20 Disappointing Video Games That Didn't Fulfil Their Potential

13. Brink

Brink 2011
Splash Damage

Many have seemed to have forgotten about Splash Damage and Bethesda’s ill-fated multiplayer shooter from 2011, but if you ask me, Brink was ahead of its time. An online multiplayer-focused FPS, Brink was criticised for lacking a worthwhile single-player mode and lacking any variety, but when you compare the game to modern-day FPS games, it’s not far off. 

If Brink were released today, I can’t help but feel that the reaction would be far more positive. It would still have many of the issues that plagued the game at release, but with gamers used to shooters like Apex Legends and the like, I feel that Brink could’ve got the love it deserved. With innovative gameplay mechanics such as a relatively fun parkour system, it’s not hard to see where games such as Titanfall may have gotten a few ideas. 

With that being said, the game still had a myriad of bugs and launched with only 10 maps, so it was released without much of a leg to stand on, even back in 2011. If the game had a smoother launch and was constantly updated with maps, weapons and factions, we could’ve been looking at a game that is still played today.

 
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Hey, I’m Matt. I work full-time at WhatCulture's neighbours, MyVoucherCodes. I first joined MyVoucherCodes as a Deals Expert, scouring the internet, leaving no stone unturned in finding the best discount codes, sales and offers for our customers. Moving into my first home during the worst possible time (during lockdown), I understand the necessity of saving money when the purse strings are tight. Outside of saving money, I’m into video games, movies, books and music. I host and edit a video game podcast called The Retry Hard Podcast, where my friend and I go through news, reviews and video games in general. I love movies and watching how they’re made, and I’ve worked as a set decorator for a few months on His Dark Materials season 3, which gave me a massive insight into how it all comes together. I also put out music as a solo artist named Matt Kiano, where I won the award for Best Male Artist of 2025 for Radio Wigwam and have been nomiated for Best Live Act at the 2026 Radio Wigwam Awards.