A recognized title reduces discovery friction — crucial in crowded app stores and streaming marketplaces.

Case study lens: Translating Traveling to Mars into interactive formats

Traveling to Mars is sci-fi that skews visual and conceptual: alien landscapes, tight shipboard drama, and speculative tech. Here’s how a developer can map comic elements to playable systems.

Core narrative assets to extract

Character dossiers: Origins, objectives, and flaws become player roles or NPC archetypes.
Environment palettes: Use color scripts and texture cues from panels to build shaders and parallax layers.
Pivotal beats: Key scenes become quest hooks, boss encounters, or decision nodes.
Iconography: Visual motifs (patches, logos, UI screens) become UI skins and collectible cosmetics.

Three playable formats that work—and why

Short-form puzzle/adventure (mobile & web): Convert shipboard maintenance and alien archaeology beats into 3–8 minute puzzle loops. Example: a scrambled-words radio code mechanic where players reconstruct log entries using panel-based clues — perfect for daily engagement.
Branching narrative adventure (episodic): A Telltale-style interactive comic that uses panel transitions as scene changes; choices alter future panels and unlock “lost” pages as achievements.
Social competitive mode: PvP/Co-op missions where crew roles (pilot, engineer, xenobiologist) have asymmetrical tasks—one solves physical puzzles, another deciphers alien language minigames that borrow from the graphic novel’s procedural content and iconography.

Design playbook: From panel to prototype in 8 steps

Below is a pragmatic roadmap any small dev or creative studio can follow to build a working prototype tied to a graphic novel IP like Traveling to Mars.

Step 1 — IP fidelity map (1 week)

Create a two-column fidelity matrix: left column = non-negotiable world & character beats; right column = flexible mechanics and aesthetic elements you can adapt. This gives licensors clarity and protects brand voice.

Step 2 — Core mechanic pivot (2 weeks)

Identify one tight mechanic that captures the comic’s emotional loop. For Traveling to Mars, the mechanic could be signal reconstruction: players reassemble interrupted transmissions using scrambled-word logic that ties to story reveals. Consider integrating lightweight on-device hints and remote telemetry for analytics (see best practices for micro‑edge observability & ops to instrument prototypes).

Step 3 — Vertical slice prototype (4–6 weeks)

Ship a playable 5–8 minute slice. Prioritize art fidelity for the main character and one landmark environment; use placeholders elsewhere. Early prototypes should validate emotional hooks, not polish every asset.

Step 4 — Community seed (4 weeks)

Seed a small community (200–500 engaged testers) with exclusive pages from the graphic novel and ask them to solve puzzles that unlock pages. Early UGC ideas are crucial: let fans make their own “lost log” entries. Calendar-driven activations and recurring micro-events work well here — see scaling calendar-driven micro-events for seeding tactics and cadence.

Step 5 — Monetization & retention (continuous)

Test non-invasive monetization: episodic purchases, cosmetic bundles, time-skip tokens, and classroom & educator bundles for the word-puzzle modes. Keep a free tier to preserve discovery. Micro-bundles and limited-launch passes are especially effective; reference the micro-bundles to micro-subscriptions playbook for packaging ideas.

Step 6 — Licensing & legal (parallel)

Work with rights holders to define derivative rights, platform exceptions, localization scope, and merchandising terms. For transmedia IP like The Orangery’s properties, clarity on sequels and spin-offs is essential.

Step 7 — Scale & polish (3–6 months)

Fill out the team: narrative designer, systems designer, UI artist, and an audio director. Invest in a signature sound palette; audio is a low-cost way to increase perceived fidelity.

Step 8 — Launch plan (8–12 weeks)

Coordinate cross-promo with graphic novel releases, publisher newsletters, and agents like WME. Prioritize launch windows that sync with book drops or festivals to amplify buzz. Consider browser-hosted cloud-native demos so press and agents can play instantly without installs.

Developer spotlight: Small team, big IP — how to win with lean resources

Indie teams often worry they can’t match the production quality of AAA adaptations. Reality in 2026: you don’t have to. Use the following lean tactics:

Panel-driven animation: Use limited frame tweening and parallax to create motion without full animation pipelines.
Procedural content: Generate environmental variations from a small set of art layers to expand playable space cheaply — this ties directly to emerging best practices for AI & NFTs in procedural content for collectible cosmetics and randomized missions.
AI-assisted writing: Use LLMs to draft branching dialog branches, then refine for voice authenticity — if you’re experimenting with model-assisted drafting, see guides like Gemini guided learning to rapidly prototype writing workflows.
Cross-sell with comics: Offer digital game bundles with new comic issues — increases ARPU and fan retention. Bundling tactics are covered in the micro-bundles approach above.

Monetization, discoverability, and community loops

Game adaptation is not just about making a game — it’s about creating reasons for players to return and buy. Key levers in 2026:

Episodic gating: Charge a small fee per episode or offer a season pass. Pair this with free daily micro-challenges.
Cross-format passes: Bundled offers that include comic issues, game episodes, and exclusive in-universe collectibles.
UGC marketplaces: Allow fans to create insignia, ship skins, or short missions and monetize through revenue share — see monetization patterns for component creators in micro-subscriptions & co‑ops.
Daily social puzzles: Drive retention by integrating bite-sized puzzles into social feeds — shareable results + leaderboards increase virality.

Legal and IP: How to structure agreements that scale

Negotiating rights is the moment most devs trip. Here are practical contract items to insist on:

Clear scope: Specify platforms, engine usage, and whether sequels/expansions are included.
Derivative clarity: Who owns new characters/mechanics introduced in the game?
Revenue splits: Define percentages for game sales, in-game purchases, and merchandising.
Co-marketing windows: Align release schedules and promotional obligations to maximize impact.

2026 trends shaping transmedia game adaptations

These macro trends should shape your strategy today:

AI-assisted asset pipelines: By late 2025 into 2026, legal and ethical AI toolkits matured for image-to-sprite conversion, text-to-variant dialog, and automated localization. Use them to accelerate prototyping, but document provenance to avoid rights disputes—learn more about on-device retrieval and caching patterns in cache policy design for on-device AI.
Interactive comics: More publishers are shipping .web formats that embed playable scenes. Consider developing modular moments that plug into both the comic reader and the game — a future-facing example of this convergence is covered in pieces about AI-driven procedural comic/game experiences.
Cloud-native demos: Short playable web demos hosted in browsers reduce friction for press and agents. WME and other packaging agents increasingly expect browser-ready prototypes.
Educational pivot: Word and logic puzzles from comics find eager audiences in classroom markets; licensing to schools is an underused revenue stream. If you’re packaging educator bundles, the advanced study architectures playbook helps frame curriculum-friendly design.

Metrics to watch: What success looks like

Use these KPIs to measure adaptation health in the first 12 months:

Day-1 retention: Target 35% for narrative episodic demos.
7-day retention: 12–18% is realistic for episodic puzzle hybrids.
Conversion to paid episode: Aim for 3–7% from free players; cross-sell comic bundles should push that higher.
UGC submissions: Early indicator of community investment — target 1% of MAU in month 3.

Do / Don’t checklist for adapting graphic novels

Do preserve the emotional core of the graphic novel; mechanics should amplify, not replace, story beats.
Do build a lean vertical slice that communicates tone more than scope.
Don’t over-extend on features; prioritize 1–2 unique hooks tied to the IP.
Don’t ignore community tools — modding and mixed-reality pop-up strategies are huge discovery multipliers.

Advanced strategies for studios working with outfits like The Orangery

If you’re pitching an adaptation to a transmedia IP holder or agency like WME, tailor your approach:

Packaging pitch: Lead with a playable proof (web demo + 2-minute trailer) and a cross-media release schedule.
Co-development model: Propose a revenue-share or milestone licensing deal rather than a flat fee — it aligns incentives for both parties.
Localization-first: Offer a plan for fast localization using hybrid human+AI review to unlock global markets quickly. For localization and translation tooling, see approaches in the AI-assisted creator workflows writeups.
IP extension plan: Show how the game can create new IP (side characters, episodic arcs) that feed back into comics and merch.

Quick example: A five-minute prototype pitch for Traveling to Mars

Pitch sketch (clean, copy-paste-ready):

Vertical slice: 5-minute playable where players decode a distress signal using scrambled-word puzzles that reference comic panels.
Visuals: 1 primary character animated with panel parallax, 2 environment backdrops recreated from the novel’s palette.
Monetization: Free first episode, paid Season Pass for Episodes 2–6; cosmetic packs tied to comic issue releases.
Community Hook: Weekly “decoded lore” contests that let players submit their own log entries; winners get canonical shout-outs in future comics. Use calendar-driven campaigns described in the micro-events playbook to structure these contests.

Closing predictions to bet on (2026–2028)

Over the next 18–36 months expect:

More boutique transmedia studios: The Orangery’s WME deal heralds a wave of regional studios packaging IP for global adaptation deals.
Interactive editions: Major publishers will ship companion game-episodes alongside comic issues as bundled SKUs.
Data-informed storytelling: Player choices will feed back into serialized comics, creating a two-way content loop where game engagement influences comic canon.

Actionable takeaways — what to do this week

Create a one-page IP fidelity map for any comic you want to adapt.
Prototype a single mechanic tied to an emotional beat (5–10 days).
Seed 200 engaged fans with a community poll asking which panel should unlock a new game mechanic.
Draft a simple pitch: demo link + two-slide roadmap + revenue model and send to an agent or IP studio contact.

Final thoughts

Translating graphic novels into games is less about literal conversion and more about translation: preserving tone, amplifying emotional beats through interactivity, and building community loops that feed both the comic and the game. The Orangery’s move with WME is proof that the market is ripe for smart, strategic cross-platform storytelling.

Call to action

Ready to turn a comic panel into a playable hit? Download our free Transmedia Pitch Kit (includes IP fidelity map template, 5-minute prototype checklist, and sample contract clauses) and join our creator cohort to workshop your adaptation pitch. Ship the first slice. Let the comic carry the narrative — let the game carry the engagement.

scrambled

Contributor

Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.