10 Recent Video Game Bombs NO ONE Saw Coming

There's a harsh and devastating truth to the modern gaming landscape, that being that a new video game bomb seems to wait around every corner. Sure, plenty of games find runaway success, like the recently released Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 or Blue Prince, but for every awesome triumph, there are a handful of flops. 

As Triple-A gaming budgets rise, so too does the pressure for every release to sell well, with many growing to be all-or-nothing. As such, fans are increasingly used to seeing news articles about the latest video game failure, so much so that it's becoming easier and easier to spot when it will happen. For example, no one was surprised when the poorly marketed games Concord or The Day Before fell hard. 

That said, while it has become easier to predict, there are times when a game bomb takes you by surprise. 

The following games all felt like they would thrive or at least do well enough to get by, yet suffered from low sales, a terrible critical reception, or both. It just goes to show that a well-known studio, established brand, or massive marketing push aren't enough to save a game. 

Getting an original game release from a major studio can often feel like stumbling upon a unicorn, especially with EA. The company has become well known for resting on its laurels and relying on established brands, which is what made Immortals of Aveum so exciting. It looked super pretty, was a next-gen release, promised fun magical-based FPS gameplay, and was an entirely new IP. All it needed to do was become a hit. Did it do so? Hell no.  

The game itself was fine. It had strong visuals and was fun to play. That said, it lacked any sense of bite or identity. It's easy to point towards the inflated budget (around $125 million) as the reason for this, as you can imagine that EA didn't want to take too many risks with their investment. The irony is that a smaller budget might have led to a more unique game.  

Ultimately, this lukewarm reception was reflected in the financials, which saw the title sink into low sales. This lack of revenue led to EA tragically laying off nearly half of the studio's staff. The whole thing was yet another sad reminder of how cut-throat and harsh the industry can be.