It’s hard to think of a more divisive series finale than that of Game of Thrones Season 8. Fans of the epic HBO series were left scratching their heads after over a decade of build-up that many consider one the biggest botched endings in television history. That said, despite the controversial ending, Game of Thrones‘ iconic cast of characters and the actors who portrayed them remain beloved among viewers.
From Sean Bean’s unforgettable portrayal of the honorable Ned Stark in Season 1 to Emilia Clarke’s mesmerizing performance chronicling Daenerys Targaryen’s rise from an exiled princess to a would-be conqueror of Westeros and claimant to the Iron Throne, Game of Thrones was defined by a cast that brought George R.R. Martin’s iconic characters to life.
However, there’s arguably no performance that resonated with audiences quite as powerfully as Kit Harington’s portrayal of Jon Snow, whose journey from the overlooked bastard of Winterfell to the King in the North and eventual defender of the realm cemented him as one of the series’ most enduring and beloved heroes. And it’s no wonder fans are absolutely losing it over Jon Snow’s official return later this year (via YouTube).
Game of Thrones: War for Westeros is an upcoming real-time strategy game that lets players command the Great Houses of Westeros, the Night King, or Daenerys Targaryen in large-scale battles inspired by the HBO series. Alongside iconic heroes like Jaime Lannister and the Night King, Kit Harington reprises his role as Jon Snow, bringing the beloved King in the North back to the franchise for the first time since the show’s finale.
Based on the trailer alone, GoT fans on YouTube are saying that it’s “already a better ending than season 8,” and that the “cinematic trailer gave us the duel the whole world had waited for,” referencing the inexplicable decision not to include a sword-fighting sequence between Jon Snow and the Night King, a character portrayed by a literal swordmaster, Vladimir Furdík.
Other fans have said they “can’t believe what I just saw. Like some part of my soul, that died after season 8 – came back to life,” and that “just seeing Jon fight the Night King felt like justice for S8.”
While so far we only have sparse details about actual gameplay for War for Westeros, obviously the game’s biggest selling point for fans at this point is that players can rewrite the fate of Westeros and will potentially get a much more satisfying ending. Rather than simply replaying the TV show’s events, the campaign lets players alter iconic battles, political alliances, and major story outcomes, creating “what-if” scenarios throughout the Seven Kingdoms.
While an exact release date for Game of Thrones: War for Westeros has not been announced just yet, it’s slated to drop sometime this year, and PlaySide Studios is sure to give an updated timeline in the coming weeks given House of the Dragon and the newly released Dragonfire getting fans hopeful for more content set in GRRM’s iconic universe.
