Summary
It’s hard to see real gems fail to make it financially, frequently condemning the future of the series — sometimes even the studios' life. But flops aren’t always doomed to perpetual failure. Sometimes, a masterpiece takes time to find its audience.
There are plenty of underrated games, but there is an even more niche subset of titles that have the unique position of becoming a successful flop. The inherently contradictory nature of their fate is for the books, especially when you find out what classics weren’t drawing in the players when they first released.
10Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
you may’t have a discussion on vampire games without the mention of Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. The rich world-building, intriguing characters, and palpable atmosphere set by the game are undeniable. Despite the limitations of the time, VtmB manages to make you feel like you have so much freedom.
The game’s growth into cult classic status can largely be attributed to the work of modders like Wesp5, who have brought the game closer to its initial vision. These mods add plenty of patches that restore cut content and fix numerous gameplay issues.
Unfortunately, the ambitious title failed to perform commercially. Its development was already riddled with problems, which ultimately led to tons of bugs and cut content. There are plenty ofamazing games that survived development hell, but Bloodlines’ shaky release during a time that also saw greats likeHalf-Life 2proved to be a stake in its heart.
9Spec Ops: The Line
Spec Ops: The Line is one of those games that has many great ideas that may have just been too ahead of their time. Despite its age, it is still a very enjoyable game with a deeper message than you might expect. Unfortunately, this game didn’t garner enough buzz and got overshadowed by giants that were already littering the shooter genre.
The game’s marketing wasn’t able to effectively stress how different it was from its contemporaries. This decision was made because they didn’t want to sacrifice the narrative impact it would have on players that dove in blind. Sadly, that choice also ended up killing the developer’s chance of continuing the series.
Many players today look back onBeyond Good And Evilas an example of the “good days” for Ubisoft. This is because of the game’s distinct characterization. It never feels like it’s trying to be like any other game, and that makes it such a classic in the world of sci-fi stealth puzzle adventures.
This cult classic also did a great job of featuring a compelling female protagonist who wasn’t raiding tombs or created solely for ogling. Sure, many have since surpassed it in terms of storytelling. Still, it has firmly earned its place as a memorable game that deserved more than what it got upon release.
Here’s a title that wasn’t necessarily a global flop, as it quickly made itself a household name in Japan. Unfortunately, this same fanfare would not translate overseas. WhenEarthboundtouched down in North American territory, it essentially ate dirt.
Its distinctive approach and vibe still could not be kept down, though, making it one of the most iconic titles in gaming history. Where Earthbound may have briefly been threatened by obscurity, it has since influenced a whole genre of titles like it. Now, you can play the re-released title on Nintendo Switch along with its predecessor.
It’s weird to callBayonetta 2a flop considering it has sold over a million copies. That said, its early release days were a long climb. It wasn’t even regarded as a bad game and was widely praised for its gameplay during its first year. Sometimes, the games industry can just be a fickle thing.
Still, its creative direction and fun gameplay loop have helped it stand the test of time and gain popularity in newer console generations. Because its publishers were extremely critical of its underperformance, the question of another Bayonetta game getting made felt like it had a dead end waiting. The third installment was eventually released almost a decade later.
5Rule Of Rose
If you’re talking classic horror, then you’re able to’t go wrong with Rule Of Rose. The game was so controversial during its release that it got banned in the United Kingdom. This is because rumors blew up just how dark the game was, which didn’t sit well with the public. To be fair, the game does delve into very dark elements and has a cast of characters primarily comprised of children.
This reputation already hurt its sales, and even those who were intrigued were met with clunky mechanics that could be more frustrating than frightening. Still, its timeless status has grown over the years thanks to its premise and how effectively it gets under your skin using disturbing psychological themes.
Okamiwas a critical darling that was a financial failure. The way it flopped in its first year was so significant that it still holds the Guinness World Record for having the poorest commercial performance for a Game Of The Year winner.
The game has since gotten its financial flowers with ports and remasters on PC and various console generations. Its cult classic status is undeniable thanks to its stunning Sumi-e style, gorgeous soundtrack, and wonderful storytelling.
Double Fine Productions is known for creating unique worlds that pull you in with unique art styles and likable characters. The studio’s first foray into the world of gaming wasPsychonauts, which could have easily killed it because of how big of a financial disappointment it was.
And yet, the creative platformer thrived and garnered a lot of hype over time. Almost two decades after its release, the much-anticipated sequel was finally released to equally positive praise and, luckily, more profit.
2Grim Fandango
Grim Fandangowas unable to immediately capture enough gamers’ attention when it first came out, which essentially signaled the death of point-and-click adventure games for LucasArts at the time. Despite some of the developers noting that the game still ended up being profitable, it never truly reached the commercial goals expected of it.
Thankfully, the stylish and dazzling adventure maintained such a reputation of excellence that fans eventually got a remastered edition spearheaded by Double Fine. If anyone can take the threat of a game’s death into its own hands, it’s Manny Calevera.
How could something so influential be a flop? Well, this is the mystery that looms overSystem Shock 2. The game and its predecessor are widely regarded as some of the best cult classics in survival horror, introducing mechanics that would inspire huge games likeBioShock.
System Shock 2 did eventually make a profit after a slow burn of sales. It even went on to win several Game Of The Year awards. Even more peculiar is the fact that it would, again, be left to the wayside and become abandonware. Thanks to increasing demand and hype over the years, the game was republished in 2013 with an enhanced edition on the way.
