10 Dumbest Reasons Video Games ALMOST Got Cancelled

When game development becomes chaotic, it's only a matter of time before staff members are at each other's throats. However, butting heads is usually a side-effect from development problems, not the cause of it.

But things were different with the creation of Fez, since head designer, Phil Fish, was at the forefront of every disaster. Despite Fish's unquestionable talent, his flippant behaviour and childish antics nearly caused the indie project to self-destruct. Fish removed his founding partner, Shawn McGrath, early on due to creative differences. Stranger still, Fish sought a replacement on DeviantArt, accepting the first programmer to reply, Renaud Bédard.

Although the demo was promising, Fish quickly ran out of money. Due to working exhausting hours, the protracted development cycle took a toll on Fish's mind. During an interview with gamedeveloper, he admitted he "was seriously considering just giving up. Actually it became like this weird like suicide fantasy that I was going to cancel Fez out of spite, like, "You're NEVER gonna get it!"

At first, you might assume this proclamation was mere hyperbole. But that's EXACTLY what Fish did with sequel. Despite the fact Fez was a hit, the eccentric designer spontaneously canned the follow-up with little rhyme or reason. Considering how impromptu he was at terminating a guaranteed success, it's a marvel the first instalment was released.