10 Recent Video Game Bombs NO ONE Saw Coming
1. Senua's Saga: Hellblade II (2024)
Yeah, this one hurts.
2017's Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice wasn't just an absolute banger of a game but a testament to the rise of AA gaming. Ninja Theory, the devs, proved that smaller studios could create cinematic, AAA-looking experiences at a cheaper price. With that in mind, the thought of them getting the chance to work with a bigger budget (after being acquired by Microsoft in 2018) made it feel like the sequel, Hellblade II: Senua's Saga, would be the perfect storm.
Sadly, it was far from it.
The game, which was released in 2024, looked utterly stunning and cinematic. However, the shorter runtime, plodding pace, and repetitive gameplay were disappointing missteps that failed to fix the previous game's shortcomings.
It also failed to thrive commercially, ranking 37th for digital and physical sales in May 2024, according to a report from Game Rant. While its position as a day one release on Xbox Game Pass could explain its slow sales, the same report also claims that it only came in 12th in Game Pass player engagement.
It's all a massive shame, given how phenomenal it should have been.