10 Video Game Reboots That Buried Franchises ENTIRELY
1. Duke Nukem Forever (2011)
Duke Nukem Forever's development is one that has become infamous among the video game community. From the numerous delays to the troubled production, the long wait ensured that when the title finally came out, expectations would not be met.
In 2011, Duke Nukem Forever would be released and was flooded with backlash.
It was 15 years since Duke Nukem 3D and since then, the first-person shooter genre had evolved which is one of the reasons why Forever failed. With repetitive environments, bad level design, and poor enemy AI, the title just couldn't keep up with contemporary shooters. The game also suffers from numerous technical issues from frame rate drops, and glitches, as well as lackluster graphics and the lack of wow factor that its predecessor had.
From a narrative perspective, a lot of the jokes had also aged even by 2011 standards, with dated references and humor that seemed out of place in the video game industry by that point of time.
And so what was slated to be Duke's big comeback ended up killing his franchise for good. Thankfully, those burned by this game can try Duke Nukem Forever 2001: Restoration Project, a mod that recreates a 2001 build and has received better reception.