10 Moments That Saved Dead Video Games

It should never be taken for granted that just because a game is part of a well-known franchise that every single game in said franchise will be a success.

Case and point, the 2010 launch of Final Fantasy XIV. 

Taking another stab at the MMORPG genre after finding some success with Final Fantasy XI, the devs at Square Enix thought they were on to a winner during development, hyping the game up to be something truly new and original for the series. 

However, when the game launched players and critics were quick to savage it. The gameplay, interface and overall shoddiness of the game were heavily criticised and a large chunk of the player base soon abandoned it. 

Not ones to admit defeat, Square Enix put their noses to the grind-stone and spent the next three years crafting A Realm Reborn, an entirely new game that would render the 2010 release completely obsolete. 

A bold gambit for sure but one that completely paid off as A Realm Reborn lived up to its namesake in every way. Positive critical reviews across the board and swathes of players, both new and old, began to sink their teeth into it - most of them still haven't let go either.