8 Video Games That "Couldn't Fail" (That Still Failed)

8. Payday 3

Multiplayer heist game Payday 2 was such a stonking hit, selling more than 40 million copies as of 2023, that it simply seemed like a third Payday couldn't possibly fall flat.

It took an entire decade for Payday 3 to materialise, so you certainly couldn't accuse the bean-counters of rushing out a sequel to milk the fanbase, and with the game also releasing simultaneously on Xbox Game Pass, how could it not become the latest viral gaming hotness?

But Payday 3 received wildly mixed reviews from critics and players alike, both for the patent lack of content available on launch and widespread server issues, which combined with the game's always-online requirement left many unable to play at all.

Though it peaked at an impressive 69,112 players on Steam during release week, those numbers quickly fell off a cliff, with most swiftly returning to Payday 2 instead.

Within a month of Payday 3's release, it had just 10% of the concurrent players playing Payday 2 - a shambolic, embarrassing rejection of the sequel any way you slice it.

But it still sold well, right? Not quite.

Developer Starbreeze reported in 2024 that Payday 3 sold well below expectations, causing them a loss of $18.5 million last year, all while Payday 2 continues to regularly attract 25,000 players at any one time on Steam alone.