Best FPS Franchises That Are Finished

It’s disappointing when a popular first-person shooter series starts to decline. While it’s hard to picture Call of Duty disappearing completely, the series needs to improve soon, or it risks losing fans. All eyes are now on Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 to deliver that improvement.

These shooting games, for various reasons, largely faded from public memory. Although their creators haven’t officially ruled out future installments – like sequels or updated versions – a revival of these franchises seems unlikely. Still, there’s always a chance, and that’s what matters.

Call Of Juarez

How The West Was Done

First Game: Call of Juarez (2006, EU)
Last Game: Call of Juarez: Gunslinger (2013)

The Call of Juarez series began in 2006 as a first-person shooter set in the Old West, initially released in Europe. While Call of Juarez: The Cartel, a modern-day installment, wasn’t well-received, the other three games in the Western setting have each earned praise for their unique qualities.

The last Call of Juarez game, Gunslinger, came out in 2013 and was later released on the Nintendo Switch in 2019. While the developer, Techland, is still around, they’ve focused on the Dying Light series since 2015, making a new Call of Juarez game unlikely.

The Conduit

Mr. President?

First Game: The Conduit (2009)
Last Game: The Conduit 2 (2011)

The Conduit was a shooting game available only on the Wii, set in present-day Washington D.C. where aliens are attacking. The series consists of two games, and the second one famously ended on a shocking cliffhanger involving the President, which fans still talk about today.

The most recent game in the series was an Android version of the original, released in 2013, two years after the second game came out. The developer, High Voltage Software, now primarily focuses on bringing older games to new platforms, so it’s unlikely we’ll see a Conduit 3 anytime soon.

The Darkness

A Comic Book Shooter

First Game: The Darkness (2007)
Last Game: The Darkness 2 (2012)

The idea of The Darkness originated in comic books in 1996. It wasn’t until 2007 that a video game based on the series was released. The game follows Jackie Estacado, a gangster who is host to dark creatures that assist him in fights – everything from small helpers to powerful, grabbing tentacles.

A sequel to the game was released in 2012, featuring a comic book-inspired visual style, but the series hasn’t continued since then. Starbreeze Studios created the original game, and Digital Extremes developed the sequel. Considering the time that’s passed, it’s doubtful either studio would be interested in making another game now.

Dishonored

A Spiritual Successor To Thief

First Game: Dishonored (2012)
Last Game: Dishonored: Death of the Outsider (2017)

Dishonored felt like a modern take on the classic stealth game, Thief, which was very popular with PC gamers. All of the Dishonored games let players use unique abilities in flexible gameplay, often centered around completing assassinations.

The first Dishonored game came out in 2012, followed by a large sequel in 2016. A standalone expansion, Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, was released in 2017. Currently, the developers, Arkane – now part of Bethesda and Microsoft – are working on a Blade game for Marvel. This makes a new Dishonored sequel unlikely in the near future.

Duke Nukem

All Out Of Bubblegum

First Game: Duke Nukem (1991)
Last Game: Duke Nukem Forever (2011)

The character Duke Nukem first appeared in a side-scrolling game in 1991, but became famous with the release of Duke Nukem 3D in 1996. The game and its various versions remained popular for a while, and there’s been a lot of talk – and waiting – for a new major installment.

The long-awaited sequel, Duke Nukem Forever, finally arrived in 2011, but it unfortunately damaged the series’ reputation. Its current owner, Gearbox, doesn’t appear to be planning another installment. There’s still potential for a humorous, over-the-top shooter, and Duke Nukem could lead the way if someone came up with a strong concept for a new game.

Red Steel

The Wii’s Samurai Western Exclusive Series

First Game: Red Steel (2006)
Last Game: Red Steel 2 (2010)

Okay, so Red Steel and Red Steel 2 are these two games by Ubisoft. The first one takes place in the present day, and the second one throws you back to the Wild West. I remember the original came out when the Wii first launched, but honestly, it didn’t get a ton of love from players or critics. It was…okay, I guess.

The second game improved the motion controls by utilizing the Wii MotionPlus accessory. Currently, Ubisoft is focusing on its major franchises—like Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy—so other games are unlikely to receive much attention for now.

Perfect Dark

SO CLOSE

First Game: Perfect Dark (2000)
Last Game: Perfect Dark Zero (2005)

Perfect Dark is a fantastic game created by Rare, and it served as a follow-up to their hugely successful James Bond game, GoldenEye 007, for the Nintendo 64. They later released a prequel, Perfect Dark Zero, in 2005 with the launch of the Xbox 360. For many years, fans have been hoping for a new installment, and in 2020, it looked like that might finally happen.

A new Perfect Dark game was in development at The Initiative, with help from Crystal Dynamics, and was revealed at The Game Awards in 2020. However, Microsoft cancelled the project in early 2025, meaning development is starting over.

F.E.A.R.

Call Of Ghost Duty

First Game: F.E.A.R. First Encounter Assault Recon (2005)
Last Game: F.E.A.R. Online (2014)

The F.E.A.R. series launched in 2005 as a realistic tactical shooter, but quickly introduced supernatural elements. The core of the series consists of three main games, and the second installment is often considered the strongest of the three.

The most recent game doesn’t really connect to the original F.E.A.R. trilogy. F.E.A.R. Online, a free-to-play shooter, came out in 2014 but was only available for a year. The series began with Monolith Productions, but Warner Bros. closed that studio earlier in 2025, making it unlikely we’ll see another F.E.A.R. game in the future.

Medal Of Honor

The OG Overtaken

First Game: Medal of Honor (1999)
Last Game: Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond (2020)

Released on the PlayStation in 1999, Medal of Honor offered a unique World War II experience that quickly became popular on consoles and spawned many follow-up games.

The Medal of Honor series, like many war games, originally focused on World War 2. While the games shifted to modern settings during the PlayStation 3 era, this change didn’t resonate with players, and 2012’s Medal of Honor: Warfighter received harsh criticism. After a long hiatus, Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond was released as a VR game in 2020, but it wasn’t successful either. This likely explains why EA has decided to discontinue the series.

Battlefield: Bad Company

A Literal Blast

First Game: Battlefield: Bad Company (2008)
Last Game: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (2010)

The Battlefield franchise began in 2002 with Battlefield 1942. However, it wasn’t until 2008 that one of its most well-loved offshoots, Battlefield: Bad Company, was released. This installment featured a more lighthearted squad of soldiers and introduced destructible environments, contributing to its moderate success within the Battlefield series.

Besides the main games, there weren’t many standalone releases. Similar to other Battlefield titles, these were created by DICE, who are now working on Battlefield 6 for EA – a game that could determine the future of the series.

2025-12-12 11:37