10 "Next Big Thing" Video Games That Disappeared Overnight
3. Evolve
The Left 4 Dead series was a real moment in online multiplayer: a fully co-operative zombie survival game that was at times as terrifying as it was addictive and the two games really put developers Turtle Rock Studio on the map.
So, for their next major property, Turtle Rock flipped the script entirely. Instead of four players fighting off hordes of zombies, they would team together to face one all-powerful and evolving monster player. With their pedigree and such a delicious idea, Evolve became one of the most anticipated games of 2015.
All the other issues aside, a “lack of content” is always a killer and Evolve, for as interesting as the concept was, didn’t keep player attention because it was slim pickings on things to do.
With no narrative or even a linear progression of a campaign, gameplay was simply multiplayer match after multiplayer match until one got bored. What made things worse was that additional skins, human hunters and even one extra monster were behind the pay-walls of various different pre-order versions.
Whilst Evolve as an idea had a huge influence on asymmetrical multiplayer games and the 4v1 set-up that has seen far more success since, it was ultimately destined to fall into obscurity. We salute you for your attempts, Turtle Rock.