Video Game Sequels That Came Out Too Soon And Killed A Franchise’s Momentum

Summary

Rushed game development can result in disappointing sequels, like Devil May Cry 2 and Dragon Age 2.
Changing the core elements of a successful video game can lead to controversial franchise killers, as seen with Dead Space 3.
Releasing sequels too soon after a successful predecessor, like Battlefield 5 and Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, can ruin a franchise’s momentum.

Sequels to video games can bring either prosperity or challenge for the game series. When executed well, these continuations have the power to raise a brand’s status within the industry and solidify it as an enduring presence. However, if issues arise during development, these sequels could tarnish their reputation permanently, potentially even halting the momentum of the franchise.

This peculiar and recurring occurrence is often seen not only based on the actual quality of a sequel, but also due to its premature release, which can abruptly halt its progression earlier than anticipated, extinguishing the enthusiasm among fans in the process. This issue has been prevalent in the video game industry multiple times, and here are some notable instances where this happened:

1. Devil May Cry 2

Came Out Less Than Two Years After Devil May Cry

In the year 2001, the game Devil May Cry made an indelible mark on the gaming world by establishing the foundation for what is now known as the character action genre with its sleek blend of action and adventure. However, it’s been said that Capcom hastily developed its follow-up and gave the go-ahead for production mere months after the initial game’s launch, without the input of director Hideki Kamiya or his team, Team Little Devils.

The turbulent creation phase led to the production of Devil May Cry 2, a sequel that fell short of expectations and was released just under two years after the first game. A shift in development team was noticeable, as the combat became less engaging, challenges were absent, the narrative lacked focus, and Dante, the main character, seemed devoid of any personality. It’s no secret that Devil May Cry 2 received a lot of criticism, almost causing the demise of the Devil May Cry series. Fortunately, Hideaki Itsuno, who aimed to correct this error, swiftly started working on the third installment, Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening.

2. Dragon Age 2

Came Out Less Than Two Years After Dragon Age: Origins

In 2009, Dragon Age: Origins emerged as one of the finest Western role-playing games ever created, solidifying BioWare’s reputation as a game development powerhouse. Although this studio had been producing excellent games since the 90s, it was with

It seems Electronic Arts reportedly approved the sequel to Dragon Age even as BioWare was still developing the Awakening expansion for Origins, and added insult to injury by giving them just fourteen to sixteen months to complete it. Consequently, the hastily produced Dragon Age 2 received much criticism due to its limited scale, monotonous gameplay, and dull combat sequences. Fortunately, the series was revived with the release of Dragon Age: Inquisition in 2014, a game that is often hailed as one of the best of that year.

3. Dead Space 3

Came Out Two Years After Dead Space 2

Dead Space” stood out as one of the top-notch survival horror series during the seventh generation of gaming consoles. It essentially combined the third-person gameplay of “Resident Evil 4” with a hauntingly realistic science-fiction backdrop, similar to the “Alien” movie series. The debut game was a pleasant surprise, and the sequel, “Dead Space 2“, released two years later, continued this excellence by refining nearly every aspect of the original game.

Despite the initial excitement generated by the launch of Dead Space 2, its successor, Dead Space 3, unfortunately squandered that energy with a significant blunder: genre change. Instead of sticking to the roots of being a chilling survival horror game, Electronic Arts requested Visceral Games to turn it into a more co-op action-adventure title. This abrupt genre shift and style change proved detrimental to the franchise’s image, as many fans found it disappointing. Despite the strong core mechanics and enjoyable gameplay of Dead Space 3, this misstep led to its critical and commercial failure, ultimately resulting in the closure of Visceral Games and a decade-long hiatus for this intellectual property.

4. Battlefield 5

Came Out Two Years After Battlefield 1

It’s undeniable that Battlefield 1 stands out as a remarkable addition to the Battlefield series, earning praise for its innovative single-player storyline set in World War I and multiplayer mode that rivaled Activision’s Call of Duty franchise. After experiencing initial success, Electronic Arts and DICE continued to enhance the game by providing regular updates and DLC expansions throughout the following year.

In a remarkable turn of events, Battlefield 1 breathed new life into its series. However, this surge of excitement was abruptly halted when its immediate successor, Battlefield 5, arrived two years later. Many fans found it superfluous and criticized its World War 2 theme as stale and uninspired, not to mention the numerous technical flaws that plagued its initial release. Although EA and DICE eventually rectified some of these issues, the harm had already been inflicted, and the Battlefield series failed to regain the prestige it held when Battlefield 1 was initially launched.

5. Sonic Forces

Came Out Four Months After Sonic Mania

As a dedicated fan, I must admit that the Sonic the Hedgehog series, renowned for its iconic status and significant impact on the gaming world, experienced a rollercoaster ride of successes and missteps particularly during the mid-2010s. However, in honor of the franchise’s 25th anniversary, Sega took a bold step forward by releasing two fresh Sonic games in 2017. The first of these was Sonic Mania, a nostalgic tribute to the classic Sega Genesis era, offering lightning-fast gameplay, meticulously designed levels, stunning pixel art, and one of the most infectious soundtracks across the entire main series.

The game Sonic Mania garnered both critical acclaim and commercial success, significantly enhancing the reputation of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, even persuading those who hadn’t played a Sonic game since the 90s to give it a try. However, this positive momentum was abruptly halted by the subsequent 25th anniversary game, Sonic Forces (which, technically, is a sequel due to its interconnected plotlines). Regrettably, Sonic Forces has been notoriously criticized as one of the worst 3D Sonic games ever created. It was heavily criticized for its nonsensical storyline, rigid level design, brief playtime, and repetitive gameplay. Unfortunately, this less-than-stellar experience led many to incorrectly conclude that modern Sonic games could never be enjoyable again.

6. Resident Evil 3 Remake

Came Out A Year After Resident Evil 2 Remake

The re-imagined version of Resident Evil 2 is one of the finest video game remakes ever produced, skillfully adapting the 1998 survival horror original for contemporary hardware while significantly enriching its narrative and gameplay mechanics. The high caliber of

While the Resident Evil 3 Remake wasn’t inherently a poor game, many fans felt let down by its release. Criticisms included its brief length, excessive use of cheap scares, mismanagement of the Nemesis character, and removal of certain locations. The underwhelming response to the Resident Evil 3 Remake left fans of the series concerned about future titles, particularly if Capcom were to remake the acclaimed Resident Evil 4. Fortunately, Resident Evil 4 Remake was eventually launched in 2023, and it was exceptional, even surpassing the quality of Resident Evil 2 Remake for some.

7. Pokemon Scarlet And Violet

Came Out Ten Months After Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Following an initially divisive launch, the Eighth Generation of Pokemon, along with the franchise as a whole, experienced a remarkable resurgence upon the debut of Pokemon Legends: Arceus in January 2022.

It’s worth noting that when the next major installment in the series (Legends: Arceus) was announced to be released in November of the same year in February, people began to suspect something wasn’t quite right. This hasty decision led to Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet, a game that embraced the open-world concept but unfortunately suffered from numerous bugs, glitches, and technical issues upon release. It seems clear that The Pokemon Company and/or Nintendo pushed Game Freak to speed up development of the first games for the Ninth Generation, resulting in a final product that didn’t live up to its potential. Essentially, opinions about the Pokemon series were overwhelmingly positive in January 2022, but by November of the same year, criticism had become prevalent.

8. Splitgate 2

Came Out Three Years After Splitgate

The reason for the triumph of Splitgate can be easily understood: it was a free-to-play multiplayer first-person shooter (FPS) featuring a distinctive aesthetic and an engaging combat system. For numerous players, this game stepped into the shoes left by the temporary halt of the Halo franchise, and to sweeten the deal, the developers at 1047 Games consistently updated it. It’s worth noting that multiplayer games like Splitgate are intended for long-term support, so if things continue to run smoothly, there might not be a need for the developers to create a complete sequel.

It appears that 1047 Games may have misjudged the public’s sentiment when they released Splitgate 2 in June 2025. The game was met with widespread criticism from its large player base, not just due to its controversial initial announcement at the Xbox Games Showcase 2025, but also because of the final product’s generic feel, watered-down gameplay, lack of content, and inclusion of a battle royale mode that many fans found unappealing. The disappointing reception has forced 1047 Games to halt the release of Splitgate 2 and return it to its Beta phase, allowing the developers to address these concerns in hopes of re-releasing the game in 2026.

2025-07-28 23:23