10 Biggest Missed Opportunities In Fighting Game History
8. No Sequel For Skullgirls?
Original fighting game franchises don't come about all too often, and that's what made Reverge Labs' 2012 title Skullgirls such a breath of fresh air. It had punchy mechanics, hand-drawn sprites, a stunning art deco, custom assists and more. Plus, best of all, it was something entirely new. Yay!
The game was received really well, both critically and financially, so it seemed like a no-brainer that it would go for a second instalment. Well, it's been about a decade, and the only new content fans have seen are a re-release (Skullgirls Encore), a port (Skullgirls 2nd Encore) and a spin-off (Skullgirls Mobile).
Skullgirls has had a lot of trouble in its lifetime, with a nasty lawsuit against their publisher Autumn Games (for an unrelated game, Def Jam Rapstar) cutting off their financial support. This forced them to lay off their development team, reform as Lab Zero Games, and rely on crowdfunding for post-release content.
That track record of bad luck didn't stop after the game found success, as accusations of sexual assault were raised against the lead designer (Mike Zaimont), causing Lab Zero Games to dissolve. With all this trouble, it's no surprise that a sequel hasn't been worked on.
Of course, this isn't an entirely closed door, as the possibility of a sequel someday down the line isn't off the cards completely. Still, it's best not to hold your breath.