A major video game franchise that never recovered after one bad game

After waiting years, even decades, to see a franchise return with a good game can be an amazing feeling. For example, 2025 was an important year for reviving the economy. Ninja Gaiden Franchise complete with two new games—Ninja Gaiden 4 and Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound — And remastered, Ninja Gaiden 2 BlackAll three received good reviews.

While this is the dream of fans and developers, not every franchise can make it big. Especially when you release a game that's so bad, it can shake up your entire brand. These franchises may one day return with great new games, but for now, Their fate was sealed because of one bad game.

dino crisis

Beyond Extinction

• first game: dino crisis (1999)
• A miserable game that has come to an end: Dino Crisis 3 (2003)

dino crisis Debuted on PS1 in 1999 jurassic park-same version resident evil. The first two games on the PS1 were widely acclaimed and seemed to open the door to another huge horror franchise from Capcom, but the franchise took a hit on the next-gen consoles.

dino stalker It was released in 2002 as an on-rail light gun spinoff, but not many people liked it. However, since it had a different name and was a spin-off, it didn't cause much damage to the brand. on the other side, Dino Crisis 3Released for Xbox in 2003, it was a huge shock to PlayStation fans. The game was criticized by most gaming magazines and early websites at the time for poor camera angles and overall weak gameplay, which led to the franchise dying out from its place.

Duke Nukem

everything from bubble gum

• first game: Duke Nukem (1991)

• dA terrible game that has come to an end: Duke Nukem Forever (2011)

Most gamers today may not know this, but Duke Nukem It began as a side-scrolling shooting game for MS-DOS computers in 1991. The game was okay, but the series came out a few years later. Duke Nukem 3D In 1996, it was also used on MS-DOS computers. It gave the fans something to do. fate and Wolfenstein 3D What's missing: Humor.

The title Duke was popular because of his catchphrase, and the game was loved for its action and skimpy women. For a few years in the '90s, Duke was king, and even ports and remasters were well received by critics. What hasn't been reviewed well Duke Nukem ForeverThis is a sequel that took over 10 years to develop. When it launched in 2011, no one thought it was worth the wait, thanks to its dated humor and disappointingly short campaign.

last fight

From Brawl Champion to Dud

• first game: last fight (1989, Japan)
• A miserable game that has come to an end: Final Battle: Streetwise (2006)

last fight It debuted in arcades in Japan in 1989 and was released in North America a year later as the new, big beat 'em up franchise. The trilogy was met with praise from fans who flocked to the arcades and lodgings like there was no tomorrow. The console had cuter versions: Mighty Final FightWith the final port of the main series.

Things were going well until Capcom decided to rebrand the series as a fighting game in 1999. Final Fight RevengeSomething fighting game fans don't like mechanically. That was one case where the series died out, but was revived in 2006 as a 3D brawler for the PS2 and Xbox. Final Battle: Streetwise. That was the final nail in the coffin, as it is still considered one of the worst games on both systems due to its unsatisfactory fighting mechanics.

genji

Promising Samurai series short story

• first game: Genji: Dawn of the Samurai (2005)
• A miserable game that has come to an end: Genji: Days of the Blade (2006)

that genji The series was very short-lived, which is unfortunate because there was a lot of promise for the first game. Genji: Dawn of the Samurai This is the debut title of the series. It was a short but fun samurai action game released exclusively for PS2 in 2005.

In 2006, Sony was preparing to launch the PS3, and with it Genji: Days of the Blade. Unfortunately, the game's preview has already been criticized after the “giant crab” incident that occurred on stage at E3. A bad demo is nothing since the game can recover from it, but unfortunately the final product was rated just as poorly. This is mainly because it focuses on slow combat and fast events.

getaway

The GTA in London

• first game: getaway (2002, Europe)
• A miserable game that has come to an end: Getaway: Black Monday (2004, Europe)

grand theft auto It gained enormous popularity on PS2 in 2001. GTA Imitators, including Sony itself. getaway series. It first debuted in Europe in 2002, and was released in North America a year later. It was another promising start thanks to a more mature story, London setting, and fresh gameplay perspective, but the sequel Getaway: Black MondayIt undermined that momentum.

gangs of london It was a PSP spin-off and an attempt to right the ship, but it failed. getaway 3 Canceled. Interestingly, the series technically continues today through loosely connected TV series such as: gangs of londonDebuted in 2020.

lost planet

Starship Bloopers

• first game: Lost Planet: Extreme Situation (2006, Japan)
• A miserable game that has come to an end: lost planet 3 (2013)

that lost planet The series debuted as an Xbox 360 exclusive in Japan in 2006. Lost Planet: Extreme SituationA year later it received Western Port. The game was loved by horror and shooter fans alike as it was more of a scary action game rather than another puzzle-heavy horror game from Capcom. After that, I don't think Capcom really figured out where the franchise should go. lost planet 2 It was more similar Monster HunterThe focus is on multiplayer and taking down huge enemies. The sequel received some praise, although not as much as the original game.

The third item received worse ratings. Things changed again and it became a more heartfelt story about a father trying to make money for his family back home. Prior to this, Japan got exclusive spinoffs for the 3DS and PS3. EX TroopersIt was like a hyper-stylized animation for the franchise. Unfortunately, due to the poor response to the series in the West, neither version left Japan and the entire franchise died.

Medal of Honor

You can't emulate Call of Duty.

• first game: medal of honor (1999)
• A miserable game that has come to an end: Medal of Honor: Warfighter (2012)

before call of duty and halo, medal of honor The series that The best military first-person shooter franchise. medal of honor It debuted on PS1 in 1999. Fans loved the World War II setting, which led to many sequels. Medal of Honor: Frontline Debuting on the PS2 in 2002, the franchise is often considered the best of the franchise, revolutionizing the way D-Day is depicted in games.

even halo and call of duty Although it attracted attention, EA still MoH It has maintained the brand for many years, even rebooting it in a more modern setting in the 2010s. Medal of Honor. Despite getting decent reviews, this was the beginning of the end. Nevertheless, the sequel Medal of Honor: WarfighterIt was released with a bang in 2012. EA attempted to revive the brand in 2020. Medal of Honor: BeyondHowever, since it is a VR-only experience and there are few good reviews, medal of honor It's literally toast.

steel battalion

Hit the eject button!

• first game: steel battalion (2002)
• A miserable game that has come to an end: Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor (2012)

steel battalion In 2002, fans of the original Xbox took over those who could afford it. This mech game is expensive because it comes with a controller that mirrors the cockpit of the in-game mech. It even had an eject button, which was cool, although it would delete the current save file if the player didn't press it before the machine exploded.

The first game was very well received, and the sequel Steel Battalion: FerryAlthough it wasn't very well received, both fans and critics still thought it was good overall. The brand essentially took an eight-year hiatus before reawakening with Xbox 360 titles. Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor. To call this a massive failure would be an understatement. Players did not respond well to the game's Kinect-based controls, which, like most Kinect games, received terrible reviews.