When the Game Ends, the Book Begins: Video Games That Bring Players Back to Reading

How games — from The Witcher to Hogwarts Legacy — inspire players to pick up the original novels.

Story-driven video games are one of the major channels drawing people into reading, since they combine sprawling worlds and characters with literary roots. This format builds interest in the source material and encourages players to turn to books to deepen their gaming experience and understand the story's context.

How video games influence reading habits and bring audiences back to literature — in this DeTalks article.

Why Video Games Encourage Reading

Modern video games work almost like interactive novels. A game introduces its audience to characters, the politics of fictional worlds, complex moral choices, and layered storytelling. As a result, an effect emerges where players move from the game to seeking out more — wanting to reconnect with the world or learn more about their favorite characters, primarily through books.

At the same time, reading is already part of the gaming experience itself. According to data from Reception of Books in Video Games, over 90% of players read at least some in-game texts or books, and about 70% use them to better understand the plot and the world's lore.

The research also shows that most players turn to books to learn more about the game's story or universe, while a smaller share look to literature for practical gameplay tips — like hints for fights or boss battles.

About 60% of players, in particular, say they'd happily read a book if it reveals more details about the game's world.

The Main Reasons Players Move From Game to Book

• Deeper lore — video games often use only part of a book universe, while the books themselves reveal it far more fully.

• Character insight — novels give authors more room to show characters' motivations, backstories, and inner conflicts, offering deeper understanding of characters players already know.

• Expanded story — a game's events often take place between books or after them, so reading helps fill in the full picture.

• The popularity effect — when a game becomes a cultural phenomenon, interest in its source material grows. During a new wave of popularity for The Witcher franchise, for instance, sales of Andrzej Sapkowski's books in the US grew by over 500%.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015) is one of the most successful story-driven RPGs in history. The game is based on the fantasy saga by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski about Geralt of Rivia — a monster hunter who travels through a world full of political conflict, magic, and morally complex decisions.

Players control Geralt from a third-person perspective, exploring a vast open world and completing both main and side quests. In combat, the character wields two swords — steel against humans and silver against monsters — along with magic signs, such as Igni, which sets enemies on fire, or Quen, which creates a protective shield.

The game constantly supplements its story with in-game texts — books, letters, and notes that explain political context, legends, and character history — which is how many players discover the broader book universe.

“I'm reading the books now because I've been a fan of the game for a long time. I thought the series would satisfy my craving for more Witcher, but sadly, it didn't.”

“I honestly don't like reading — I've read fewer than 10 full-length books in my whole life, but the Witcher books hooked me!” writes Reddit user HiddenFly in a comment.

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 (2020) is an open-world RPG from studio CD Projekt Red, set in the futuristic megacity of Night City. Players control a character named V — a mercenary trying to survive in a world of megacorporations, criminal gangs, and technology deeply integrated into the human body.

Gameplay is presented from a first-person perspective and combines shooting, melee combat, stealth, and hacking. The character is fully customizable — players can develop technical skills, combat abilities, or specialize in hacking systems.

The world of Cyberpunk 2077 was shaped by classic cyberpunk literature. One of its main sources of inspiration is considered to be William Gibson's novel Neuromancer, which popularized the concepts of cyberspace, megacorporations, and hackers that later became defining elements of the genre.

“I'd never read the book before trying Cyberpunk 2077. But it turned out to be an incredible experience — such a rich, detailed, cohesive world,” writes Reddit user r/cyberpunkgame.

“Soon after finishing the game, I finally moved William Gibson's Neuromancer to the top of my reading list and picked it up. I was immediately struck by how many details were taken directly from the book for Cyberpunk 2077,” the player adds.

Discworld Noir

Discworld Noir (1999) is an adventure detective game set in the Discworld universe created by writer Terry Pratchett. The story takes place in the city of Ankh-Morpork and offers an original plot that doesn't retell any of the novels, but uses familiar elements of the world.

Players control Lewton, a former city watchman who becomes Ankh-Morpork's first private detective. The story is divided into several acts, and players must complete various tasks and solve puzzles to move the plot forward.

Although the story was created specifically for the game, it fits organically into Pratchett's novels. The author himself described the game's events as part of a kind of 'parallel Discworld,' allowing it to coexist alongside the book storylines.

“Discworld Noir was my first introduction to the Discworld universe. I got a free demo bundled with a PC magazine, which got me to buy the full game. I fell in love with it, so I decided to read one of Terry Pratchett's books to see if he was really as good a writer as everyone said.”

“I bought Feet of Clay since it seemed closest in genre to the game. Now I own all the books, several companion editions, and maps,” writes Reddit user r/discworld.

Hogwarts Legacy

Hogwarts Legacy (2023) is an open-world RPG set in the Wizarding World created by author J.K. Rowling. The story takes place in the 19th century, long before the events of Harry Potter, and brings players to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Players control a fifth-year student whose appearance and traits can be customized at the start of the game. As the story progresses, the character completes main and side quests, gradually uncovering the plot and developing magical abilities.

The story centers on an ancient magic secret held by the protagonist. They gradually get drawn into a conflict tied to a goblin rebellion and the activities of dark wizards. Beyond the grounds of Hogwarts, the character also visits other locations in the wizarding world, including the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade.

“I never cared about Harry Potter, but I decided to play this game because I love RPGs! Now I'm reading the third book and I've watched all the movies. If it weren't for this game, I probably wouldn't have turned a single page of Harry Potter. I'll probably do the same with the upcoming Game of Thrones game,” writes Reddit user freshcatbuns.