10 Great Video Games That Should've Started Franchises

10. Darkwatch

In High Moon Studio's first-person shooter, you play as a vampire gunslinger called Jericho Cross, who's tasked by the Darkwatch organisation to dispose of undead beasts.

Even though Darkwatch could've been a run-of-the-mill shooter, there were elements that elevated the supernatural cowboy title over its competition. It successfully juggled steampunk, horror, and spaghetti western styles into a cohesive story. The world-building is explored subtly, so it never feels forced or vague. There was also a lot to expand upon in later instalments, especially surrounding the institution Jericho works for.

Interestingly, the developers always intended Darkwatch to launch a series, with every follow-up set in a different period, like the Crusades and World War II. Head designer, Paul O' Connor, stated in an interview with DreadCentral that each entry would expand on the Darkwatch organisation, from "its origins in Roman times to its ultimate fate in Earth's future". 

A tech demo of Darkwatch 2 was released at Games Developers Conference 2006, indicating the franchise was moving forward. And when a film adaptation was announced, Darkwatch's future seemed secure.

But after the company merged with Activision, all work on Darkwatch was put on hold to focus more on licensed games.