10 Beloved Game Franchises That Were Abandoned Too Soon

The gaming world of the 2000s was incredibly competitive. Today, a few major game franchises consistently top the sales charts, but back then, many different series were all trying to become the most popular. Unfortunately, not all of them succeeded, and a surprising number of franchises have been left behind – some well-known, others almost completely forgotten.

While some forgotten game series didn’t quite earn a revival, others were truly great and could still succeed today. Sadly, we haven’t seen these titles in years, and they seem to have been abandoned despite their potential. They were all cancelled prematurely, and many gamers would be thrilled to see them return.

Game Franchise	Why It Was Abandoned Too Soon
Jak and Daxter	Great gameplay, great characters
InFAMOUS	Beloved superhero games with awesome powers
Splinter Cell	One of the greatest stealth series of all time
Twisted Metal	The best franchise in a now-vacant genre

Resistance

Sony’s “Halo Killer” Was Great On Its Own Terms

Games in the Series: Resistance: Fall of Man, Resistance 2, Resistance: Retribution, Resistance 3, Resistance: Burning Skies

When Sony released the PS3, they faced a tough challenge competing with the popular Xbox 360. A key part of that challenge was creating a game to rival the hugely successful Halo series. Their answer was Resistance, a series of first-person shooter games set in an alternate historical timeline. Resistance clearly takes inspiration from Halo, featuring unusual weapons, alien creatures, and large-scale battles against overwhelming odds.

Despite being a strong contender, Resistance never surpassed Halo in popularity, which isn’t really unexpected. While the online multiplayer wasn’t a highlight, the three main Resistance games all offer fantastic single-player campaigns. They feature polished gunplay, memorable moments, and compelling stories with characters that deserve more recognition. The spin-off titles on handheld consoles are a bit inconsistent – Retribution is a standout – but a new Resistance game on a modern console would likely be a hit. Unfortunately, with Insomniac Games currently working on Marvel projects, a new installment doesn’t seem likely in the near future.

InFAMOUS

Excellent Open-World Superhero Games With No Marvel Or DC Connections

Games in the Series: InFAMOUS, InFAMOUS 2, InFAMOUS: Second Son

Back in 2009, when the Marvel Cinematic Universe was just starting, two superhero games – Prototype and InFAMOUS – went head-to-head. Prototype let you live out a power fantasy focused on destruction, while InFAMOUS offered a story-driven experience with RPG elements, including choices that affected the game and unlocked new abilities.

After InFAMOUS 2, which was a significant step forward, came InFAMOUS: Second Son. While Second Son looked impressive technically, its story and gameplay felt a little lacking. Surprisingly, that was the end of the line for the series. No new InFAMOUS games have been released since, and the developers, Sucker Punch, have moved on to the Ghost of Tsushima games. The original InFAMOUS is perfect for a remake, and that could reignite interest in a modern sequel, as no other game has quite filled the void this series left behind.

Sly Cooper

Stealth-Action Noir Games Starring A Slick Raccoon

Games in the Series: Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, Sly 2: Band of Thieves, Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time

Before creating the popular InFAMOUS series, Sucker Punch Productions first became known for the Sly Cooper games. This trilogy of stealth-action adventures follows Sly, a raccoon thief, and his friends – Bentley the turtle and Murray the hippo – as they pull off heists across the globe.

The original Sly Cooper games are fondly remembered by fans for their emphasis on stealth. While combat is present, the games are built around playing as a sneaky character who prefers to avoid fights. The fourth game, Thieves in Time, was developed by a different studio, Sanzaru Games, because Sucker Punch was busy with InFAMOUS. Thieves in Time didn’t resonate with players as well, but a remake of Thievius Raccoonus could potentially attract a wider audience. This series is too special to be forgotten.

Thief

All-Time Great Medieval Immersive Sims

Games in the Series: Thief: The Dark Project, Thief 2: The Metal Age, Thief: Deadly Shadows, Thief (2014), Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow

When it comes to stealth games, the Thief series is truly unique. These immersive sim games, set in a medieval world, focus on pulling off heists using stealth. While Sly Cooper offers a more playful and easygoing experience, Thief is a genuinely challenging stealth game. To succeed, you’ll need to extinguish lights to create shadows, carefully sneak past or silently eliminate enemies, and find clever alternate paths to avoid dangerous, supernatural creatures.

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Look, The Metal Age doesn’t quite hit the same highs as The Dark Project and Deadly Shadows, but honestly, all three of those older Thief games were seriously impressive for their time. But the 2014 reboot, just called Thief, totally missed the mark. They took away all the cool freedom we had to approach levels however we wanted and just made everything straight lines and boring. Since that one flopped, I’m worried we might not see another Thief game, which would be a real shame. If they could just recapture what made those originals so great, a new one would be a massive hit, I’m sure of it.

SOCOM

Where Did All The Third-Person Tactical Shooters Go?

Games in the Series: SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs, SOCOM 2 U.S. Navy SEALs, SOCOM 3 U.S. Navy SEALs, SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo, SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Combined Assault, SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo 2, SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Tactical Strike, SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Confrontation, SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo 3, SOCOM 4 U.S. Navy SEALs

The SOCOM games were the most detailed series on this list. These third-person shooters put you in the role of Navy Seals and focused on realistic team strategy. Unlike Call of Duty, which is very action-packed, or Battlefield, which aims for realism, SOCOM emphasized careful planning and working together as a team – it wasn’t about being a lone hero.

The last game in this series came out in 2011 and hasn’t been re-released since. It would be fantastic to see it return, not just to offer more variety in the world of military shooters, but also to give players more options for tactical gameplay alongside the many fast-paced, action-focused shooters available today. The original SOCOM games were particularly good – they were difficult, which could be off-putting, but mastering them was incredibly satisfying. A new SOCOM game, built for modern hardware, could deliver even more complex tactics and immersive environments, making for a really compelling experience.

Splinter Cell

The Gaping Hole In Ubisoft’s Modern Catalog

Games in the Series: Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Essentials, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Double Agent, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist

Ubisoft has consistently supported its popular game franchises, even when some entries haven’t performed well. Games like Far Cry, Ghost Recon (with a new installment potentially coming in 2026), Rainbow Six, and especially Assassin’s Creed remain strong. But one series is noticeably missing: Splinter Cell. Its absence is a puzzling trend in the gaming world, though Ubisoft claims a remake is still in the works, despite recent company cutbacks.

This stealth series was a highlight of the 2000s, delivering some truly exceptional games. The first game was groundbreaking, successfully combining the excitement of spy movies with classic stealth gameplay, and it looked fantastic thanks to its advanced lighting. The sequels, Pandora Tomorrow and especially Chaos Theory, built on that success. While later games weren’t quite as strong, they weren’t failures either. A particularly unpopular change was recasting the voice of the main character, but even Conviction and Blacklist, which leaned more into action, are still enjoyable. It’s baffling that we haven’t seen a new game in this series for over a decade, and fans are hoping that will change soon.

Deux Ex

A Perpetually Underrated Sci-Fi Immersive Sim Series

Games in the Series: Deus Ex, Deus Ex: Invisible War, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

While often praised as a groundbreaking series, Deus Ex hasn’t achieved widespread mainstream popularity. The first game gained a dedicated following but remained relatively unknown to many players. Recently, a remastered version brought it back into the spotlight – it hadn’t received much attention for years. The 2003 sequel, Invisible War, had its issues, but still offered diverse gameplay and impressive voice acting for its time. After that, the series went on a long hiatus, lasting almost ten years.

The Deus Ex series made a strong comeback in 2011 with Human Revolution. This game completely refreshed the gameplay while still offering the immersive, player-choice experience the series is known for. You could customize your character to focus on stealth or combat, using a variety of unique and futuristic gadgets. It was a big hit with both players and critics. The sequel, Mankind Divided, continued this excellent gameplay, but didn’t sell as well. While it still made a profit for Square Enix, the publisher surprisingly decided the Deus Ex series wasn’t a dependable franchise. That was a decade ago, and we haven’t seen a new Deus Ex game since. Like the Splinter Cell series, it’s puzzling why we aren’t getting more of these games, but that’s where things currently stand.

Jak And Daxter

The 3D Platformer Series That Helped Define The PS2 Era

Games in the Series: Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Jak 2, Jak 3, Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier

During the peak of 3D platformer games, Nintendo’s Mario was the clear leader, though many other games like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Banjo-Kazooie tried to compete. The Jak and Daxter series arrived later in 2001, with its final game released in 2009. It arguably appeared a bit late in the platformer era, which might explain why the series shifted towards more third-person shooting action in its later games – a change that ultimately improved them.

Jak and Daxter is a truly exceptional series from the 2000s, often considered alongside Ratchet & Clank and frequently matching its quality. However, unlike Ratchet & Clank, Jak and Daxter hasn’t seen the same continued success. It absolutely deserves a revival. Just as Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart brilliantly showcased the power of current gaming technology with stunning visuals, a new Jak and Daxter game could do the same. Even a remake would be fantastic. The biggest question is whether Naughty Dog, the original developer, would ever revisit this beloved series.

Twisted Metal

If It Can Be A Successful TV Series, Surely It Can Be A Successful Game

Games in the Series: Twisted Metal, Twisted Metal 2, Twisted Metal 3, Twisted Metal 4, Twisted Metal: Black, Twisted Metal: Small Brawl, Twisted Metal: Black Online, Twisted Metal: Head-On,

It’s surprising we don’t see more demolition derby games like Twisted Metal. While Wreckfest exists, it’s missing the over-the-top characters, crazy vehicle designs, and unique powers that made Twisted Metal so special. That game didn’t try to be realistic—it was wonderfully chaotic and encouraged players to embrace the madness. There’s really nothing quite like it available now, and it would be a fantastic addition to modern gaming systems.

It’s strange that we haven’t seen a new Twisted Metal game, especially since the live-action series on Peacock is surprisingly well-made. Usually, a show this good would lead to a new game release. But the gaming franchise has remained inactive, despite a clear audience eager for it. A fresh, over-the-top vehicular combat game featuring characters like Mr. Grimm and Sweet Tooth would be a fantastic addition to today’s game lineup.

Dino Crisis

How Could Anyone Think That A Horror Game With Dinosaurs Is A Bad Idea?

Games in the Series: Dino Crisis, Dino Crisis 2, Dino Stalker, Dino Crisis 3

Given the recent wave of remakes for classic horror games, it’s surprising we haven’t seen a new Dino Crisis game since 2003. While not as widely popular as Resident Evil, Dino Crisis had a dedicated fanbase and offered unique features – like quicker, more dynamic combat and intelligent enemies – that could really make it stand out in today’s gaming landscape.

Honestly, good dinosaur games, especially big-budget ones, are so rare! But a horror game with dinosaurs? That’s a recipe for attention, in my opinion. I loved the original Dino Crisis games, and it’s frustrating to see a series with so much potential seemingly abandoned after just one disappointing entry. Luckily, people still talk about Dino Crisis – it hasn’t faded completely like another favorite of mine, Parasite Eve. It’s clear gamers still want to see a return to that world, and I really hope we get one someday.

2026-03-23 10:39