8 Times Fan Backlash Killed Video Game Sequels

I've long maintained that gamers - or whatever term you want to use to refer a demographic of regular video game players - are some of the most learned followers of a medium around.

Where something like Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker can still checklist its way to box office success, including expected plot elements and all-out fan service - a big budget game taking the same approach always results in almost total failure.

Look to The Avengers, EA's Rocket Arena, Ghost Recon: Breakpoint or Anthem - all projects with business-mandated mechanics or progression loops, that actively got in the way of any recommendable core quality.

Every last one of those titles bombed, and it's a testament to how complex and miraculous video game development is, that both Google and Amazon have since bowed out the industry as well, not realising the level of technical craft necessary to code enjoyment.

With that in mind, that same audience very much knows what they want, and though there's always room for pleasant surprises, sometimes a wrong move gets called out so viciously, the entire project gets canned.