Due to the mass popularity of Breaking Bad, the show has long since been talked about by fans as worthy of an adaptation to the medium of video games. While a variety of genres and formulas could suit a Breaking Bad video game, one that is set within the framework of a classic Grand Theft Auto title would be surprisingly perfect.
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How Breaking Bad Lends Itself to Grand Theft Auto
Of course, a show has to meet a certain amount of prerequisites to be considered for an adaptation to the Grand Theft Auto formula, and Breaking Bad fits the bill rather well. A core recurring element throughout the five seasons of Breaking Bad is the criminal underworld, an imperative element of any Grand Theft Auto game.
Not only is the amount of crime in Breaking Bad massively abundant, but it also varied enough in scale and severity to warrant consideration for a GTA-like game interpretation of the TV show’s story. Predictably, the manufacturing and selling of methamphetamine would be the main criminal undertaking driving the plot in this would-be game, in the same way as it is within the show. Not only this, but the assault, intimidation, theft, and even murder that comes with defending and expanding territory and empire would give in perfectly to Grand Theft Auto style gameplay.
How Grand Theft Auto Lends Itself to Breaking Bad
Interestingly, the more recent framework of Grand Theft Auto has a variety of innovative features that are actually perfect for a Breaking Bad-inspired title. Perhaps most notably, the multiple protagonist system in Grand Theft Auto 5 would be of extreme importance in making a Breaking Bad title.
If the game were to adhere strictly to Breaking Bad’s plot, then players could take control of fan-favorite characters Walter White, Jesse Pinkman, and even Hank Schrader as a main feature of the primary story. As Walt, players could start the game with a focus on hiding their new illicit identity from their family, before delving into more overt and egregious criminal behavior as the game, and their drug empire, progresses. Jesse’s role could then see the player partake in more low-level but equally violent crime, dealing with the distribution of drugs and the ensuing danger that accompanies it. Playing as Hank would be a fantastic spin on the tri-tagonist formula, with Hank working for the Drug Enforcement Agency, actively looking for a drug kingpin that is in fact Walt, his own brother-in-law.
As well as using Breaking Bad for a narratively expansive single-player story, the massively successful formula of Grand Theft Auto: Online could also be applied to a Breaking Bad title. In an expansive online map showcasing the area of Albuquerque, New Mexico, players could be pitted against each other in the development of their drug empires, fighting each other tooth and nail over the control of territory, and attempting to undermine the drug trade of their peers.
A prototype Breaking Bad style game using the Unreal Engine was recently showcased by a fan, much to the excitement of the wider Breaking Bad community. The desire for a Breaking Bad video game is clearly more than present, and what better formula to help bring this game to life than the tried-and-tested formula of open-world crime that is present within the Grand Theft Auto franchise.
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