Big Bucks, Zero Luck
Money can't buy happiness—or successful video games, apparently. The gaming industry is littered with expensive failures that crashed and burned spectacularly. Some cost hundreds of millions yet disappeared within weeks. These 20 gaming disasters remind us that big budgets don't guarantee hits, just bigger disappointments when things go wrong.
MASS EFFECT: ANDROMEDA – Official Gameplay Trailer - 4K by Mass Effect
1. Concord
With a development cost between $200 million, Sony's hero shooter became one of gaming's most expensive failures. After launch, players quickly abandoned the title, leading Sony to pull it entirely from digital stores. Firewalk Studios, once hoping to create the next big multiplayer hit, found themselves closing their doors permanently.
Concord - Gameplay Trailer | PS5 Games by PlayStation
2. APB: All Points Bulletin
What began as a promising crime-focused multiplayer experience ended as a cautionary tale about mismanaged expectations and resources in game development. The company poured approximately $100 million into its making. However, the studio's closure took place after players criticized the title for feeling incomplete.
APB: All Points Bulletin (PC gameplay footage) by TopZonelt
3. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
Unsold cartridges famously ended up buried in a New Mexico landfill, bringing one of gaming's most enduring urban legends. With licensing costs between $20-$25 million, E.T. became synonymous with the video game crash of 1983. The game featured confusing mechanics, frustrating controls, and repetitive objectives.
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (GBA Gameplay) [Full HD] by BLG
4. Skull & Bones
Years of troubled development (costing $120 million) plagued Ubisoft's pirate adventure before it finally launched. Skull & Bones had started as an expansion to Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag but evolved into a standalone project. It spent nearly a decade in development hell, only to face player indifference upon release.
Skull and Bones | Gameplay Overview Trailer by Ubisoft
5. Duke Nukem Forever
When 3D Realms finally released the game, outdated humor and mechanics earned it poor reviews despite its $20+ million budget. Originally announced in 1997, the game underwent multiple engine changes, studio transitions, and delays before finally being released in 2011. By the time it launched, it felt stuck in the past.
Duke Nukem Forever (2011) - PC Gameplay 4k 2160p / Win 10 by FirstPlays HD
6. Daikatana
Daikatana was conceptualized by Ion Storm and led by John Romero, the legendary co-creator of Doom and Quake. Despite over $25 million invested, this first-person shooter sold a mere 40,351 copies worldwide, effectively ending Romero's rockstar status. Apparently, the aggressive and insulting marketing alienated potential players.
Daikatana PC Gameplay 1080P PART 1 by FirstPlays HD
7. Mass Effect: Andromeda
BioWare's attempt to extend their beloved sci-fi universe fell flat when facial animations became an internet meme. The $76 million project suffered from rushed development using the difficult Frostbite engine. Once intended as the foundation for a new trilogy, Andromeda's lukewarm reception sadly put the franchise into cryosleep for years.
MASS EFFECT: ANDROMEDA – Official Gameplay Trailer - 4K by Mass Effect
8. Too Human
Legal battles with Epic Games over unauthorized Unreal Engine use eventually forced this game's removal from digital stores. Silicon Knights spent between $80-$100 million across multiple console generations. It was Initially planned for PS1 (1999), then shifted to GameCube (2000s) before finally landing on Xbox 360 (2005).
Too Human - Xbox 360 Gameplay (2008) by JohnGodgamesHD
9. The Secret World
Costing an estimated $50-$60 million, The Secret World saw a 2017 relaunch as Secret World Legends in an attempt to save it. However, player numbers continued to dwindle despite its fascinating premise. Unlike traditional fantasy MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, The Secret World had a more mature, story-driven approach, which failed to work on the audience.
Secret World: Theme Park Tycoon HD by WEB Gaming Central
10. No Man's Sky
No Man’s Sky was one of those highly hyped pieces in history, developed by Hello Games ($40-$60 million). Promising a procedurally generated universe, endless exploration, and multiplayer features, it quickly became a highly anticipated title. Unfortunately, upon release, it led to huge backlash and refund demands. Luckily, today's gaming technology and gaming landscape have allowed No Man's Sky to eventually flourish into a celebrated and respectable title, but not before suffering years of scorn and ridicule.
No Man's Sky Gameplay 17 Minutes of 1080p 60FPS Gameplay by GameCross
11. Shenmue
Creator Yu Suzuki's open-world vision of $47-$70 million displayed revolutionary details like real-time weather and day-night cycles. Released for the Sega Dreamcast, it pioneered open-world exploration, realistic NPC schedules, and cinematic storytelling. While innovative, Shenmue focused on everyday life activities and QTE-based combat, which didn’t appeal to mainstream audiences.
12. LawBreakers
Critics praised the fast-paced gameplay and vertical combat, yet servers remained ghost towns. Cliff Bleszinski's post-Gears of War project couldn't compete with Overwatch despite solid mechanics, proving that good reviews alone can't save a multiplayer game. The peak concurrent players on Steam at launch were 7,482.
LawBreakers - Announcement Trailer by GameSpot
13. Marvel's Avengers
The live-service approach doomed Crystal Dynamics' superhero adventure from the start. Square Enix invested between $170-$200 million but still reported financial losses. People rejected the game's repetitive missions and aggressive monetization. This eventually led the publisher to abandon ongoing development plans for Earth's mightiest heroes.
MARVEL'S AVENGERS Gameplay Demo (2020) PS4 / Xbox One / PC by ONE Media +
14. Anthem
Flying through alien scenarios in mechanized Javelin suits thrilled players at the start. The development price exceeded $100 million. But then, BioWare's project suffered from an identity crisis, never fully committing to either single-player storytelling or multiplayer looting. Also, the 2017 E3 demo was faked, showing features that didn’t exist in the actual game.
We Played Anthem at E3 2018 - Here's What We Thought by IGN
15. Cyberpunk 2077
CD Projekt Red saw its stock drop by $1.8 billion after its RPG launched with many technical problems. Sony even removed this game from the PlayStation Store. After eight years of buildup, it is among the most infamous game launches. Cyberpunk 2077 was made for over $300 million.
CYBERPUNK 2077 Gameplay Walkthrough PART 3 (HD) - PS5 Gameplay by SPD Gaming
16. Battleborn
This game launched just weeks before Overwatch in May 2016. The unfortunate timing sealed its fate even though it offered a blend of MOBA elements and first-person combat. Player counts dropped precipitously within months, and by 2021, Battleborn was completely unplayable when its servers shut down permanently.
Battleborn - PS4 Gameplay Footage by WccftechTV
17. Defiance
Let’s talk about this $80 million experiment. It wanted to combine an MMO shooter with a SyFy channel television series. Additionally, in-game events were meant to influence the show's storyline, while episodes introduced new content to the game. It ultimately suffered from a repetitive mission structure (fetch quests, wave-based combat).
Defiance 2050 Gameplay (PC HD) by GameZine
18. Driv3r
Nicknamed "Driv3r" but pronounced "Driver 3," the game represented a massive step backward for a once-respected franchise. Atari's financial losses from this project contributed to the publisher's declining fortunes in the early 2000s. Well, Driv3r tried to go head-to-head with GTA, but the mission design was bad.
Driver 3 Gameplay (PC) [HD Widescreen Fix 1080p @ 60fps] by Yesterdays Today
19. Superman (Nintendo 64)
Titus Software created what many consider gaming's worst licensed title ever. Players had a tough time with basic controls while trying to fly through endless fog due to the N64's technical limitations. The game missed its planned release alongside the canceled 1998 Superman film and launched to universal ridicule.
Superman - Nintendo 64 Review - Ultra HDMI - HD by N64 Glenn Plant
20. Aliens: Colonial Marines
When it comes to this game, the pre-release gameplay demos looked stunning, with nice graphics and dynamic AI. However, the final game looked nothing like the trailers, leading to accusations of false advertising. The development cost for the same is said to be between $60–$80 million.
🔫 Aliens Colonial Marines (2013) Full Game Longplay by Fur FPS Games
