Is AdHoc the New Telltale Games? Exploring Legacy, Innovation, and the Future of Interactive Storytelling

 

Is AdHoc the New Telltale Games? Exploring Legacy, Innovation, and the Future of Interactive Storytelling

Flashback: The Telltale Legacy Telltale Games carved out a genre. Their episodic titles like The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us, and Tales from the Borderlands weren’t just games—they were immersive dramas that placed players in moral dilemmas and emotionally complex narratives. Then came 2018, and it all collapsed. A studio that once seemed unstoppable shut down, leaving fans and creators searching for a new torchbearer.

Enter AdHoc Studio.

The DNA Connection AdHoc isn’t simply inspired by Telltale—it’s built by its former architects. Founded in 2018 by veterans from Telltale, Ubisoft, and Night School Studio, AdHoc carries forward the same passion for character-driven storytelling. These are the minds behind the stories that reshaped interactive media. They understand how to make choices impactful, dialogue dynamic, and narrative unforgettable.

Evolving the Formula While Telltale leaned on rapid episodic releases powered by their in-house engine, AdHoc seems focused on refining the player experience.

• They aim for more cinematic pacing.

• They embrace performance-driven storytelling.

• They work in smaller teams with more creative freedom.

It's not just a shift in delivery—it’s a shift in philosophy. Quality over quantity. Depth over breadth.

Collaborative Vision and the Road Ahead Rather than standing alone, AdHoc is collaborating with platforms like Netflix, signaling ambitions beyond gaming. Imagine interactive television with gaming’s emotional depth. That intersection is where AdHoc could flourish.

So, Is AdHoc the New Telltale? Spiritually, yes—they carry the legacy forward. Mechanically, they’re evolving the format. Philosophically, they’re carving out a fresh path.

Where Telltale built the blueprint for interactive drama, AdHoc might be designing the next paradigm.