Not every franchise hits the ground running. Sometimes it takes a sequel or two to get going, but when these franchises do, they hit the market hard. It just takes a little building up before being recognised. Though it might seem like it's more common for game franchises to start off strong and fizzle out later, there's a good number of industry greats that started out mediocre or relatively unknown before blowing and becoming classics. Looking back, it should be no surprise to anyone that these series expanded like they did. The franchises that ultimately make their mark with sequels build upon the core strengths of their predecessors in almost every way, taking an "okay game with potential" and turning into a powerhouse poised to sucker punch the video game industry with something new and exciting or at the very least, something remarkably fun. The first game made isn't always the breakout hit. It might take a sequel or two of building on previous successes and mechanics before you get a bestseller. This list celebrates what we feel are the eight best examples of game franchises that didn't hit a home run on their first swing, but kept on trying until they had a magnum opus on their hands.
Ken was born in 1994, and before the turn of the century, he was already a gamer for life, starting with Pokémon Blue Version. He has a passion for storytelling, especially in the gaming medium. Growing up on a healthy diet of JRPGs and point and click adventure games, young Kenny grew up playing Nintendo and Sony consoles, before becoming a snobby member of the PC Master Race. Nowadays, he resides in a time warp, refusing to believe the nineties ended as he fills up his Steam library with old point and clicks and cRPGs.
