10 AWESOME Video Games That Never Got Sequels
How did these games not become franchises?
The simplest way for gaming studios to earn money is to pump out more of what everyone wants. So long as there is a demand for Super Mario, Final Fantasy, and Resident Evil, the gaming giants will continue to churn out sequels, spin-offs, prequels, remakes, and crossovers.
But there are exceptions to the rule. Despite receiving rave reviews, a few of the best platformers, RPGs, and first-person shooters never got a Part 2.
Now, there are plenty of reasons why such an injustice may happen. If it didn't make money or the creators went out of business, it's understandable why the game in question was a one-and-done.
Nevertheless, it's frustrating to see potential being squandered. Some one-off titles are teeming with such innovation, it's bewildering how they haven't launched a whole series.
For some entries on this list, a sequel was never strongly considered by the powers-that-be. On the other hand, certain games got so close to becoming a franchise, it's all the more crushing how they never saw the light of day.
Although the games on this list may receive a sequel in the future, nobody should be holding their breath.
10. Sleeping Dogs
Starting off as a True Crime sequel, United Front's project was reworked into a spiritual successor called Sleeping Dogs. Though Grand Theft Auto copycats are a dime a dozen, this Hong Kong based crime saga is anything but a cheap imitation.
In fact, Sleeping Dogs surpasses Rockstar North's defining brand in certain aspects. The gameplay moves at a steady place, giving the characters plenty of time to be fleshed out. Every voice actor is on top-form, no matter how minor their role.
The slo-mo shootouts and Arkham Asylum-inspired combat is so dynamic, GTA's action pales by comparison. Though many of GTA's side missions are generic, just as much effort has been put into Sleeping Dog's sub-quests as the central missions.
Upon its release, the odds were not in Sleeping Dogs' favour, since it was a new IP contending against heavy-hitters like Borderlands, Far Cry, and FIFA. Although Sleeping Dogs sold an impressive 1.5 million copies, the publisher regarded it as a failure.
Though a Sleeping Dogs sequel and a multiplayer spin-off were intended at one point or another, both projects were put to sleep.