Posted by Most hated video games of all time
Video games have come a long way since their inception, evolving into a diverse medium that can elicit a wide range of emotions, from joy and excitement to despair and frustration. While many games have been celebrated for their innovative gameplay, stunning graphics, and captivating narratives, there exists another category of games that have left players seething with anger and disappointment. In the world of gaming, these titles are often referred to as the “Most Hated Video Games.”
These games have earned their infamous status for various reasons, whether it be due to game-breaking glitches, poorly executed mechanics, underwhelming storylines, or simply because they didn’t live up to the enormous hype that preceded their release. Gamers are a passionate community, and when a game falls short of their expectations, the backlash can be intense.
In this blog post, we’ll take a deep dive into the world of gaming’s most notorious failures. We’ll explore what makes a game so universally loathed, how developers respond to the backlash, and what lessons both players and game makers can take away from these infamous titles. we’ll navigate the treacherous waters of video game infamy to uncover what went wrong and why these games became some of the most hated in the industry.
So, get ready for a rollercoaster ride through the annals of gaming history as we delve into the most reviled video games that have left players gritting their teeth in frustration and disappointment. It’s time to explore the dark side of the gaming world and find out what it takes for a video game to earn a spot on the list of the “Most Hated Video Games.”
Top 10 Most hated video games of all time
10. “Call of Duty” Series (2004-)
The “Call of Duty” franchise has been a gaming giant for nearly two decades, and its colossal success is undeniable. However, it’s also been a prime target for critics who’ve been singing the same tune since the late 2000s. Why the recurring complaints? Well, every year, like clockwork, a new “Call of Duty” game hits the shelves, and it raises the perennial question: Why invest in a sixty-dollar title when another iteration is on the horizon for the next year, and the one after that, and the one after that?
The formula that catapulted “Call of Duty” to fame back in the golden age of “Modern Warfare” hasn’t seen significant transformation since. While the gameplay mechanics may have been perfected long ago, this lack of innovation has left many gamers feeling that the series has grown stale. Nonetheless, year after year, fans and newcomers alike flock to stores, ensuring each new installment’s commercial success. Take, for instance, “Vanguard,” which might be labeled as the worst-selling entry in the series, but still managed to move millions of copies. So, the age-old question remains: Can the “Call of Duty” juggernaut ever break free from its own cycle of criticism and triumph?
9. “Mighty No. 9” (2016)
When Capcom’s beloved “Mega Man” series went into hibernation for most of the 2010s, fans turned their hopeful gazes toward Keiji Inafune for a spiritual successor. The promise of “Mighty No. 9” shone brightly during its development stages, but as the launch drew near, things took a disheartening turn. Inafune added a layer of controversy by launching a Kickstarter campaign for a new game while “Mighty No. 9” was still grappling with multiple delays.
Yet, that wasn’t the end of it. The game underwent an unfortunate transformation, shifting from beautiful 2D visuals to an unimpressive 3D art style that seemed almost plastic. And then, there were the infamous PR disasters, including the cringe-worthy statement that the game’s design philosophy was to “make the bad guys cry like an anime fan on prom night.” This ill-conceived remark, along with Inafune’s assertion that the game’s subpar quality was “better than nothing,” obliterated a significant amount of the goodwill that had been built up.
When “Mighty No. 9” finally released, it was met with widespread disappointment, marking it as one of the most disheartening gaming letdowns of 2016. The debacle of this once-promising title serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of unmet expectations in the world of video games.
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8. “Battlefield 2042” (2021)
With an agonizingly long gap since the release of “Battlefield V,” the anticipation for “Battlefield 2042” was sky-high. Fans were eagerly awaiting the triumphant return of the series that had long been the only worthy adversary to the “Call of Duty” juggernaut. However, the reality turned out to be a bitter disappointment of epic proportions.
From the moment it hit the market, “Battlefield 2042” was plagued by a host of game-breaking bugs and glitches, sparking widespread outrage among players. Even more baffling, the game was missing fundamental features, including something as basic as a scoreboard. Since its launch, “Battlefield 2042” has repeatedly clashed with the desires of its player base. The frustration reached such a peak that many gamers sought solace in titles from the past, reverting to classics like “Battlefield 1” and “Battlefield V.” This monumental letdown raised serious questions about the future of the franchise and whether it can recover from this disastrous outing.
7. “Halo 5: Guardians” (2015)
While “Halo 5” garnered favorable reviews from the gaming press upon its release, it left a sizable faction of die-hard “Halo” enthusiasts dissatisfied. To many fans, “Halo 5’s” narrative felt convoluted and contributed little of value to the beloved lore of the series. The introduction of sprinting, while a significant gameplay addition, was met with overwhelming backlash for seemingly pushing the game further into “Call of Duty” territory and undermining the distinctive combat style that “Halo” had always been known for.
Perhaps one of the most bizarre aspects was the unexpected return of the Covenant, which had seemingly crumbled in earlier entries. The lack of coherence in the storyline left many bewildered, and it’s no wonder that fans were frustrated with the direction that developer 343 Industries had taken. The disappointment lingered, especially with the absence of meaningful post-launch updates for “Halo Infinite,” leaving fans wondering if the series can ever recapture its former glory.
6. “Mass Effect: Andromeda” (2017)
It wasn’t just the “Halo” series that saw its fanbase express intense disappointment. “Mass Effect: Andromeda” had its fair share of tumultuous criticism, and much of the blame was attributed to the lack of the trademark “BioWare magic.”
Behind the scenes, the game was rushed to completion in a mere eighteen months before its launch, leading to a host of issues. At release, “Andromeda” was riddled with broken animations, a litany of bugs and glitches, and a gameplay formula that seemed to have abandoned the unique elements that had made the earlier “Mass Effect” titles so beloved, including the iconic Paragon/Renegade morality system.
Over time, “Andromeda” received patches and updates that improved its overall playability and aligned it more closely with the developers’ intended vision. However, many players still harbored resentment over the radical changes made in this installment. The saga of “Mass Effect: Andromeda” stands as a stark reminder of the perils of rushing game development, and how fan disappointment can cast a long shadow over even well-established franchises.
5. “Fortnite” (2017)
“Fortnite” is undoubtedly one of the most polarizing games in recent memory. While it enjoys an immense and dedicated player base, it has also amassed a legion of fervent critics within the gaming community. The primary reason behind the disdain often boils down to its sheer popularity. For some hardcore gamers, the overwhelming success of “Fortnite” has altered the gaming landscape, steering it in a direction they find undesirable.
Critics also point to the controversies surrounding its publisher, Epic Games, particularly their ongoing legal battles and their financial ties to the Chinese conglomerate Tencent. In addition to this, some argue that “Fortnite” lacks a distinct identity and relies heavily on licensed content to generate revenue, resulting in a game that feels more like a constantly evolving billboard than a cohesive gaming experience.
Despite the vehement criticisms, it’s a testament to the game’s allure that even its harshest detractors occasionally log in to secure that coveted Goku or Spider-Man skin.
4. “Sonic the Hedgehog” (2006)
In the realm of gaming, there have been a plethora of less-than-stellar Sonic titles, but none have reached the infamous depths of “Sonic ’06.” The negative reputation of this game endures, even in the wake of titles like “Sonic Forces” and “Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric.”
“Sonic ’06” stands as a blight that Sonic fans can’t forget, thanks to a litany of issues. It’s been derided for its buggy mess of a game, poor voice acting, an absurdly convoluted storyline, abysmal controls, seemingly endless and agonizing loading screens, and that one cringe-inducing kiss scene that defied all logic. While a minority of the Sonic fanbase may debate its potential redeeming qualities, there’s no escaping the fact that this game remains a black mark on the beloved blue hedgehog’s legacy.
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3. “Fallout 76” (2018)
The announcement of “Fallout 76,” a multiplayer-focused installment in the iconic “Fallout” franchise, sparked intense debate from the get-go. Fans were curious yet skeptical about how this transition would play out. When the game finally launched, it became apparent that something had gone horribly wrong.
The laundry list of issues was extensive: broken design elements, a frustratingly grind-heavy progression system, and a mind-boggling array of bugs and glitches that left players scratching their heads in disbelief. “Fallout 76” was such a disaster at release that it marred the reputation of Bethesda Game Studios, casting a long shadow over the company. Meanwhile, sister studios under Bethesda Softworks, such as id Software and Arkane, were delivering critically acclaimed hits.
While some players have noted improvements over time, for many, the recent “Pitt” expansion only reaffirmed their skepticism regarding Bethesda Game Studios’ future endeavors.
2. “Aliens: Colonial Marines” (2013)
The “Alien” franchise has seen its share of ups and downs in the world of video games, and “Aliens: Colonial Marines” stands as a low point that could have jeopardized the entire IP’s gaming legacy, if not for the redemption found in “Alien: Isolation.”
“Colonial Marines” was more than a mere mess; it was a catastrophic mishandling of the Xenomorphs, and not in an entertaining way. The game was marred by shoddy visuals, incompetent AI, and deplorable technical performance. These issues prompted a furious backlash from fans and critics who accused Gearbox Software of dishonesty in their representations to the press and false advertising.
The question remains: Why anyone would subject themselves to this title, except perhaps for scholarly analysis, remains a mystery.
1. “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” (1982)
While contemporary gaming grievances often center on poorly-made games and unethical business practices, the catastrophic failure of “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” in 1982 was an epochal disaster that the industry has seldom seen since.
The game was a concoction of disaster from the very start, with a rushed five-week development undertaken by a single person. To make matters worse, significant financial sacrifices were made to rush the game to market in time for the Christmas season. Imagine the disappointment of unwrapping it as a Christmas gift, loading it onto your Atari 2600, and being confronted with a game as abhorrent as this one. It featured a cacophony of bugs, ear-piercing sound effects, and gameplay so bewildering that players returned their copies en masse, effectively scaring parents away from gaming-related expenditures.
The fallout from “E.T.” was so immense that it played a pivotal role in the Video Game Crash of 1983, a dark chapter in gaming history that looms as a stark reminder of the dire consequences of poor game development and hasty decisions.
In the world of video games, there is no shortage of titles that have stirred up passionate discussions, divided communities, and left a lasting mark on the industry. In this journey through the “Most Hated Video Games,” we’ve explored a wide range of examples, from the controversial mega-hit “Fortnite” to the disastrous “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.”
These games, each for their own unique reasons, have provoked intense reactions from gamers and critics alike. Some have suffered from their overwhelming popularity, while others have faced backlash due to dubious publisher decisions and associations. Many have fallen prey to rushed development, inadequate testing, or glaring technical flaws that marred the player experience.
What becomes evident is that the world of gaming is a dynamic and ever-evolving landscape. The criticism these games have received has often served as a stark reminder of the importance of careful development, attentive listening to player feedback, and maintaining the integrity of beloved franchises. While some games have managed to redeem themselves through updates and overhauls, others remain enduring symbols of disappointment, forever etched in the collective memory of gamers.