10 Video Game Franchises KILLED By Development Hell

5. Pikmin

Pikmin 3
Nintendo

The GameCube was a wonderful machine that gave birth to many classic Nintendo games, be they sequels to an existing series or brand new IPs. Pikmin may not have become the company’s next massive game changer but the fledgling franchise is an appreciated addition to the company’s roster.

It took a full nine years to get from Pikmin 2 to the Wii U’s Pikmin 3 so it was extremely surprising when Miyamoto dropped a bombshell in 2015, two years after Pikmin 3’s release. Apparently, a fourth mainline game was already nearing completion.

And then it went mysteriously silent.

Pikmin as a franchise isn’t outright dead but the 2017 3DS spinoff Hey! Pikmin was met with mixed reviews and the series’ own Niantic Pokémon Go-esque AR game are not what Pikmin fans have been waiting for.

Even today, this mysterious Pikmin 4 still hasn't been released. Industry insiders claim that this “nearly complete” title was totally rebooted in 2019 which, if true, is worrisome that so much time could be wasted on a game that was going to be eventually started from scratch.

Captain Olimar and company are out there somewhere but it’s never a great sign when you have just as many Smash Brothers appearances as you do mainline games in your franchise.

Contributor

Coming from a content creation background that now spans over two decades, Psy cut her teeth on personal video production and community radio. Originally joining the team as a writer and presenter, she added video editing duties to her responsibilities over time and became the longest-standing editor of the irreverent gaming show Tues Your Own Adventure. Psy has worked on many previews and reviews, long-form editorials (either her own, or supporting as an editor), as a frequent quizmaster and more. Praised for the two-pronged attack of her hard work ethic and light-hearted editing style, Psy is otherwise known as a font of retro video game knowledge which has caused her to rack up many quiz wins. Outside of WhatCulture, Psy runs First Aid Spray Podcast - a long-running channel that focuses on Resident Evil in all of it's forms. You can follow her on BlueSky at http://psywhite.bsky.social and Instagram at http://instagram.com/therealpsywhite