15 Critically Acclaimed Games That Were Commercial Flops

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It’s no wonder that some video games fail now and then, given the fast-paced and ever-evolving nature of this industry. Ultimately, with billions of dollars at stake, sales significantly impact a game’s success and whether it will lead to further installments or continuation of a series.

It’s not necessarily the case that a game’s profit margin determines its quality. There are instances where highly-rated games, despite being praised by critics, may have fallen short in terms of commercial success due to multiple factors.

Regardless if it’s due to poor timing, ineffective promotion, or insufficient appeal, a highly cherished game can still fail to succeed even when every effort is made to ensure it provides a delightful experience.

We’ll examine games that left a strong impact on both players and reviewers, however, unfortunately, they didn’t sell well enough to achieve the commercial success they potentially deserved.

15.
Sunset Overdrive

Like A Mid-2000s Cartoon

Boasting an impressive portfolio that includes popular series such as Spyro, Ratchet & Clank, and more recently Marvel’s Spider-Man, Insomniac Games occasionally falls short in their creations. Regrettably, Sunset Overdrive is among those less successful titles, despite its visually captivating elements.

Sunset Overdrive, a vibrant, action-packed, third-person shooter, is exclusively available for Microsoft and Xbox platforms. Its unique selling point lies in its smooth gameplay and eye-catching, creatively colored visual design, with an emphasis on exciting movement mechanics such as rail grinding to ensure fast-paced action.

The Third.

Despite Sunset Overdrive achieving significant sales with a total of 49.7 million, the game’s development cost was an impressive 42.6 million. Consequently, Insomniac Games only made a modest profit of $567 after subtracting their expenses. Given these financial results, it proved challenging for them to justify expanding Sunset Overdrive into its own franchise due to the low returns.

14.
Gravity Rush 2

Can You Handle The Gs?

Among the standout exclusive titles for the PS4, we find “Gravity Rash 2”, which is the follow-up to a widely appreciated PS Vita game. This game offers a truly exceptional feature where players can control and alter their own gravitational force.

In a realm where cities float serenely overhead, you assume the role of Kat, a character with an extraordinary ability: she can manipulate her own gravitational pull rather than fly. This skill allows her to navigate the environment and amplify her offensive capabilities against adversaries.

Although Gravity Rush 2 was praised as a decent game and earned numerous awards, its sales were relatively low. By February 2017, it had sold approximately 100,000 units in Japan alone. The game also received little attention outside of Japan, attracting only a small but dedicated fanbase from the Western region.

We’re probably not getting a third game anytime soon, or ever.

13.
Sleeping Dogs

14 Is An Unlucky Number

Sleeping Dogs, an open-world game with a massive fanbase, is often overlooked and underappreciated. This game didn’t receive the recognition it truly deserved. A sequel or even a remaster would be fantastic, allowing us to explore Hong Kong in next-gen graphics like what PS5 offers.

As a gamer, I’ve got to say, this game nailed it for me. It delivered an engaging combat system, kept me hooked with its thrilling gameplay dynamics, and managed to authentically portray Hong Kong in a way that felt straight out of a John Woo movie – all elements that resonated deeply with me as a fan of the genre.

Despite Sleeping Dogs selling over 1.5 million units upon release and being the best-selling game of its week, there has yet to be any official announcement about a sequel. However, many fans, including myself, continue to hold out hope that one may eventually be produced. Since United Front Games closed in 2016, Sleeping Dogs is now owned by Square Enix, so it remains to be seen if they will develop a follow-up.

If the game “Sleeping Dogs” was so popular, one might wonder what went wrong. It turns out that since Square Enix held the publishing rights for the game, they had ultimate control over its success. Despite receiving critical praise, the game did not sell as well as expected and was ultimately deemed a failure.

Let’s hope that Simu Liu’s film adaptation project revitalizes this game’s popularity.

12.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns

Turn-Based Supernatural Heroes

One might assume that a comic book video game, particularly ones like Insomniac’s successful Spider-Man series, would garner much interest. However, it seems that Marvel’s superheroes aren’t necessarily the financial geese everyone imagines them to be.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns is a role-playing game with tactical combat that uses cards, similar to XCOM, since both games were created by Firaxis. It stands out with its focus on Marvel characters who possess supernatural abilities such as Blade and Ghost Rider, in addition to less mainstream heroes like Magik and Nico Minoru.

The product was a triumph in terms of quality but failed commercially due to an imperfect release timing that coincided with many popular titles such as Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West, and God of War Ragnarok. In the face of these heavyweight competitors, unfortunately, Midnight Suns struggled to make its mark.

11.
Guardians Of The Galaxy

It’s So Flarking Good

The Square Enix-developed Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy game didn’t achieve the success it deserved, despite the fact that the cinematic universe versions of these superheroes have gained significant popularity since James Gunn’s movies. Before the MCU, Guardians of the Galaxy were relatively unknown to mainstream audiences, but they soon became as well-known and beloved as the Avengers in space.

As a gaming enthusiast, there’s nothing quite like jumping into an action-packed adventure where I team up with my pals, just like the Guardians we all know and love from the movies directed by James Gunn. That’s why I can’t wait to suit up as Star-Lord and embark on thrilling journeys alongside this cherished cast of characters!

The game titled “Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy” is the second collaboration between Marvel Entertainment and Square Enix, following the less successful launch of Marvel’s Avengers. Despite being one of the top-selling games of the year for Guardians of the Galaxy, it unfortunately fell short in meeting Square Enix’s exceptionally high standards.

10.
Spec Ops: The Line

“You Are Still A Good Person.”

Any seasoned gamer is well-acquainted with the critically acclaimed game, “Spec Oops: The Line“, famous for its jarring White Phosphorus sequence, and boasting a deeply subversive storyline and aesthetic.

Spec Ops: The Line garnered widespread acclaim for its thoughtful exploration of violence’s impact, creating a grim depiction of warfare that feels strikingly authentic. Additionally, the game presents deep narrative layers which effectively convey its anti-war and non-violence messages, even during loading screens that challenge your perception of reality.

In contrast to many other shooting games, Spec Oops: The Line refrains from glamorizing violence. Instead of providing enjoyable mechanics to encourage shooting, it immerses players in the fear and despair that character, Walker, and his team experienced.

Despite earning positive reviews, Spec Ops: The Line didn’t sell as much as expected by publisher Take-Two Interactive. Many people who didn’t play the game only knew it for its shocking white phosphorus scene and the narrative twist it provided.

9.
Immortals Of Aveum

I Cast: Unfortunate Timing!

In a market where rehashes of old ideas, such as remakes, sequels, and remasters, tend to dominate, it’s rare to find fresh intellectual properties, especially original first-person shooter games. Immortals of Aveum, however, is an overlooked creative treasure that skillfully combines magic and first-person shooting gameplay elements, offering a wide range of spells and talent tree mechanics.

Ascendant Studio debuted with the game titled “Immortals of Aveum,” but unfortunately, it was their only release as the game underperformed financially. This led to the difficult decision of letting go nearly half of its employees towards the end of 2023, and placing the remaining staff on temporary leave in 2024.

The fate of the game “Immortals of Aveum,” launched in 2023 and pushed back to August of that year, was remarkably similar to that of “Midnight Suns.” Both titles faced stiff competition from highly anticipated games such as “Armored Core 6” and “Starfield.

In the financial aspect, the final duo fared remarkably well, and they were let go by both FromSoftware and Bethesda, two studios that boast a higher level of recognition compared to Ascendant Studios.

2023 was an outstanding year for video games, brimming with exceptional titles, but unfortunately, the unique and fresh IP known as Immortals of Aveum didn’t receive the attention it deserved. The high price point of $70 may have deterred potential players from adding it to their collection. (First-person perspective: As a gaming enthusiast, I was really looking forward to trying out Immortals of Aveum in 2023, but its uncommon IP and steep $70 price tag seemed to prevent many others from giving it a chance.)

8.
Beyond Good And Evil

Forever In Limbo

Instead of getting mixed up with Friedrich Nietzsche’s work titled “Beyond Good and Evil,” it is essential to note that “Beyond Good and Evil” also refers to a 2003 action-adventure game, which holds a special place in the hearts of many retro gamers. This game frequently sparks nostalgia, reminding us of a time when Ubisoft enjoyed widespread appreciation from the gaming community.

Many people enjoyed playing Beyond Good and Evil and commended it for its originality and gameplay. However, when it was first released in 2003 during the holiday season, it didn’t sell particularly well. In fact, retailers reduced the price by as much as 80% soon after its launch, but this didn’t significantly improve sales figures.

In 2003, much like today, people generally preferred playing established games with advanced technology, rather than taking a chance on something new. The reason for the game’s commercial underperformance was partially due to insufficient marketing efforts. However, despite its initial lack of success, the game gained such an enthusiastic fanbase that it received a high-definition remaster and a prequel, and currently, a Netflix adaptation is being developed.

It’s quite unexpected, given that Ubisoft has released a 20th anniversary edition of the game and hinted at a possible sequel or remake, but so far, there’s no definite evidence suggesting it will be launched any time in the near future.

7.
Psychonauts

Insane In The Membrane

Psychonauts has consistently been cherished as a game and significantly shaped many childhood experiences, with its eccentric and peculiar character lineup setting it apart from the high-action releases of the same period. Additionally, it marked Double Fine’s first foray into the gaming world.

Despite winning the E3 2005 Game Critics Awards for “Best Original Game” and “Best Screenplay,” and being recognized in the British Academy Video Games Awards in 2006, the game Psychonauts unfortunately faced commercial failure. This resulted in Majesco projecting a net loss of $18 million, leading to the CEO’s immediate resignation shortly thereafter.

Regardless of the devoted fanbase that Psychonauts amassed, its sales performance was indisputably dismal. By the close of 2005, it had sold only 100,000 physical copies in North America.

Due to the emergence of platforms such as Steam, digital storefronts provided a fertile ground for growth. By December 2015, the game sold nearly 2 million copies, significantly boosting Double Fine’s income from Psychonauts, surpassing any previous earnings they had made on

16 years following the debut of the initial game, the much-anticipated sequel, Psychonauts 2, was finally unveiled. Thankfully, it lived up to expectations as a worthy successor, continuing the imaginative essence of the original title.

6.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines

Bloodsuckingly Underrated

The Masquerade – Bloodlines” is an action role-playing game modeled after the tabletop RPG, where you assume the role of a newly-turned vampire navigating the streets of modern Los Angeles in the 21st century. This game is often praised for its immersive sim design, much like that seen in Grand Theft Auto.

Sadly, the game Bloodlines faced numerous challenges during its creation. Initially, the developer Troika Games was a modest team, and they had limited resources compared to the ambitious vision they held for the game’s scale.

Apart from this, it’s worth noting that the team lacked a producer until Activision assigned one. Under pressure with a tight deadline, Troika ended up releasing the game prematurely in November of 2004, leaving it unfinished.

The developer faced even more challenges as Bloodlines was going up against heavyweight titles that would eventually become gaming legends, such as Half-Life 2, Metal Gear Solid 3, and Halo 2. As a result of the stiff competition, Bloodlines could only sell 72,000 copies initially and generated approximately $3.4 million in revenue at launch.

Although Bloodlines enjoyed significant critical acclaim, it struggled financially and played a role in Troika Games’ closure in 2005. This predicament led to ongoing staff reductions at the company, as they were gradually let go to focus on updates.

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2025-04-30 20:41