“Fantastic Four: First Steps” and “Nosferatu” star Ralph Ineson will star in BAFTA-nominated game studio Scriptic‘s next thriller video game.
Per the UK game studio, best known for its “Scriptic: Crime Stories” mobile game on Netflix, “Set in a near-future Britain, the unannounced narrative game is an original IP from Scriptic, exploring the controversial concept of predictive policing, inviting players to take on the role of a detective investigating individuals flagged by an algorithm for crimes they haven’t yet committed. Ineson stars as the detective’s enigmatic partner, guiding players through a morally-charged interactive experience shaped by choice, consequence, and exploring the real world rise of AI and predictive surveillance.”
Ineson’s notable credits include Marvel Studios’ recently released “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” as well as “Nosferatu” (2024), “The Northman” (2022), “The Green Knight”(2021) and “The Witch” (2015), and HBO’s “Game of Thrones” (2012) and the BBC sitcom “The Office “(2001-2003).
He is also acclaimed for his extensive voice acting work in video games, including “Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag” (2013), “Diablo IV” (2023) and his Golden Joystick Awards’ nominated performance in “Final Fantasy XVI” (2023).
”When we founded Scriptic, our vision was to create truly immersive storytelling experiences – ones where the player is at the center of deeply moving, lifelike narratives,” Scriptic CEO and co-founder Nihal Tharoor said. “As our studio has grown, we’ve endeavored to push the boundaries of narrative games, crafting stories that play upon players’ consciences, and collaborating with world-class talent, like the incredible Ralph Ineson, whose inimitable depth made him the perfect person to play the complex role of our main character’s partner.”
”It has been an incredible experience working with Scriptic to bring this multifaceted story to life,” Ineson said. “This story digs into the increasingly blurred lines between safety and ever-present surveillance in today’s world. In playing the protagonist’s partner, I saw an opportunity as an actor to evoke an internal conversation within players that makes them ponder their own intrinsic beliefs, prompting them to determine the fate of the accused, with my character as their sounding board, which was a very powerful experience. Over the years, I’ve been drawn to roles in video games because it challenges me to explore a character through a number of different lenses, and I think players will find that this story has many unexpected layers to it.”
See below for Variety‘s interview with Scriptic’s Tharoor and CCO and co-founder Tatham about Ineson’s casting and what to expect from the new game below.
How did Ralph’s casting come about? What can you say about his character?
Tharoor: In our upcoming game, Ralph stars as the player’s partner, DCI Remi Saunders – a principled, by-the-book detective whose dedication to his work masks a private grief. Haunted by the loss of his son in a mass-casualty attack, Saunders has become a staunch believer in predictive policing, convinced it can prevent such tragedies. Over the course of the story, that certainty is tested as each new case forces him into ever murkier moral territory, and you begin to see the cracks in both his convictions and his personal life.
Ralph was the ideal choice for this. His deep, gravelly voice is instantly recognisable and perfect for our grizzled detective working in the world of predictive policing. But what really sets him apart is his vulnerability as a performer. We have ambitious live-action sequences with him, including a bodycam live stream chase through London’s underground rail network, but it’s the intimate moments, like phone calls with the player, where his performance shines – naturalistic, raw, and charged with the impossible stakes you face together.
That bond with Saunders is the emotional anchor of the experience, and the format lets you feel it in ways you haven’t in a game before – blending live-action drama with the tactile thrill of investigating real-world digital lives.
What can you tease about the game, and the choice to explore predictive policing?
Tatham: The game is set five years in the future, and imagines a Britain where predictive policing has halved crime rates. Powered by the ‘PREDICT’ algorithm – trained on decades of personal digital data – law enforcement is now able to flag suspects for imminent violent crime, from premeditated acts to unconscious crimes of passion. Players will work each case from their police surveillance console, delving into the intimate digital lives of individuals flagged by PREDICT to decide whether the algorithm is right or wrong – and whether to convict or clear.
The title is inspired by games like Papers, Please and prestige dramas like Slow Horses, where every choice carries moral weight, with consequences that ripple through suspects’ lives, the justice system, and your own fate.
We’ve long been drawn to police procedural narrative games that speak to the moment, so exploring AI’s role in law enforcement was a natural evolution. The story draws on forecasting research to explore how emerging AI could plausibly reshape policing and justice. At Scriptic, our goal is to tell human stories set against the realities of a rapidly changing digital world – both in theme and in form.
What platforms do you plan to release on?
Tharoor: We’re building this as a cross-platform title for Steam, console and cloud. As a venture-backed studio, we’re fortunate to be in a position to thoughtfully consider the right publishing partner to help us bring it to the widest possible audience.
What pricing are you looking at?
Tatham: We plan to finalize pricing decisions closer to the game’s release, but we don’t have any details to share at this time.
