Multiplayer Games That Became Popular Years After Launch

Most multiplayer games don’t become instant successes. While games like Overwatch and ARC Raiders quickly gain popularity, many others have the potential to do well but are hindered by solvable problems that simply take time to fix.

The following games followed a similar pattern. They didn’t initially succeed when they were first released, but players eventually discovered them, and they grew into incredibly popular titles over time. Remarkably, many are still played today – some have even become among the most popular games worldwide, despite early signs suggesting they wouldn’t last.

Among Us

A Streaming Success

When Among Us first came out in 2018, almost no one noticed it. The game, which involves figuring out who’s lying, didn’t get much attention, and the developers at Innersloth admitted they weren’t very good at promoting it. For a long time, only around 30 to 50 people were playing on Steam at the same time – not thousands, but a tiny group of 50 or less.

Two key events dramatically changed the success of Among Us. First, the COVID-19 pandemic led people to seek new ways to connect with others while staying home. Second, the game gained popularity on Twitch, starting with streamer Sodapoppin and later boosted by major personalities like Pokimane, MrBeast, Ninja, Shroud, and PewDiePie. After that, the game exploded in popularity, with player numbers and sales soaring. Today, Among Us has sold over 30 million copies on Steam.

Star Wars Battlefront 2

Survived Massive Backlash

The story of Star Wars Battlefront 2‘s launch is now widely known. The game was filled with so many small purchases that it quickly became the prime example of EA prioritizing profit over player experience. It was particularly criticized for having loot boxes inside other loot boxes, and these contained powerful items and characters that gave players who spent money a significant advantage.

Look, Battlefront 2 had a rough start, but DICE really turned things around. They ditched almost all the stuff you could spend extra money on – just kept a few small cosmetic things – and then just kept adding tons of free content. Seriously, it brought so many new players in! The launch left a bad taste in a lot of people’s mouths, but if you play it now, after all the changes, a lot of us think it’s one of the best multiplayer shooters out there. I’m honestly having a blast with it now!

The Elder Scrolls Online

Major Changes A Year After Release Got The Ball Rolling

When The Elder Scrolls Online launched in early 2014, it required players to pay a monthly subscription fee, similar to World of Warcraft. While a subscription wasn’t the main problem, the game didn’t offer much that was new or exciting. Many players found it felt like Skyrim with other people interfering, and it wasn’t well-received because of this.

After a rocky start, The Elder Scrolls Online found its footing. A year after launching, the game switched to a system where players bought the game once and could then make optional purchases, and began releasing smaller content updates throughout the year instead of large annual expansions. This change, along with the rebranding to The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited, greatly improved how players felt about the game. The 2017 expansion Morrowind was a huge hit, bringing in fans of the Elder Scrolls series and significantly boosting the game’s popularity and income, ultimately making it a success. By 2024, The Elder Scrolls Online had generated $2 billion in revenue.

Fallout 76

A Perfect Example Of How To Receive Feedback

Even though The Elder Scrolls Online is published by Bethesda, it was created by ZeniMax. Fallout 76, on the other hand, marked Bethesda’s first attempt at a multiplayer game, but it had a rocky start after launching in 2018. The game suffered from technical problems, and players criticized its lack of direction, strange design choices, and the empty world with almost no characters. While Fallout 76 sold 1.4 million copies initially, many players were unhappy with the game. Things were made even worse when a glitch allowed players to duplicate in-game items, which they then sold for real money on external markets.

Things began to improve for Fallout 76 in 2020 with the release of the Wastelanders update. Players had been asking for more engaging characters, and this update delivered by adding NPCs to the game world. While the response wasn’t overwhelmingly positive, it proved Bethesda was moving in a good direction. Subsequent updates continued to add new content and fix existing problems, which led to a gradual increase in the number of players.

Final Fantasy 14

The Most Successful Re-Release Of All Time

The first version of Final Fantasy 14, launched in 2010, wasn’t successful. In fact, it was a major disappointment for the series, receiving harsh criticism for its technical problems, simple gameplay, and lack of engaging progression. It performed so poorly that the game was ultimately shut down in 2012.

Just under a year later, Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn launched, completely overhauling the original game with a redesigned interface, improved combat, and a new progression system. While FF14 still uses many familiar elements from traditional MMOs, it does so exceptionally well. The relaunch was incredibly successful, and in 2014, Square Enix credited Final Fantasy 14 with bringing the company back to profitability after a difficult 2013. It’s a remarkable turnaround story, and though it’s debatable whether the initial release and A Realm Reborn are essentially different games, the relaunch clearly became much more popular than the first attempt.

Warframe

A Self-Described Rogue Success

Warframe has changed dramatically since its original release – it’s almost like playing a completely different game now. While you still control a space ninja called a Tenno, using swords and guns to fight enemies, the current version is far more expansive and polished than the 2013 release, which felt more like a basic demonstration of the core idea. This likely contributed to the initial lack of widespread enthusiasm. While not a bad game, early reviews were lukewarm, player numbers were low, and the gameplay didn’t hold people’s attention for very long, especially when compared to games like Destiny.

Digital Extremes, the game’s developer, knew they had a dedicated core of players who frequently shared suggestions for improvement. This encouragement was enough to keep them going, and they began releasing updates regularly. Each update added new features like gameplay mechanics, playable characters (Warframes), weapons, and enemies. Though growth was steady rather than explosive, Warframe had over 50 million registered players by 2019, and that number has likely increased significantly as the game’s popularity continues to rise. What’s truly impressive is how consistently players return, keeping the game thriving long after many other free-to-play games have lost momentum.

2026-01-29 02:39