The Top 10 Epic Video Game Fails of the Last Decade

This top 10 of the biggest video game fails of the decade highlights those moments where things didn’t go as planned, leaving behind disappointed players and, at times, companies in crisis. Whether it’s games that didn’t live up to expectations or consoles that failed to find their audience, each item on this list is a reminder that even the biggest names in the industry aren’t immune to a fall.

For every critically acclaimed masterpiece, there’s a project that, despite high expectations and huge budgets, ended in a thundering failure. These failures aren’t limited to games alone but also affect consoles, online services, and even the development studios that produce them. Failed launches, critical bugs, broken promises, and questionable business decisions have often led to disastrous consequences for both companies and players.

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Top 10. Assassin’s Creed Unity – A Bug-Ridden Launch

At its peak, the Assassin’s Creed franchise seemed unstoppable, with annual releases captivating millions of players. However, in 2014, the series stumbled for the first time with Assassin’s Creed Unity. Released on the new generation of consoles, the game was highly anticipated but quickly disappointed due to numerous bugs and technical issues. Missing faces, characters walking through walls, and frequent crashes turned what should have been an immersive experience into a nightmare for many players. The poor reception of Unity tarnished the series’ reputation so badly that the following game, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, suffered poor sales, forcing Ubisoft to rethink their strategy and give the series a much-needed break.

Top 9. Command & Conquer 4 – The End of a Legendary Saga

Command & Conquer was once a titan of the real-time strategy (RTS) genre, but the 2010 edition, Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight, marked the painful end of the legendary series. By eliminating traditional game mechanics like base building and resource management, EA attempted to reinvent the series, but the changes weren’t well received. The game was a critical and commercial failure, virtually ending the franchise. Disappointed fans had to wait a decade to finally see remakes of the series’ first games announced for 2021.

Top 8. The Fall of Telltale Games

Telltale Games was a development studio renowned for its narrative-driven, choice-based games like The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us. However, in 2018, the company abruptly closed its doors, leaving 250 employees without jobs or severance. The sudden shutdown shocked the industry, especially since many projects were still in development. The fall of Telltale Games was the result of poor management, rapid overexpansion, and an over-reliance on costly franchises like Game of Thrones and Batman. Although some intellectual properties were picked up by LCG Entertainment, this event remains one of the darkest moments in the gaming industry over the last decade.

Top 7. Fallout 76 – A Post-Apocalyptic Nightmare

Fallout 76 was supposed to be the ambitious new chapter in Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic series, but it quickly turned into a disaster. Released in 2018, the game was criticized for its lack of content, numerous bugs, and the complete absence of NPCs (non-playable characters). Bethesda’s attempt to transform Fallout into an online multiplayer game failed, and the problems didn’t stop there. The collector’s edition bag, initially promised to be canvas, was delivered as cheap nylon, creating even more discontent among fans. In response to the criticism, Bethesda launched Fallout First, a paid subscription that was widely mocked for its broken promises and faulty features. Fallout 76 remains a prime example of what not to do when launching a major online game.

Top 6. Anthem – The Fallen Titan

Anthem, developed by BioWare and published by EA, was supposed to be one of the biggest games of 2019. Introduced as a mix of sci-fi and online action, Anthem promised stunning environments, dynamic gameplay, and an immersive multiplayer experience. Unfortunately, when it was released, the game was criticized for its lack of content, bland story, and repetitive game mechanics. Worse still, post-launch revelations highlighted a chaotic development process, with leadership issues, frequent changes in direction, and the forced use of the Frostbite engine, which wasn’t suitable for the genre. Despite efforts to turn things around, Anthem remains a symbolic failure of the decade, illustrating the dangers of troubled production.

Top 5. Battleborn – A Hero Shooter Overshadowed by Competition

Battleborn, developed by Gearbox Software, was a team-based online shooter with distinct characters, released in 2016. The game offered a variety of game modes and a plethora of heroes, each with their own abilities. However, Battleborn’s launch was catastrophic because it came just a few weeks before the release of Overwatch, Blizzard’s highly anticipated team shooter. With its massive marketing and polished gameplay, Overwatch quickly overshadowed Battleborn, which saw its player base drastically decrease in a short amount of time. Despite an attempt to switch to free-to-play, Battleborn never managed to compete and was eventually shut down in 2021, leaving Gearbox to focus on other projects.

Top 4. Radical Heights – A Battle Royale Launched Too Early

The boom in Battle Royale games led many developers to try their luck, but not all met the success of Fortnite or PUBG. Radical Heights, developed by Boss Key Productions, is one of the most glaring examples of a game launched too early to capitalize on the genre’s popularity. The game, which aimed to be a retro 80s-themed battle royale, was released in “extreme early access,” featuring unfinished graphics and recycled gameplay. The hasty launch of Radical Heights led to a cold reception from players and critics. Shortly after its release, the studio shut down, marking the end of Cliff Bleszinski’s, the creator of Gears of War, dream to create a new online hit.

Top 3. No Man’s Sky – The Nightmare Launch

No Man’s Sky is one of the most famous examples of a video game that failed to deliver on its promises at launch. Developed by the small indie studio Hello Games, No Man’s Sky was hyped by years of marketing that promised a revolutionary gaming experience. Players were supposed to be able to explore a procedurally generated universe, discover new planets and species, and even play in multiplayer. However, when the game was finally released in 2016, many of the announced features were missing, including multiplayer elements. Player reactions were extremely negative, with complaints about repetitive gameplay and lack of content. Faced with player anger, Hello Games spent the following years improving the game, adding new features and making it much closer to what had been promised. Today, No Man’s Sky is considered a success in terms of turnaround, but its chaotic launch remains a cautionary tale about the dangers of overhyping in video game marketing.

Top 2. Duke Nukem Forever – A Missed Comeback

After more than 14 years in development, Duke Nukem Forever was finally released in 2011, but the game didn’t meet expectations at all. First announced in 1997, the game became a symbol of development hell, passing through the hands of several developers and suffering countless delays. Upon its release, Duke Nukem Forever was criticized for its outdated graphics, clunky controls, and obsolete humor. What could have been a triumphant comeback for an iconic 90s character turned into an embarrassing failure, proving that sometimes, it’s better to leave a legend in the past.

Top 1. The PlayStation Network Hack – A Security Catastrophe

In 2011, Sony experienced one of the biggest security breaches in video game history when the PlayStation Network was hacked, exposing the personal information of 77 million users. In response, Sony had to shut down the service for three weeks, frustrating millions of players and costing the company hundreds of millions of dollars in security expenses, compensations, and fines. Making matters worse, Sony waited a week before informing users about the incident, further exacerbating the situation. This event had a lasting impact on Sony’s reputation regarding security and served as a stark reminder of the importance of personal data protection in the digital age.