Thanks to the popularity of Game of Thrones and his A Song of Ice and Fire books, George R.R. Martin is now well-known in entertainment industry.
His impact can be seen in literature, movies, and TV shows. And with the anticipated release of Elden Ring, he also made his mark on the video game industry.
Elden Ring has sold over 16 million copies worldwide, making it the top-selling game in the US in 2022. It’s beaten out the usual champ, the Call of Duty series, which usually dominates every year. Apart from its popularity, George R.R. Martin, the writer of the game, has never played it.
George R.R. Martin the Creator of Elden Ring‘s Story has Never Played the Game
Author George R.R. Martin helped create Elden Ring (by crafting the backstory for the game, setting it 5,000 years before the main storyline)—one of the top games of both 2022 and 2023—but he hasn’t played it.
He stated on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that he doesn’t play video games anymore because he has an addictive personality. Plus, playing Elden Ring would distract him from writing Winds of Winter. Check out his comment:
“I have not played it because people seem to want this Winds of Winter book [laughs]. I have, unfortunately, a totally addictive personality. I did play video games a long time ago. I played games like Railroad Tycoon and Master of Orion and Homeworld. I would get sucked into it and weeks, months would go by. I’d be sitting there in my red flannel bathrobe going, ‘One more game, one more game!'”
Martin decided to stop playing video games altogether. But he felt pleased with his contribution to Elden Ring, a game that received great praise and sold well.
Elden Ring is Not the First Game George R.R. Martin Has Worked On
Some fans are glad George R.R. Martin is part of Elden Ring, but it’s not his first game. Years ago, the 75-year-old worked on a 2012 action-RPG titled Game of Thrones. It was made by Cyanide.
It’s based on his A Song of Ice and Fire series and features actors from the TV show, with a story set during Season 1.
It was released by Focus Home Interactive in Europe and Atlus in North America. If the GOT game had been more popular, it might have caught the attention of a larger studio—with a bigger budget to handle its development.
The 2012 Game of Thrones game got bad reviews when it came out. Critics didn’t like the graphics or combat. But some liked its story.
According to IMDB, Martin wrote its story and served as an executive producer. He even voiced a character called Maester Martin. It’s not clear how much time he spent on the game, but he definitely gave his best.
