Telltale unveils the first episode in its six-part Game of Thrones game series

Telltale Games is announcing the launch of its eagerly awaited series based on HBO’s hit television show Game of Thrones. The new adventure-game franchise will put Telltale’s reputation as a storyteller to the test in concert with one of the biggest modern entertainment brands.

The game is one more step for Telltale and its episode-based games into mainstream gaming audiences, in addition to the awareness it has already generated from its episodic version of The Walking Dead television show. Game of Thrones represents Telltale’s latest attempt to show that telling a story one episode at a time is the best way to hold the attention of a big gaming audience.

The developer announced Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series — Episode 1 of 6: Iron From Ice. The first episode debuts on Tuesday (Dec. 2) for the PlayStation 4, the PC, and Mac computers. It debuts on Wednesday (Dec. 3) for the Xbox One and Xbox 360, and it will release in Europe on the PS4 that day as well. It debuts on iOS on Dec. 4, and it will hit the PlayStation 3 on Dec. 9 in the Americas and Europe. It will come out for Android devices later in December.

Telltale has had huge success in recent years with games packaged in a series of TV-show-like episodes, such as The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us. The studio’s titles force players to make gripping choices in deciding matters of life or death. Then the consequences unfold. The Walking Dead won numerous “game of the year” awards because the storytelling was so dramatic.

Above: Telltale Games’ Game of Thrones episodic series.

Image Credit: Telltale Games

The first Game of Thrones episode costs $5, and you can get the whole series of six episodes for $30. The estimated playtime of the premier episode is around two hours and 15 minutes. Telltale says you can play the series without having watched the TV show, but you’ll get the maximum amount of enjoyment if you’ve watched the show at least through the end of season three.

The game series has an original story set within the fantasy land of Westeros, the setting for the TV show, which is adapted from “A Song of Ice and Fire,” a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin. The game is about House Forrester, which is caught up in the events of The War of the Five Kings. Members of the household have to do what they can to prevent the house from meeting its doom. Players will control five members of House Forrester in the story. Each character is either a direct family member or a person in service of the house. Each character’s actions can ripple through the story and affect the rest of House Forrester.

Members of the television series did the voice acting for the characters in the game. The new characters will interact with fan-favorite personalities from the TV show, including Tyrion Lannister performed by Peter Dinklage, Cersei Lannister performed by Lena Headey, Margaery Tyrell performed by Natalie Dormer, and Ramsay Snow performed by Iwan Rheon. Additional cast members will appear in later episodes.

Above: A character from Telltale Games’ Game of Thrones.

Image Credit: Telltale Games

The opening trailer video concludes with a quote from Tyrion Lannister, “What you do will have repercussions. Your family will be at risk, no matter where they might be.”

The events in the game series begin toward the end of season three of the TV program and end right before the beginning of season five. Players will visit familiar locations, including King’s Landing and The Wall, as well as unfamiliar locations such as Ironrath, the home of House Forrester.

House Forrester is a noble house from the Wolfswood in the north of Westeros. They serve as “bannermen” to House Glover. They have also offered “unswerving loyalty” to the great house of the North, the Starks (and show watchers know what a disaster the Starks have become). The Forresters hold the stronghold of Ironrath, an imposing fortress surrounded by ironwood trees.

“Built over 1500 years ago by Cedric Forrester and his triplet sons, Ironrath is a testament to the strength and endurance of Ironwood,” Telltale says.

Above: Another character from Telltale Games’ Game of Thrones episodic series.

Image Credit: Telltale