10 Video Games That Were Cancelled Despite Being Almost Finished

Video games are no stranger to controversy, with dozens of games receiving backlash for their violent and graphic content. One game which took it to the extreme, however, was Thrill Kill.

Originally conceived as an Aztec sport game for the PlayStation, publishers Virgin Interactive would persuade developers Paradox Development to double down on the brutal violence and taboo-breaking content. This project eventually became Thrill Kill, a four-player fighting game which boasted a cast of the most over-the-top and transgressive leather-clad characters ever seen in a fighting game.

Virgin continued to play into the game’s sleezy aesthetic. However, they’d eventually need to tone down the gratuity to lower their Adults Only rating from the ESRB. But with the deadline fast approaching, Virgin Media Interactive were bought by Electronic Arts, who wanted nothing to do with Thrill Kill and the controversy it would inevitably bring with it.

Staff only found out about the game’s cancellation after reading about it in the news rather than hearing from their new bosses. Likewise, other publishers offered to acquire the title for themselves, but EA refused to budge.

In a positive turn of events, however, Thrill Kill's blueprints were transformed into lesser-known but excellent fighting game Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style.