20 Dead Gaming Franchises That NEED To Come Back

6. Killer Instinct

Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver
Microsoft

Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat may have ruled the fighting scene in the early 1990s, but Killer Instinct wasn't far behind. Rare's action-packed fighter was among the first in the genre to focus on combos, creating a flow in battle that was deeply rewarding (or annoying, if you were on the receiving end). With the pre-rendered graphics, distinctive roster, and extreme style, Killer Instinct was shaping up to be a game-changer.

But after the sequel failed to lived up to expectations, KI disappeared and it took nearly two decades for Jago, Spinal, Fulgore, and the rest of the gang to return in Double Helix' reboot. Though 2013's Killer Instinct was considered bare-bones at first, the developers added a ton of content later on, turning it into one of the strongest fighting frenzies of its era. It may have been in limbo for years, but Killer Instinct was finally back. 

And yet, the brand hasn't materialised since. Considering how well the revival turned out, you'd think Microsoft would strike while the iron is hot and release a few follow-ups.

Yet here we are over a decade later, with nothing to show.

Contributor

James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows