2. E.T. Single-Handedly Causes The Video Game Crash Of 1983
Who doesn't love E.T.? Well, in 1983, a whole lot of video game developers didn't, after Atari's infamous flop adaptation of the classic movie damn-near sunk the entire video game industry for good. With its dreadful gameplay mechanics and horrendous controls, E.T. sold well below expectations, such that Atari not only suffered catastrophic financial losses, but reportedly ended up dumping all the unsold copies in a desert landfill in New Mexico, something gamers have attempted to track down for decades. E.T.'s financial failure is a reminder that no matter how good the film, you can't just half-ass a video game adaptation and expect players to bite. The game kick-started the tendency for movie video games to be poor, though it easily remains the most egregious example. We might think Aliens: Colonial Marines is pretty bad, but compared to this, it's a masterpiece.