10 Amazing Video Games You'll Never Get To Play
Gone but not forgotten.
It's an unavoidable truth that some passion projects are destined for the scrap heap, whether the catalyst is scarce funding, lack of foresight or a dangerous combination of several ingredients, at this stage, there's no line to divide good or bad - the financial Grim Reaper doesn't discriminate.
The news is always easier to take if the casualty in question was never meant for anything other than the bargain bin, but what of those projects that had already accrued massive followings, either by glowing early impressions or the expansion of a beloved franchise?
How does the situation go so far south that there's no path of return for those titles that had success all but guaranteed?
Platinum Games' Scalebound remains top of the pile of unexpected casualties in that regard, but it wasn't (and won't be) the last high profile game to suffer a premature burial. Interplay's Fallout MMO, Rockstar's stealth action hybrid Agent and Polytron's follow-up to indie giant Fez were all, at one point or another, gearing up to bask in deafening applause, only scuppered at the final hurdle thanks to unforeseen circumstances.
It's a bittersweet legacy to leave behind, given what could have been.
10. Mega Man Universe
What it was meant to be: Before Nintendo came along and fully realised the idea half a decade later with the brilliant Super Mario Maker, Capcom had already been brainstorming something similar. Not with the Big N's mascot, of course, but one of its own.
Sporting a trendy 2.5D aesthetic and a dedicated campaign based on Mega Man 2, Universe had also intended to provide players with the choice of creating their own custom stages and sharing them online for others to enjoy. Sounds, familiar, right?
Why you'll never play it: Capcom has never provided a concrete reason beyond a stock "various circumstances" response for Universe's cancellation, but it doesn't take a genius to join the dots. Just several months prior to the official announcement, Mega Man co-creator and Universe's producer Keiji Inafune confirmed his departure from Capcom, citing a desire to begin anew as the catalyst for his resignation.
Inafune, of course, went on to form Comcept and release Mighty No. 9, a supposed spiritual successor to Mega Man that became entangled in controversy over its numerous delays and eventual subpar quality. Oh dear.