Many successful video games exist, but the most disappointing and unsuccessful games often stand out the most. The most disappointing games of all time remain infamous for not great reasons, such as surprising reception, terrible sales, horrible or lackluster execution, lack of an online community, or even unlucky events.
The most disappointing video games of all time, in no particular order, show the industry how to avoid problematic circumstances and exclude games like No Man’s Sky and Cyberpunk 2077 that turned their poor results into a promising second chance. It teaches both consumers and developers alike how to avoid an unnecessary and unwelcome experience all around.
1. Fallout 76
Bethesda followed up after the already pretty lackluster Fallout 4 with an online multiplayer-centric experience akin to a light MMO games-as-a-service like Destiny 2 (more on this game in a bit).
It had many bugs, pricy microtransactions, and online issues, dampening the mood around the game at launch. Bethesda fixed many of these problems over time, but the pretty outdated gameplay and online mechanics still hold it back today.
2. Resident Evil 6
The shift towards action in this survival horror series bothers some players, and the sixth-numbered game has the worst problem with this. However, its emphasis on action over scares feels minuscule compared to the overall lack of identity this game has. The numerous protagonists and changing gameplay make it feel so disjointed and messy compared to every other game in the Capcom series.
3. Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)
The 2006 reboot of Sega’s mascot platforming series stands out as one of the worst games in the franchise, if not the actual worst. The 3D platforming and levels feel wonky and unnatural compared to past games. In addition, its bonkers storyline with time travel and weird villains makes little sense.
4. Anthem
This online service game has some decent outlooks to it with exceptional movement akin to Iron Man as players navigate vast environments. Unfortunately, the movement doesn’t make up for the lack of quality content for players to enjoy. EA shut it down soon after release due to the poor reception, marking another stain on BioWare’s recent legacy.
5. The Order: 1886
This third-person shooter had some of the best graphics at the time on the PS4 but little else. The gameplay feels mediocre and uninteresting, while the historical setting lacks the detail needed to work. But its biggest problem comes from the awful length, which ends far too fast.
6. Mighty No. 9
The creator of Mega Man opened a Kickstarter campaign to fund the series’ successor. Or, so it seemed, at least. The actual end result doesn’t come close to Keiji Inafune’s previous work. It feels forgettable in every way, from the gameplay to the level design to the art style.
7. E.T. the Extraterrestrial
This weird 1982 video game adaptation of the Steven Spielberg classic film feels horrible to look at and play. Many people often cite it as the worst video game of all time and for a good reason. Low sales resulted in landfills full of unpurchased copies and contributed to the video game market crash of 1983. Today, it still has a reputation as one of the most disappointing video games ever.
8. Bomberman: Act Zero
Konami took a weird turn with this Bomberman game, creating a grim and mature take with a post-apocalyptic story. Not many fans wanted this abrupt change, and its actual gameplay didn’t make up for the sudden tonal shift.
9. Postal 3
The developers behind the cult classic Postal 2 didn’t return for the third game in the series. A general lack of budget resulted in a scaleback from the previous title with linear levels and no open world. The buggy and unenjoyable gameplay ruined made it one of the most disappointing video games ever.
10. SimCity (2013)
SimCity 5 suffered from immense online issues at launch and the lack of an offline mode, much like several games here. However, the game’s eventual fixes didn’t address the mediocre gameplay and overall lack of polish. Better alternatives came out in the years after its release, like Cities: Skylines.
11. The Legend of Zelda Philips CD-i Games
Nintendo made the odd decision to give the Philips CD-i console some Legend of Zelda games. All three titles in the series for the system pale in comparison to the core games, with disturbing cutscenes, poor presentation, and middling gameplay.
12. Aliens: Colonial Marines
This first-person sci-fi shooter set in the Aliens franchise had too many bugs, AI issues, and poor multiplayer at launch. This resulted in a class action lawsuit, which resulted in Sega settling for $1.25 million. The game has a below-average experience, even with fixes years later, keeping it mired among disappointing video games.
13. Assassin’s Creed Unity
This entry in the Assassin’s Creed franchise changed the course of the series forever. Its terrifying, game-breaking bugs and online problems hindered its success. Players have the ability to play it today, but even the fixed version feels mediocre outside of online co-op.
14. Superman 64
This Nintendo 64 entry based on Superman may have played a role in the severe lack of quality Man of Steel video games. Its flying feels clunky while the locations remain empty and devoid of content. Developer Titus only included about 10% of what it wanted to have in the game, which resulted in the infamous experience.
15. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5
This fifth mainline game in the series feels more like a cash grab than a revival of the long-dormant skateboarding series. It somehow feels worse than every other game in the series, with awful physics, controls, disappointing content, and bugs.
16. Warcraft III: Reforged
This remaster of the beloved third game in the real-time strategy series from Blizzard only had to update the graphics for an HD market. Unfortunately, the graphical updates felt messy and incomplete, while the game even lacked content from the original release. It remains the otherwise excellent Blizzard’s most disappointing release.
17. Balan Wonderworld
The co-creators of Sonic came together for a new type of platforming title, which interested many with its colorful art and musical implementations. However, the final product in 2021 had PS2-era graphics, confusing controls, and uninteresting levels.
18. eFootball 2022
Konami’s switch from the often great Pro Evolution Soccer games to the free-to-play eFootball didn’t work out well. Its graphics and soccer player models looked worse than the previous games, while the awkward controls helped it become one of the lowest-rated games of 2021. Years later, improvements have not fixed its problems.
19. Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition
This compilation of three of the best open-world games of all time did the Rockstar series no justice. Many players disliked the art style shift, while the actual games didn’t perform well on modern systems. Worse still, the later mobile iterations looked better than the console and PC counterparts.
20. Battlefield 2042
The usual online problems at launch dampened the mood surrounding this latest entry in the DICE and EA series, but its worst problems came from the lack of a single-player campaign and rampant gameplay bugs. Fixes came over time, but the lackluster presentation still remains.
21. Babylon’s Fall
This online action RPG from PlatinumGames didn’t carry the developer’s usual signature touch. Its gameplay felt unimpressive, while the graphics looked like a pretty old game. Its low player count resulted in a shutdown less than a year after its release.
22. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum
Players will find one of the worst gameplay and technical experiences in modern gaming with this title if they get past the rampant crashes to even complete it. The idea of a prequel story for Gollum with player choices sounded fascinating, but the overall execution marred its potential.
23. Destiny 2
Destiny 2 has a rare situation where it started out pretty solid and worsened over time. The base game experience felt great with its content and locations, but trouble with microtransactions, the removal of early expansions, and unnecessary layoffs of key community workers resulted in a game somehow worse off than at launch.
24. The Day Before
Many players looked forward to this open-world zombie MMO-like survival experience akin to DayZ and other past titles. However, the actual game that came out lacked most of the promised features and didn’t even fit into the MMO category. This resulted in the developer shutting down, followed by mass refunds and the game’s quick conclusion.
