Let's talk Cosmere video games - LiteraryTrope's Substack

Let's talk Cosmere video games

Maybe one will happen...someday?

Jun 20, 2026

The Nintendo Direct has me excited, guys. I’m so ready for a new Fire Emblem game in the fall, and I can’t wait until we get the date for the Ocarina of Time remake. Now I just have to finally beat Baldur’s Gate 3.

(I’m not great at it. The battles are essentially a humiliation ritual at this point. But we shall carry on.)

Of course, movie adaptations are always exciting. We get to see our favorite characters come to life. That’s great. I’d like to see them in a different format, though.

Not everything is going to make a good movie. And, if you truly want to step into the world, a video game will literally let you do that. Let’s fight a chasmfiend, Riot some NPCs, dance at a Venture ball, paint to fight nightmares, and find Vasher strung up naked in a dungeon.

Here are my general ideas for some Cosmere video games:

(I scratched those out on the back of a work meeting handout, by the way.)

I think the Apple deal makes it more of a possibility. Video games are expensive to make, but with an infusion of new fans and cash, it could be worth a tie-in. It probably wouldn’t be the type of game we wanted, however.

Your Weekly Word of Brandon: What’s the story behind safehands?

There are quite a few Words of Brandon about the religious lore behind safehands. There are a few more expansive than this one, but it’s the most condensed and has an in-world answer, so we’re going with it.

Quick note: This is a paraphrased response from the Coppermind.

So, what’s the deal with safehands? The in-world answer is a little relatable. During an Arcanum Unbounded signing in 2016, Brandon said it had to do with an old philosophy book.

The book declared that “masculine arts” are two-handed, and “feminine arts” are one-handed. Men interpreted that to mean that women couldn’t have shardblades. Women decided to retaliate and say that men can’t write.

Listen, I support the women here, not just because I can’t imagine not being literate. But, mainly because it’s a lot easier to get a shardblade and learn how to wield it than learn to read and write.

(For a little bit of extra content, in a pre-2020 episode of Writing Excuses, Brandon said his answer to why he added safehands was essentially “because it seemed like a good idea and was something different.” I love the honesty. That answer is also such a writer mood.)

Prove It Right Prove It Wrong: Pitch me a Cosmere video game