10 Failed Video Games That Had So Much More Potential

Gamers of a certain age will remember a time when Sega was a force to be reckoned with in the console world. A time back in the 90s when schoolyard friendships were won and lost over people’s allegiances in the great Mario vs Sonic debate. You sure as heck weren’t invited over to the cool kid’s house after school if you supported the wrong side.

Sadly, Sega had to drop out of the console manufacturing race in the years after this. Their final swansong in that regard was the ill-fated Dreamcast, a neat system that was ahead of its time in all kinds of ways. That controller! That bizarre Tamagotchi-esque memory card thing (the Visual Memory Unit or VMU)!

This console was something special for sure, and is a bit of a cult favorite today.

Sega’s futuristic baby didn’t get much support, but it boasted some fantastic games in its limited library. One of its stand-out titles was Shenmue, a 1999 open-world action adventure starring a fighter named Ryo Hazuki.

In terms of gameplay variety, exploration and such, it’s akin to Grand Theft Auto, with presentation, realism and depth that was remarkable for its time. Sadly, this impressive title was super expensive to create and got barely a fraction of the sales it deserved. Still, its cult fanbase continues to love it today.