10 Video Games That Killed Themselves Trying To Be Popular

9. Mass Effect 3

"But, erm, Mass Effect was already really popular"

True, but what does the person with all the money in the world want? More money. You can always be more liked, more recognised, more bankable.

To that end, EA dug their talons deep into Bioware's dev cycle, demanding not only that crucial plot-specific content be siphoned off as DLC, but that the game be more 'approachable' for wider audiences. Tons of pre-release interviews settled on how it was 'the perfect entry point in the series', as narratives be damned, somehow a concluding chapter in a personally-woven tale is the best place to 'hop on'.

This lead to an overwhelming action focus throughout, falling back on the idea of 'explosions sell' as turret sequences were added, 'defend the capture point' missions were part of the main story and Shepard was given a Gears-style dodge-roll as you spent more time mowing down enemies than ever.

Boss battles against giant Reapers, stab-happy melee attacks, portable nuclear missile-esque special weapons? It was all here, and the Mass Effect faithful wanted none of it, getting their collective keyboard warrior on and voting EA the 'Worst Company In America' in a Consumerist poll as a result.