12 Most Disastrously Disappointing Video Game Launches In History

2. SimCity (2013)

Proof that even after Diablo 3's landmark face-plant, you can always leave it up to EA to not learn a damn thing. SimCity was set to be another landmark franchise revival, until the dreaded "Always-connected universe!" buzz-phrase came in, and suddenly we were all more than a little apprehensive.

Cut to launch day and the above image was what everyonewas seeing, coupled with the fact that there was no offline mode whatsoever. SimCity's entire hook is debating precisely how to build your own custom metropolis, and it was abundantly clear that the notion of having this omnipresent multiplayer component was a hindrance, rather than an luxurious extra.

In the end, it took a solid week to even let you get into the game, a state of affairs that EA themselves labelled as "dumb", before handing out free copies of their other games to - and I quote - "get back in your good graces".

The fact we've literally heard nothing in the way of sequels proves this didn't work, and instead it was 2015's superb Cities: Skylines that finally gave empire-builders the game they'd been waiting for.