8 Best-Selling Video Game Sequels Hardcore Fans Hated

2. Hitman Absolution

Like Splinter Cell refining and changing its approach to stealth - a genre that was in itself, waxing and waning across the 2000s - Hitman Absolution saw IO Interactive attempt to do a far more straightforward Hitman experience.

Assassinations and careful planning were still there, but not in every level. A furtive detection system later got perfected in the rebooted 2016 game, but Absolution was derided and largely hated at the time, appearing to be yet another game that was forgoing its origins to chase the Call of Duty crowd.

As was again the case with Splinter Cell though, Absolution sold incredibly well. Bringing in unit sales of 3.6 million across its first four months, that almost beat Hitman 2: Silent Assassin's 3.7 million, accrued between 2002 and 2009.

This also dwarfed fan-favourite entry Hitman: Blood Money, which only managed 2.1 million unit sales from 2006, when collated in 2011.

IO's rebooted Hitman games would thankfully become their strongest yet, thanks to segmented episodic releases growing the playerbase to over 13 million users. As for the previous mainline titles though, chances are it's Absolution that the average person has played.