Summary
- Launch periods are crucial for game success; poor launches lead to player disinterest.
- Games like Fallout 76 and No Man's Sky improved post-launch, satisfying players.
- Cyberpunk 2077 turned its reputation around with bug fixes and content updates.
A video game's launch period is critical in deciding whether it succeeds or fails. The last thing developers want is for their games to be discarded by players before they even bother to check them out for themselves, simply because of a horrendous launch and bad reviews that make it clear that these titles are not in the best shape.
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This is why players love the redemption arcs that some of these games undergo, allowing them to enjoy a version of the game that finally meets their expectations. It's inspiring to see that the developers didn't give up on their vision and convinced players that these games were worth checking out, especially after a string of post-launch patches and updates. These are the best games that survived a disastrous launch.
Fallout 76
An MMO Fallout Game That Slowly But Surely Became Better
Fallout 76
- Released
- November 14, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
An MMO Fallout game sounded nice, but Fallout 76 failed to stick the landing. The lack of NPCs, static storytelling, and the poor integration of multiplayer made Fallout 76 the worst game in the series at launch, and it struggled to find an audience.
Thankfully, Bethesda addressed fan complaints. The Wastelanders update was critical to overhauling the game's mechanics and making things fun again, with the inclusion of proper NPCs and engaging quest lines. It marked a turning point for this game, which has satisfied fans with the wealth of content Fallout 76 has been supplied with ever since.
No Man's Sky
The Poster Child For A Game That Lived Up To Its Promise Years After A Botched Release
No Man's Sky
- Released
- August 9, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Animated Blood
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
No Man's Sky is a rousing story of a developer that refused to back down, even when they had attracted the vitriol of the entire gaming community. Sean Murray's lofty claims leading up to launch were definitely problematic, but the team ensured that all of this promised content was delivered in updates.
Over time, the amazing exploration and gameplay mechanics of No Man's Sky made the rounds, and fans were impressed by what was on offer in this sci-fi adventure. The deluge of content (both promised and new) helped No Man's Sky turn its reputation around, and it has since become one of the better games in the genre, and one of the most expansive space exploration sims ever made.
Star Wars Battlefront 2
Somehow, This Game Overcame The Reddit Debacle To Become One Of The Best Titles To Use The Star Wars IP
Star Wars Battlefront 2
- Released
- November 17, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Violence
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Star Wars Battlefront 2 faced a disastrous launch, with gameplay progression made intentionally frustrating to force players into paying for the game's numerous microtransactions. The Reddit controversy didn't help, with a comment from the dev team still being the media site's most downvoted comment to this day. This turned Battlefront 2 into public enemy number one for a while, as players couldn't stop talking about the game's blatant greed.
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Thankfully, EA addressed fan complaints, removing the problematic monetization that this FPS employed and fixing its progression systems, making it into a game that didn't resort to such sleazy practices. This incentivized players to give Battlefront 2 a second chance, and the high player count today makes it clear that Star Wars fans can't get enough of the epic firefights in this game.
Alpha Protocol
Bugs Hampered This Game At Launch, But World Of Mouth Helped It Become A Cult Classic
Alpha Protocol
- Released
- June 1, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Obsidian's games have a habit of launching in a buggy state, and Alpha Protocol is no exception. The game was so broken at launch that players didn't even bother to give it a shot, but the ones who did realized just how special its role-playing systems were.
The story could branch off into some wild routes, forcing players to make tough choices throughout the campaign. The narrative can change wildly in this stellar espionage RPG, so much so that players eventually came to look past its rudimentary gameplay mechanics to enjoy a truly special game.
Final Fantasy 14
Eventually Became What Is Arguably The Best Modern MMORPG
Final Fantasy 14
- Released
- August 27, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen - Language, Mild Blood, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Genre(s)
- MMORPG
Most gamers are aware of Final Fantasy 14's disastrous launch. The game was lambasted by the masses for a wide variety of issues, from UI problems to absurd grinding mechanics to unexplained mechanics. This forced the developers to use Bahamut's destruction of the world as an excuse to employ a fresh approach with this title.
A Realm Reborn addressed fan complaints and marked the start of something special. The fact that the game had to stop taking registrations when the Shadowbringers expansion came out is the definition of suffering from success, showing how far Final Fantasy 14 has come following its doomed start.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines
Horrendous Sales Marked The End Of Troika Games, But People Eventually Came To Love This Vampire RPG
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
- Released
- November 16, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
With the simultaneous launch of the legendary Half-Life 2, the buggy Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines was overlooked by many. It's a shame, since fans were missing out on something truly special with this gem of an RPG.
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Now, with fan patches and word of mouth, players have come to appreciate Troika Games' magnum opus. The incredible voice acting and deep RPG elements remain stellar, even if the visuals have aged by modern standards. Players today still love clocking multiple playthroughs of this title and enjoy what it has to offer.
Cyberpunk 2077
A Launch So Legendarily Bad, It's A Miracle This Game Turned Its Reputation Around
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
The horrendous launch of Cyberpunk 2077 is something many fans are intimately familiar with. The game couldn't stand on its own two feet without imploding in some way or another, turning it into the laughing stock of the gaming industry. Bugs plagued every version of the game, but were particularly bad on older consoles, which could barely run it without crashing. This prompted Sony and Microsoft to eventually delist the game from their online stores and offer players refunds. It was that bad.
However, CD Projekt Red ensured released a bunch of bug fixes, patches, and improvements to address game-breaking issues and missing gameplay elements before adding a ton of additional content into the game. Update 2.0 cemented this title's legacy as one of the greatest open-world RPGs of all time, and along with the Phantom Liberty DLC, it now enjoys a sparkling reputation.
Fallout: New Vegas
Considered By Many To Be The Best Fallout Game, But It's A Shame It Was So Buggy At Launch
Fallout: New Vegas
- Released
- October 19, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- RPG
The role-playing brilliance of Fallout: New Vegas can't be overstated. The Courier's adventures can go down wildly different routes based on player choices, and it's a shame that the game was so buggy at launch that it was all that dominated the conversation for a while.
Thankfully, fan patches have addressed this game's issues, allowing more and more people to appreciate why New Vegas is hailed as one of the greatest Fallout games of all time. Taking the long road to enter New Vegas only to be embroiled in a faction war makes for a great time that players can't get enough of.
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