Ampere research finds game-to-anime commissions rose by 137% in 2024

Arcane: League of Legends is based on an online game from Riot Games

Commissions of anime series based on games grew by 137% year-on-year in 2024, with games overtaking comics to become the third-largest source of adaptations, according to UK research firm Ampere Analysis.

The first- and second-largest source of adaptations are manga and books.

Ampere’s research found that 93% of 18- to 64-year-olds surveyed play games more often than monthly. Some 35% of internet users in the same age range are anime fans, 83% of whom are active gamers.

Analysis of search activity revealed that game-based Netflix original titles were about 40 times as popular as other Netflix original animation titles in Q2 2025.

Notably, Arcane: League of Legends, based on Riot Games’ online game, and the Devil May Cry animated series, based on the Capcom franchise, drove high popularity. The latter debuted in the global top 10 on Netflix within the first two weeks of release.

Ampere said an expanding anime fanbase is presenting an increasing opportunity for game-to-animation adaptations, particularly in Europe, where fast-growing countries include Germany and Finland. Franchises with strong narratives, such as Final Fantasy or Fire Emblem, are ideal candidates for animation adaptations, the company noted.

Katie Holt, senior analyst at Ampere Analysis, said: “Long-term audience expansion among anime fans and gamers will drive the growth of commissions in the coming years. While Japanese content has long been the first choice for adaptation, as anime fandom becomes more globalised, we will see a rise in animated adaptations from other sources, including from Western IP.”