8 Failing Video Game Franchises That JUST WON'T DIE

8. Need For Speed

There's no denying that Need for Speed is one of the most statuesque racing game franchises of all time, and though it celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, it's tough to deny that the series has been running on empty for about a decade.

The last truly high quality Need for Speed game was 2013's Rivals, after which we saw the microtransaction-fuelled mobile game Need for Speed: No Limits, 2015's utterly forgettable franchise reboot, middling follow-ups Need for Speed Payback and Need for Speed Heat, and most recently the dead-OK Need for Speed Unbound.

Need for Speed is a franchise that just doesn't have anything fresh or interesting left to offer. Unbound even opted for a more heightened, cartoonish art style in what felt like a desperate attempt to help it stand out from the pack.

Though the series seemingly continues to perform well enough for EA to keep pumping sequels out - likely due to modest production budgets - Need for Speed has near-zero relevance in the current gaming sphere, feeling like a mere dusty, moldy relic.

It'd be unwise to bet against the franchise's survival at this point, but if it did go away, would most people even notice?