Not every game can be the biggest game of all time. Indeed, many games don't even have the luxury of being the second or third biggest game. Some of them do this thing: really badly.
Here are 10 you might've forgotten were a ruddy great flop.
Here are 10 you might've forgotten were a ruddy great flop.
PAC-MAN
Obviously, the original arcade version of Pac-Man was a phenomenon. Consequently, anticipation was high for the 1981 Atari 2600 incarnation - with analysts predicting sales in excess of 9 million. Indeed, the initial sales seemed to live up to expectations; initially, some 7 million copies were sold - making it, to this day, the best-selling game on the Atari 2600.
Unfortunately, once those players got their hands on it, they soon realised what a godawful abomination it was. Many players returned their copies, demanding refunds, and when word spread of the travesty, sales ground to a virtual halt. Atari hadn't anticipated this, and was left with more than five million unsold cartridges.
It's fair to suggest that Pac-Man began the landslide which led to the games industry crash of 1983.
Unfortunately, once those players got their hands on it, they soon realised what a godawful abomination it was. Many players returned their copies, demanding refunds, and when word spread of the travesty, sales ground to a virtual halt. Atari hadn't anticipated this, and was left with more than five million unsold cartridges.
It's fair to suggest that Pac-Man began the landslide which led to the games industry crash of 1983.
GRIM FANDANGO
Everyone loves Grim Fandango. Upon release, the LucasArts adventure - directed by Tim Schafer - received almost universal acclaim. Sadly, the positive reception failed to translate into the sorts of sales most had expected.
Though it turned a profit on its half a million sales, with LucasArts insisting that they were happy with the result, much of the team responsible was quietly let go, and the company pretty much cancelled all future adventure game development.
Though it turned a profit on its half a million sales, with LucasArts insisting that they were happy with the result, much of the team responsible was quietly let go, and the company pretty much cancelled all future adventure game development.
DRIVER 3
Released in 2004 for the PS2 and Xbox, Driver 3 - or "Driv3r" as the packaging has it - boasted sales in the 2 million range. Though that might be respectable for many other series, it fell dramatically short of expectations - its predecessors sold 6.27 million and 4.73 respectively.
Poor reviews hampered sales, and the game received a further knock when it became mired in controversy; publisher Atari allegedly offered the magazines Xbox World and PSM2 early access in exchange for 9/10 review scores. In desperation to contain what was becoming known as "Driv3rgate", Atari is claimed to have created fake message board accounts to spread a more positive reaction.
Poor reviews hampered sales, and the game received a further knock when it became mired in controversy; publisher Atari allegedly offered the magazines Xbox World and PSM2 early access in exchange for 9/10 review scores. In desperation to contain what was becoming known as "Driv3rgate", Atari is claimed to have created fake message board accounts to spread a more positive reaction.
TOMB RAIDER: ANGEL OF DARKNESS
Agressive marketing, and strong brand awareness, ensured that 2003's Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness started strong out of the gate, but dropped out of the top 10 all-formats chart in its second week of release. A shameful performance for one of the industry's most iconic characters.
It sold 2.5 million copies overall, but was considered a disappointment not only for its publisher, but Paramount Pictures - who blamed the game's poor critical reception for the weak box office take of its second Tomb Raider movie.
Shortly after release, the head of developer Core Design, Jeremy Heath-Smith, resigned, a planned follow-up was cancelled, and the future of the Tomb Raider franchise was handed to Crystal Dynamics.
It sold 2.5 million copies overall, but was considered a disappointment not only for its publisher, but Paramount Pictures - who blamed the game's poor critical reception for the weak box office take of its second Tomb Raider movie.
Shortly after release, the head of developer Core Design, Jeremy Heath-Smith, resigned, a planned follow-up was cancelled, and the future of the Tomb Raider franchise was handed to Crystal Dynamics.
SHENMUE
Don't whinge: we all know you love Yu Suzuki's pet project, even though it's fairly boring. And yes, it was the fourth best-selling game on the Dreamcast, with 1.2 million sales.
But that doesn't change the fact that it failed to recoup its enormous development costs - around £50 million - making it one of the biggest commercial failures in the history of the games industry. Potentially, it might've clawed some more of that back had its host system not itself been a disaster.
But that doesn't change the fact that it failed to recoup its enormous development costs - around £50 million - making it one of the biggest commercial failures in the history of the games industry. Potentially, it might've clawed some more of that back had its host system not itself been a disaster.
SHENMUE II
Yes. For some reason, Sega thought they'd have another lick of the Shenmue cherry. Though Shenmue 2 had a much lower budget than its predecessor - using much of the same technology - it still failed to recoup its development costs.
Following the throttling of the Dreamcast, the game was released for the Xbox - where its ageing visuals met with a mixed reception, and even more disappointing sales. Silly Sega.
Following the throttling of the Dreamcast, the game was released for the Xbox - where its ageing visuals met with a mixed reception, and even more disappointing sales. Silly Sega.
OKAMI
There's nothing wrong with Okami, Capcom's 2006 platform adventure is sublime, one of the most beautiful video games ever created. And yet it sold a mere 200,000 copies in North America in its release year, making it number 100 in the top 100 best-selling games of 2006. It was later released for the Wii, selling just 24,000 copies in its first week.
The 2010 book of Guinness World Records Gaming Edition bestowed upon it the honour of being the "least commercially successful winner of a game of the year award".
The 2010 book of Guinness World Records Gaming Edition bestowed upon it the honour of being the "least commercially successful winner of a game of the year award".
PLAYSTATION HOME
Designed to capitalise on the popularity of the Second Life virtual world, Sony's PlayStation Home was intended to be the social hub for all PS3 gamers. Unfortunately, it arrived too late, with a notable lack of content or purpose.
Eventually, the service managed to find a few million dedicated inhabitants, but was far from being the go-to online destination for all PS3 users. The service apparently generated revenue for Sony until its closure in March 2015, but can be considered a flop for failing to break through to the masses in the way that Sony had hoped.
Eventually, the service managed to find a few million dedicated inhabitants, but was far from being the go-to online destination for all PS3 users. The service apparently generated revenue for Sony until its closure in March 2015, but can be considered a flop for failing to break through to the masses in the way that Sony had hoped.
PSYCHONAUTS
Another Tim Schafer game, Psychonauts was released to positive reviews in 2005. However, its release sales amounted to only around 100,000 copies. Publisher Majesco was forced to downgrade a net profit forecast of $18 million to a net loss of $18 million - along with the resignation of its CEO Carl Yankowski.
However, in the intervening years, the game has gone on to sell sufficiently strongly on platforms such as Steam, that Schafer recently announced a sequel.
However, in the intervening years, the game has gone on to sell sufficiently strongly on platforms such as Steam, that Schafer recently announced a sequel.
RESIDENT EVIL 6
Capcom's intention to return Resident Evil 7 to the series' survival horror roots can be directly attributed to the relative failure of its more wham-bam predecessor - both critically and commercially.
Though boasting sales that most other games would be very happy with, it failed to reach the 7 million projected by Capcom. Indeed, with 4.9 copies sold in its first six months, it has gone on to become the second best-selling game in Capcom's history.
Nevertheless, in 2013, Capcom took the unusual step of releasing a statement regarding the game's performance, stating: "We believe there was inadequate organizational collaboration across our entire company with regard to marketing, promotions, the creation of plans and other activities."
Though boasting sales that most other games would be very happy with, it failed to reach the 7 million projected by Capcom. Indeed, with 4.9 copies sold in its first six months, it has gone on to become the second best-selling game in Capcom's history.
Nevertheless, in 2013, Capcom took the unusual step of releasing a statement regarding the game's performance, stating: "We believe there was inadequate organizational collaboration across our entire company with regard to marketing, promotions, the creation of plans and other activities."
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