Cancelled games that broke our hearts

by Ross Miller { Aug 30th 2005 at 9:00AM }

True Fantasy Live Online Screen (225) The Internet is a wonderful tool – the ability to send and receive information blazingly fast as it is happening, well, the pure mechanics of it can be mind-boggling. The downside of such unprecedented access to information is, however, at least for video games, a growing attachment and hype for a game long before its release. We find out the instance a game is announced, view screenshots as they become conceived, watch videos, read developer diaries, previews, hands-on impressions, and any other newsworthy controversy that arises from the game. So we build up all this hype for a game, and when it is finally released it never lives up to our expectations. Or, worse, it gets cancelled and we will never find out.

GameSpot has a feature chronicling some of these unfortunate games that never see the light of day (poor True Fantasy Live Online, pictured). My biggest disappointment, personally, was Fallout 3. I had bought Fallout 1 & 2 as a value pack and fell in love with how involving and funny the game was – it really did have amazing dialogue. Best of all, you could convince the last boss to kill himself – classic. I would have loved to see the game, and even though the creators of Morrowind have picked it up, I still feel it will not be the same game as it could have been. But time will tell with that – what are your biggest heartbreaking game moments? Or, for that matter, what one game do you wish was cancelled?

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

SenorWeird @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

To this day, I still hold hopes of someone releasing "Earthbound 64."

Nizam Rahman @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Oh dear, Thrill Kill.

And... *tear*... Dreamcast...

It's not a game, but hey, as long as we're on the subject of cancellations...

John @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Fallout was great - didn't even realize they were planning a 3rd.

What's 3DRealms up to with Prey and DNF? I wish they would just outright cancel them because this is just ridiculous.

aXiS @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

it's not a game but xbox's standard HD, wireless controller

Tesla @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Yes, the next iteration of Earthbound(Mother) was definitely the most painful and confusing cancellation in my book. I kept hoping I'd see it for Gamecube and now I'm still hoping I'll see it for Revolution. You don't even know how well that would sell.

32_Footsteps @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Mother 3? While I'd love to see that, I'm still waiting for Nintendo to finally release Mother 1 in the United States. I personally got impatient and just imported the Mother 1+2 GBA rerelease. The first game showed me how good a game can be when it breaks out of the standard formula. And it had the most wrenching final boss battle I've ever had.

Rence @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Outcast 2... the game looked amazing and even today looks great:
http://images.google.nl/images?q=outcast%202&hl=nl&hs=xS6&lr=&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=N&tab=wi

Hmm.. Sam & Max 2 obviously.

Peter @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Team Fortress, in any form. First it was rumored as a mod for Quake 2, then it was going to Half Life... then Valve bought TFSoft and locked Robin Walker and John Cook in the dungeon for life. Woe is me.

On the flip side, I really, really wish they didn't make Doom 3. I was never so dissapointed with a video game experience in my entire life. It was more like a turgid exercise in frustration. I'd have been much happier with Doom 2 as my last memory of the series.

cooper @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Personally, one I always wished had shipped was the Babylon 5 Star Fury sim game. I saw that at E3 circa 97(?) and it looked really really great, and having a space fighter sim with actual physics would have made it something really unique.

James @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Wheres my Shenmue 3 already? I know it's still not canceled, and there was more rumors about it on this site only a week ago, but I've been waiting now for years to findo out what happens to Ryo.

"And the story goes on..."

Shane @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

I was sad that Full Throtle 2 got canceled, and true fantasy live online (I agree with the article saying it could be xbox 360's killer online app,I always thought for a MMORPG it looked cool).

Zod @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Just the thought about Sam and Max 2 being cancelled at the last minute makes me kind of cry a little on the inside. I know it's sad, but I had my hopes up so high that Lucasarts would revive my favorite genre of gaming to the clever, humorous, and fun heights that they had in part created.

On the same note, I've always been disappointed that there was never a follow-up to Rocket Jockey, because that game had, and still has, one of the coolest concepts I've ever seen in a game.

GlitchCog @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Seriously, where the hell is Mother 3 on their list?

Lothar of the Hill People @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Bard's Tale 4, not the new game with the (bastardized) Bard's Tale name, but a 4th dungeon creeper that they supposedly were developing.

Also, Dungeon Keeper 3.

Dignan17 @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

I always wanted another Dungeon Keeper game. Does anyone know if there were ever plans for another one of those? It was like playing the Lich in Warcraft 3, but more fun.

Space Junk @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Sam and Max 2, definitely, and also Full Throttle 2. It's disappointing that the adventure genre is so under-appreciated as of late.

Also, whatever happened to the Mega Man Anniversary Collection of Game Boy games?? It seems like Capcom just quietly pulled that one from their release schedule.

Dacreep @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

After Ultima Online 2 was announced, i went ape shiot. When it was cancelled i felt so totally let down. Then on the other hand...they should of never released Ultima IX ascension...what a total let down to us fans of the series. I will forever be scarred.

The Jeremy @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

*The cancellation of the port of "720" to the Atari ST.

*The failure to market the real Super Mario Bros. II to the US (aka "when The Jeremy began his detestment of Nintendo").

*The failure (aka "bribery by Sony") by UbiSoft to market "Rayman" on the Atari Jaguar when it was ready for release and withholding it until the Sony Playstation debuted.

*Duke Nukem Forever.

Fez @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

The Alternate Reality series (The Arena, Wilderness, etc). The City and Dungeon were two of the best RPGs in the history of computing; first "true" 3D game, flexible morals (do you want to be good or evil?), etc. Not to mention an amazing soundtrack - not bad for 1984!

To a lesser extent, Alternate Reality: Online. I was really looking forward to this until Monolith all but fired Phillip Price. :(

http://www.marktaw.com/reviews/AlternateRealityTheVideoG.html

There's also a rumor that it was Phillip Price's ideas that convinced the brothers to make the movie, Matrix. There's TONS of similarities between the game and the movie, and Price said he talked to a couple of brothers in LA but he's not sure if they're the same guys or not.
CW