12 Video Games Too Big To Fail (That Did Anyway)

2. Fallout 76

Why It Was "Too Big"

Bethesda have proven themselves to be a money-printing machine over the last decade-or-so, especially when it comes to their Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises.

With Fallout 4 generating a mind-boggling $750 million within 24 hours of its release, how could a multiplayer-focused Fallout game ever fail?

Why It Failed Anyway

Bethesda really bit off more than they could chew with this one, and it didn't take more than a few hours of playing Fallout 76 to appreciate that the game was a fast-and-loose attempt to cash-in on the Fallout brand.

With virtually no story, a total absence of human NPCs, painfully janky, bug-filled gameplay courtesy of the under-qualified Creation Engine and a lack of multiplayer presence, Fallout 76 was largely panned by critics and fans alike.

The Damage

The game received Metascores in the low-40s and early-50s, an embarrassingly low number for a AAA publisher as high-caliber as Bethesda, severely denting its commercial performance.

Fallout 76 launched to lower figures than than either Fallout 4 or Fallout: New Vegas, and the game saw worldwide price cuts less than a week after its retail release, indicating just how poorly it had sold compared to expectations.

If this wasn't enough to severely damage Bethesda's relationship with their fans, the low quality of the expensive Power Armor edition, which substituted canvas bags for cheaper nylon bags without telling customers, resulted in further egg on the publisher's face.

The whole mess caused many to insist that they'll be waiting on reviews before touching either of Bethesda's hyped upcoming games, Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI, both of which will be inexplicably be using the same tired engine. What's the definition of insanity, again?