20 Biggest Video Game Bombs Of 2025
The gaming world of 2025 had quite a few duds that were dead on arrival.
With 2025 almost wrapped, it's natural to reflect upon what the last 12 months have brought the gaming industry. The Nintendo Switch 2 finally launched, breaking numerous sales records. Sandfall Interactive's debut, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, surpassed all expectations and picked up the Game of The Year Award. And after a decade-long hiatus, Donkey Kong returned, bigger than ever.
Of course, not everything panned out the way studios intended or players hoped. Several RPGs or sandbox titles were promoted as the next big thing, but ended up being nothing special. Certain games were received positively, but are still ending up seeing an enormous player drop-off. New gaming gadgets or peripherals were expected to change the landscape of gaming forever, but proved to be nothing more than gimmicks.
Even though some of these entries are considered "fine," that's not good enough if the property in question spent an eternity in development and was advertised as a revolutionary game-changer.
Over all, it has been a superb year for gaming, which is why it's painful to see these 20 entries bomb so spectacularly.
20. South Of Midnight
Due to the middling reception of We Happy Few, not much was expected from Compulsion Games' next project.
And yet, South of Midnight proved to be surprisingly solid. The action-adventure carves its own identity by leaning heavily into the Gothic folklore of the Deep South. With so many games highlighting Greek, Norse, or Egyptian legends, it's a nice to see myths based on Georgian or Cajun cryptidgs for a change, like the Rougarou or Two-Toed Tom. With its stop-motion-inspired art and enrapturing story, South of Midnight is one of the year's most beautiful games.
Too bad quality doesn't always translate into profit. Despite impressive reviews, South of Midnight had one of the weakest Game Pass releases in gaming history, with its concurrent player count peaking at 1,438. Its numbers have since nosedived to a few dozen, with no sign of them picking up anytime soon.
Although reception remains positive, it's possible South of Midnight was way too niche to hit a larger demographic. Ironically, Compulsion Games' originality may be the very reason this underrated gem failed to find its audience.