10 Great Video Games Everybody Wanted (But Nobody Bought)

Despite the fact the Dreamcast had a lacklustre start, Sega hoped one game in particular would turn everything around. Since Shenmue boasted unique mechanics including day-and-night cycles, weather events, scheduled events for NPCs, and quick time events, the Asian crime brawler looked promising.

Though Shenmue mets its unrealistically high expectations, it was facing an uphill battle from the get-go, since it was a Dreamcast exclusive. 

Although the Sega system was underrated, there's no doubt it was a failure, since it only sold nine million units. By comparison, the PSOne sold over a hundred million during the same period. Since Shenmue was the most expensive video game ever at the time, it was borderline impossible to recoup development costs, even if every Dreamcast owner bought a copy.

But Sega wouldn't go down without a fight. Knowing the IP had potential, they released a sequel with a significantly cheaper budget. Now that Shenmue was a recognised brand, the follow-up should have no problem bringing in the money, especially after it was praised by critics. 

Alas, Shenmue barely sold one-tenth of its predecessor, sending the franchise into a hiatus for nearly two decades.