10 Video Games That Were Killed By Executive Meddling

A lot of things can go wrong during the development of a game. Creatives can be over-ambitious, under-skilled, or just plain negligent. However, more often than not, the thing that truly kills a game can be the overbearing interference of executives, publishers and companies that aren't directly involved.

Games are expensive, so the people behind funding often want to make sure their investment is as "safe" as possible, which results in the compromising of artistic integrity or general shady business practices that would otherwise produce an enjoyable game.

It is perhaps one of the most frustrating aspects of the gaming industry, as these faceless businesspeople appear to lack any awareness or understanding of gamers, resulting in crippling decisions that completely baffle the general populace.

Games are often rushed out to meet deadlines, toned back in response to focus groups, and completely butchered in order to fit bankable trends. Instead of trusting developers, the people who actually relate to the modern gamer and understand the marketplace, execs decide that the popularity of Fortnite means the next plaformer needs a battle royale mode.

Sea of Thieves was No Man's Sky 2.0. It intended to be the ultimate online pirate game, with ships, plunder and endless open seas fun. It promised a lot and developed very little. Unlike No Man's Sky, however, the game's release state was not a result of a lack of talent but a lack of time.

Following the E3 2016, Microsoft was under a lot of pressure to deliver more titles for the Xbox, prompting their somewhat humorous display of "exclusive" games the following year.

One of the actual exclusives was Sea of Thieves, and upon the launch of the game, it was incredibly clear that production had been ramped up in order to meet the exclusive title demands.

The game was unfinished. It barely had enough content to satisfy a closed beta, and as it released it became clear that it was full of a whole load of nothing. All because it was rushed to the shelves and the talent behind the game didn't have the chance to make something decent.

At least it had the multiplayer it promised... *cough cough* 'No Man's Sky' *cough cough*