Essos is east of Westeros, and though Game of Thrones largely takes place in the latter, Essos is vital to the Song of Ice and Fire books. Daenerys’ isolation with the Dothraki and subsequent conquering of Slaver’s Bay, Arya’s detour to Braavos, and Daemon’s quiet life in Pentos all shed light on the continent, and there are plenty of side stories which take place there, yet Essos has many unexplored places. The setting is ripe for further stories to be told, and the popularity of open-world games sets up an ideal opportunity for Game of Thrones to explore the region through video games.
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Westeros is Well-Charted in Game of Thrones
With eight seasons and endless lore tidbits that center around Westeros, the area is familiar to many fans. House of the Dragon is doing well to plug the gaps, fleshing out parts of the continent that were left vague in Game of Thrones, but the continent to the East has plenty of intriguing places that would offer atmospheric, tonal, visual, and mechanical benefits for a video game. From the mystifying markets in Asshai to the barren wasteland of the Dothraki Sea, the setting is diverse and well-documented, but largely unexplored. Westeros would make a fine game in its own right, but would provoke harsher comparisons to the TV show’s take on the famous continent.
Telltale Games used Westeros in its Game of Thrones episodic title, adding some lore to the universe. It has more room to be further fleshed out, but Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon use the continent to push each show’s respective story forward, with the Iron Throne always being the point of contention. Essos is a place that is referenced and fought for in these shows, but still remains a detailed fictional environment which has yet to be used as the primary setting of a property.
Essos Could Be Perfect for a Game of Thrones Fantasy Title
Essos is geographically huge, and full of diverse cultures. There are few similarities between Mereen and the Bone Mountains, so an open-world game that stretches from its western shores to the Gray Waste would have to be as ambitious as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Skyrim. Including multiple lore-heavy locations in one open-world is a difficult feat to achieve, as Gotham Knights proved with its take on Arkham Asylum, but games like Final Fantasy 14 and Red Dead Redemption 2 prove it can be done given time and the right development team.
In Game of Thrones, Essos feels like nothing more than a deviation from the harsh environments of Westeros, as Daenerys Targaryen’s journey is far more about the power struggles in the places she rests than it is about where she goes. Essos is larger than the show could have shown, and a video game could be the best chance to give it the recognition it deserves. Though there are a few spin-off shows that should capture more of its best side, an open-world Game of Thrones title would have much more potential.
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