10 Worst Video Games Launches Of All Time (And If They Got Fixed)
7. No Man’s Sky
Disaster: No game has ever suffered from the weight of its own hype quite like No Man’s Sky. Touted by developer Hello Games as a near-infinite space exploration epic, the game was meant to deliver procedurally generated planets, seamless multiplayer, deep survival systems, and more. But when it launched in 2016, players quickly discovered that most of those promises hadn’t made it into the final product.
There were no meaningful multiplayer features, planets felt repetitive, and core mechanics lacked depth. Critics slammed it, fans demanded refunds, and Hello Games became the poster child for overpromising in the pre-launch cycle.
Redemption: Rather than run or deflect blame, Hello Games quietly got to work. Over the next several years, they released a staggering number of free updates, each one pushing the game closer to what had been envisioned - and eventually, far beyond it. Multiplayer was added, base-building expanded, VR integration, and new story content fleshed out the world.
By 2023, No Man’s Sky had become one of the best redemption stories in gaming, routinely held up as a model for post-launch support. While its release remains a cautionary tale, its long-term commitment to players is something few studios have matched.