8 Video Game Franchises That Ruined Their Identity
2. Wolfenstein
It's pretty easy to pinpoint where it all went wrong for the Wolfenstein reboot. The first attempt at modernising the veteran series was Wolfenstein: The New Order, a surprising hit that eschewed first-person shooting conventions of the time by delivering a decidedly more old-school experience. That ironic freshness combined with its fascinating alternate-history setting of a 1960s where the Nazis won the war made for a perfect reinvention.
And despite some tonal wobbles, Wolfenstein 2 carried that on perfectly, delivering more robust shooting whilst going all-in on the first title's wackier elements. The series seemed to be in a good place, and then came Wolfenstein: Youngblood.
Technically a spin-off, Youngblood was such a misguided project that it managed to sour fans on the franchise as a whole. Though it had an intriguing premise, taking place 20 years after the events of the previous game and putting players in the shoes of hero BJ Blazkowicz's two daughters, changes to the core gameplay saw it flop.
Unlike the narrative-driven single-player games that preceded it, Youngblood was a grindy, co-op timesink with bullet-sponge enemies, uninspired missions and barebones story. As many critics at the time pointed out, it felt like it was trying to have Destiny 2's lunch as a "looter shooter without loot" - an approach which was a far cry from what people enjoyed about the first two games.
It was a huge misstep, and sadly it's been six years since the last main instalment.