Games That Were Hated At Launch But Are Now Considered Classics

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A game’s launch is crucial for its success. This is the time when excitement should be highest, sales should be strong, and reviews and player feedback should be positive. First impressions matter a lot, and a bad start can be very hard to overcome. Even after many years, the poor reception of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial on the Amiga hasn’t been forgotten.

Even if a game has a rough start, updates and fixes can often resolve many of the initial problems and help developers regain player trust. Sometimes, a game isn’t initially disliked because of its quality, but because perceptions change. Regardless, many of these games have become fan favorites over time.

6. The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Zelda Like We’d Never Seen It Before

When The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was first shown, it really surprised people. Fans expected a serious, visually impressive game to solidify the GameCube’s appeal, especially given the jokes about the console being too lighthearted. Instead, the game featured a cartoonish art style, which led many to immediately dismiss it.

Looking back, I honestly think dismissing The Wind Waker was a huge error. Yeah, it’s got a really unique, almost ‘cute’ art style, but it’s far from simplistic! It’s only when you really pay attention that you realize just how much detail went into it – they clearly put so much love and care into everything. From the little bugs buzzing around lights to how realistically the Moblin’s chins wobble, the animation is just beautiful. Okay, all the sailing can get a little repetitive, but the dungeons are amazing, and the story is seriously one of the most moving I’ve ever experienced in a Zelda game. Finding out what happened to the old Hyrule is a moment that’s stayed with me for years. It’s just a fantastic, cozy game set on the ocean!

5. No Man’s Sky

Slowly Became The Intergalactic Extravaganza We Crazed

A little bit of confidence can make a big difference, and creating excitement early on is important. There was a lot of buzz surrounding No Man’s Sky before it launched, promising a huge, expansive universe to explore. Unfortunately, that excitement led to significant disappointment for many players when the game’s limitations became clear. It felt unfinished at release and received a lot of criticism as a result.

Despite a rocky start, Hello Games steadily improved No Man’s Sky by adding content and resolving issues. It was a massive undertaking given the game’s initial ambition, but the team deserves credit for their dedication. After years of work following its 2016 release, No Man’s Sky has finally become the expansive and immersive space exploration game it was originally envisioned to be. Features like the ability to customize Corvettes demonstrate the game’s core vision.

4. Death Stranding

A Misunderstood Masterpiece

Hideo Kojima is famous for creating incredibly original games. Whenever he works on a project, you can expect a fresh take on familiar genres, with surprising gameplay and memorable characters. However, striving to be so different and unconventional can sometimes lead to misunderstandings. Death Stranding faced this issue when it was first released. Many initially dismissed it as a strange, slow-paced game with odd visuals. But those who invested the time to truly play and understand the game discovered the depth and innovation Kojima had created.

Honestly, when Death Stranding came out, it was like nothing I’d ever played. I mean, we see a lot of the same stuff recycled in gaming, but this was totally different. You play as Sam Porter Bridges, a delivery guy basically, but it’s not just about getting packages from A to B in a broken world. It’s about reconnecting people, rebuilding a network, and giving everyone a little hope. The story is… complicated. There’s a lot going on with this kid, Lou, and everyone’s real identities, plus this big threat called the Last Stranding. It’s typical Hideo Kojima – a bit confusing, if you’re familiar with the Metal Gear games – but it’s that originality that everyone loved. And it was cool to see it all pay off with a sequel, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, coming out in 2025.

3. Sea Of Thieves

The Pirate Fantasy Took Some Time To Come To Life

Many people initially saw Sea of Thieves as similar to No Man’s Sky – a game with a lot of potential that took time to fully realize. Players had long hoped for a multiplayer pirate experience like Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag. While pirate games aren’t new, Sea of Thieves stood out from the beginning with its funny tone and cartoonish graphics. When it launched in 2018, the game offered cool ship customization and a distinctive style, but it didn’t have much content to do, leaving the open world feeling a little empty.

The game has grown significantly since its initial release, offering players a wealth of new content. Originally, it was a basic concept, but now it includes features like summoning skeletal creatures, extensive quests, special events, and even detailed activities like fishing – all supported by secure servers. Players have responded positively to these improvements, and the game remains highly popular. The developers successfully turned things around after a difficult start, establishing it as a thriving live-service game.

2. Destiny 2

Another Sci-Fi Adventure On An Increasingly Grand Scope

As a gamer, one of the things I love about looter shooters is having tons of stuff to do. Like, a game like Borderlands 2 just keeps going and going if you’re really into leveling up your character and playing all the extra content. Destiny 2 didn’t have that at first, which was disappointing because the first Destiny had the same problem. But Bungie, the team behind it, are FPS pros and they weren’t about to let that stop them.

Over the years, with expansions like Beyond Light, Lightfall, and The Edge of Fate, plus regular updates, the game has gained new raids, challenges, and major gameplay features like Stasis and weapon crafting. While not every change has been popular, the game’s strong gameplay, diverse options, and rewarding customization keep players engaged and the content flowing. The Renegades expansion, released in 2025, added Equilibrium and a collection of interesting new weapons.

1. Street Fighter 5

A Worthy Addition To A Beloved Series, Eventually

Fighting games are usually focused on multiplayer, letting players battle friends locally or compete online to climb leaderboards. Single-player modes often serve as practice, with training, combo challenges, and endless waves of CPU opponents. Unfortunately, Street Fighter 5 launched in 2016 with a weak single-player experience, missing a story mode that many fighting games use to build their world and characters. While not everyone needs to be a champion, a good single-player mode can significantly improve a game.

The last Street Fighter game was incredibly popular, so when the next installment didn’t meet expectations, it really hurt the series’ good name. It took Capcom years to finish Street Fighter 5 Champion Edition, adding the features and better online play that fans wanted, along with more complex gameplay. This improved version helped shape the next game: seemingly to make up for the lack of singleplayer content in Street Fighter 5, Street Fighter 6 included the massive World Tour mode – a full-fledged singleplayer RPG with tons of challenges.

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2026-02-03 14:39