Summary
Triple-A open-world games often boast massive sales fueled by the genre’s immense popularity among players. Indeed, it’s thrilling to dive into a vibrant, sprawling world now and then, with vast maps to explore,a wealth of activities to conquer, and memorable characters to meet. As some of the lengthiest titles on the market, open-world games typically promise dozens of hours of adventure for the price of entry, ensuring players feel they’ve gotten their money’s worth.
Yet, despite the high demand for these games, success in the ever-changing gaming market is never guaranteed. Even a stellar game can struggle to find its audience and sell well. Factors like rushed releases or a plagued technical state at launch have also doomed many otherwise remarkable projects. The following are a few great open-world games that, for various reasons, fell short of sales expectations, failing to captivate the audience they truly deserved.
Watch Dogs Legionwasn’t a downright flop, but for an open-world game of its scope and ambition, as well as being the third chapter in an established, successful series (bothWatch DogsandWatch Dogs 2sold over 10 millionunits each), its sales were underwhelming for Ubisoft. The game’s lukewarm reception is widely seen as the reason theWatch Dogsseries has been shelved indefinitely, with no new projects announced in the franchise over the past four years.
And that’s a shame, asWatch Dogs Legionisn’t a bad game by any means, especially when viewed as a bold spin-off experimenting with fresh ideas. Its standout selling feature – play as virtually anyone – is daring and delightful, complemented by the game’s striking vision of a futuristic London. There’s plenty of enjoyment to be found inWatch Dogs Legion, especially since it’s frequently available at steep discounts across various platforms.
TheMad Maxfranchise isn’t synonymous with blockbuster fame. While many of its films are now iconic, they rarely dominated the box office, with the latest,Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,proving an outright commercial flop. TheMad Maxgame, though not a disaster on that scale, suffered from unfortunate timing, launching nearly four months afterMad Max: Fury Road’s global release, which likely harmed its sales.
Over the years,Mad Maxhas been widely regarded as one of the most underappreciated open-world titles, with more players discovering the thrill of roaming its savage wasteland, storming outposts, and piecing together the Magnum Opus from scraps. True, the game doesn’t reinvent the wheel, borrowing its visceral combat from theBatman: Arkhamseries and populating its vast map with repetitive tasks. Yet, for many, its gritty, adrenaline-fueled execution is more than enough.
Star Wars Outlawsstands as a glaring recent case of a costly open-world game that fell flat by every measure. Released when Ubisoft was already grappling with challenges and plagued by technical glitches,Outlawssold dismally despite its bold promise as the “first true open-worldStar Warsgame” fans had long yearned for. To Ubisoft’s credit, thecompany swiftly tackled the game’s technical and gameplay issuesthrough numerous post-launch updates, but these efforts couldn’t undo the damage of a lackluster first impression.
Now,Star Wars Outlawsoffers plenty to savor, with its vividStar Warsworlds stealing the show, crafted in breathtaking detail by Massive Entertainment. The alien landscapes are a visual feast, a joy to roam, while the game’s seamless shift from planetary landings to spacefaring sets a bar few rivals have matched. True to Ubisoft’s style,Outlawscan feel slightly overstuffed, but its story campaign strikes a neat balance, delivering a cinematic, concise, and gripping adventure true to the brand’s essence.
Sleeping Dogsis a textbook example of a beloved open-world game, cherished by players long after its release, yet its glowing reputation never translated into strong lifetime sales. Had it launched under its original title,True Crime: Hong Kong, it might have fared better, but as it stands, the game sold very poorly. Additional efforts to build it into a lasting franchise, including atroubled adaptation first teased backin 2017, have, so far, come to naught.
Without a doubt, there’s no shortage of reasons to adoreSleeping Dogs. Its vivid rendition of Hong Kong pulses with life, brimming with all manner of criminal underworld dealings. The cinematic story captivates, while handcrafted side quests introduce memorable characters and situations. A stirring soundtrack, striking visuals, and a raw, unmatched martial arts combat system round out the package. Lean and immersive,Sleeping Dogsavoids the bloat often found in open-world titles. Simply put, itdeserved far more than the 2 million copies sold, and even the extra 500,000 from theDefinitive Editionre-release couldn’t right that wrong.
It’s easy to see whySunset Overdrivenever became a huge blockbuster. Tied exclusively to the Xbox One for four years before a belated PC release, Insomniac’s vibrant title missed its chance to shine on more popular platforms. By the time it reached PC, the moment for significant sales had passed, and the initial pitch for the sequel was reportedly shelved due to lackluster commercial performance.
Yet,Sunset Overdrivehad all the makings of a breakout hit, if only it hadn’t been shackled to the Xbox One ecosystem. Its bold, colorful universe bursts with quirky chaos, blending high-octane action and slick, fast-paced traversal mechanics. It’s no surprise Insomniac Games was later tapped forMarvel’s Spider-Man, which soared as one of the PS4 era’s top-selling open-world triumphs — a testament to the creative spark thatSunset Overdriveshowcased so vividly years before.
Rage 2channels aMad Max-like allure, plunging players into a post-apocalyptic open-world wasteland brimming with vehicular chaos and frenetic combat — though, like theMad Maxgame, it yielded disappointing financial results for Bethesda. The originalRagewas hardly a trailblazer, so crafting a tonally distinct sequel after an eight-year gap was a bold gamble. Perhaps the appetite for such a world isn’t as strong as hoped, even when swapping gritty melee brawls for a first-person shooter infused with supernatural flair.
Still,Rage 2feels like it deserved a better fate. Avalanche Studios delivers thrillingMad Max-style driving, while id Software brings signatureDoom-esque combat. A robust arsenal, dazzling visuals, and a slew of electrifying abilities invite endless experimentation. Missteps in marketing may share the blame, hyping the game as zanier than its reality and potentially steering players to anticipate aBorderlands-like romp rather than the more grounded shooter it truly is.
