In 2026, massive video game controversies are relatively rare, as most of the backlash tends to be fueled by decisions happening in the wider space. However, we still get the occasional outrage spike, and open-world games have been responsible for some of the most vocal outbursts of anger in history. While certain backlash came from sources outside the video game bubble, there have been games that attracted the ire of their customers, and some of these titles are nowadays regarded as all-time greats.
Be it for technical shortcomings, questionable content, a lack of content, or just dumbfounding decisions, a select few titles will forever have complex histories, even if they manage to redeem themselves in the long run. Let's take a trip through open-world gaming history and look at a few projects that attracted some real backlash.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Grand Theft Auto 5
The Infamous Torture Mission Led To Heavy Criticism
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar North
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
Grand Theft Auto 5 was a landmark release that showed the amazing technical capabilities of Rockstar's new engine, which required a jump to a whole new console generation to show off its full depth. However, as one might expect, Grand Theft Auto 5 also became the source of controversy because of a torture mission that was admittedly a bit gratuitous.
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In one mission, players use a bunch of torture instruments on an innocent civilian who reveals the information required for Michael to take out his target. While the outcry was justified to an extent, it was surprisingly muted compared to the reactions people have had over other aspects of the Grand Theft Auto series in the past.
No Man's Sky
Promised The Universe, Only To Deliver A Puddle (At Launch)
- Developer(s)
- Hello Games
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Nintendo Switch 2
No Man's Sky is arguably the greatest redemption story in gaming history, as Hello Games worked tirelessly to turn one of the biggest open-world disappointments into one of the genre's masterpieces. Years of free updates and expansions gradually added most of the things promised before its 2016 launch, eventually earning praise for its variety, scale, and player freedom.
As brilliant as No Man's Sky has become, the game's initial backlash was incredibly severe, and the anger came from the gaming community rather than outside sources. Simply put, Hello Games had promised more than they could realistically deliver, resulting in a final product that seemed underbaked despite its clear ambition.
Mercenaries 2: World In Flames
Venezuela Didn't Love That Players Killed The Country's President
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames is a rather by-the-numbers open-world game that players can enjoy if they love destruction physics on a ridiculous scale, even if it is not quite as great as its predecessor. To most, the story is nothing to write home about, but its themes didn't sit right with the Venezuelan government.
Venezuela made accusations about how Pandemic Studios was working for the U.S. Government and drumming up support to fight against Hugo Chavez, the then-president of Venezuela. It didn't help that the company had made a game for the U.S. Army before this title. This prompted Pandemic Studios to release a statement downplaying any parallels to real life, with their commitment solely to making this experience fun for players.
Hogwarts Legacy
Drew Attention To J.K. Rowling's Views
- Developer(s)
- Avalanche Software
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Hogwarts Legacy went through the wringer before its release for reasons completely unrelated to the gameplay itself. Rather, questionable statements made by series creator J.K. Rowling caused people to boycott the game's release, not wanting her to profit from its success.
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People had mixed opinions about Hogwarts Legacy becoming the source of this derision, with many pointing out that the developers didn't deserve to be punished for Rowling's comments. Still, Hogwarts Legacy's sales were phenomenal, ensuring that a sequel is likely to happen sooner rather than later.
Palworld
Controversy Surrounding Its Inspirations From Pokemon
- Developer(s)
- Pocket Pair, Inc.
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Shooter, Survival
One of the biggest games of the last few years, Palworld took the world by storm with its unique take on Pokemon with guns. However, Nintendo and The Pokemon Company clearly weren't flattered by this comparison and sued Pocketpair for copyright infringement, which in itself caused a ton of controversy in the gaming world.
There's some debate on how much Palworld emulates Pokemon, as some of the monster designs look eerily similar. Still, the idea that a company can sue another for using a few somewhat similar concepts, including the ability to summon and ride monsters, is terrifying since it could really limit what developers can accomplish.
Cyberpunk 2077
A Broken Launch Ruined CD Projekt Red's Reputation
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Given the incredible reputation CD Projekt Red enjoyed with the release of The Witcher 3 and its expansion packs, it's easy to see why the hype was through the roof for this title. The marketing sold this game to the moon and back, only for the final release to royally disappoint fans.
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While nowadays it is one of the best FPS open-world games ever, Cyberpunk 2077 was a mess when it launched in 2020, particularly on last-gen consoles. Its launch state was so bad that Sony started issuing refunds for the PS4 version, something the company rarely ever does. It took a long time for this game to turn its reputation around, but C2077 finally redeemed itself with the 2.0 update.
Postal 2
Glorified Violence Drew A Lot Of Negative Attention
Most people know of Postal 2 simply because of the controversy it generated. The game was meant to serve as a parody of American society, but all of this was overshadowed by the negative PR when news outlets jumped at the prospect of highlighting the over-the-top violence in this title.
Many people were horrified to see the level of violence in this title, as the Postal Dude could carry out some heinous acts as he went on a rampage. Some of the violence may be unjustified, and it's definitely not for everyone, but many fans can look past the controversy to enjoy a genuinely fun game with some entertaining missions.
Fallout 76
Fallout 76 Was All Controversy, All The Time
Has there ever been a major franchise release that had a launch as messy and backlash-driven as Fallout 76? Seriously, it seemed like the game did nothing right at launch, and that goes beyond just its content. Die-hard fans were already not that happy with the shift to a multiplayer format, and it was amplified by the always-online requirement, the lack of human NPCs at launch, and the change in identity from traditional entries in the series. As quite a few Bethesda games are wont to do, Fallout 76 launched with a few bugs; honestly, that is a bit of an understatement, as the game was in a considerably worse state than most of the publisher's releases.
As the icing on this controversial cake, Fallout 76's $200 Power Armor Edition became a meme due to failing to deliver the advertised canvas bag, instead sending a less impressive nylon version. This aspect got pretty much universal criticism and turned the game into a bit of a joke. Similar to No Man's Sky and Cyberpunk 2077, Fallout 76 managed to redeem itself to an extent, and it is solid option nowadays.
The Day Before
The Open-World Game That Was Removed From Steam 4 Days After Its Early Access Launch
Now, let's go for a bit more of a lighthearted one, in the sense that The Day Before is nowadays mostly remembered as a meme. Even before its release, the game's existence seemed questionable, and FNTASTIC had to assure Steam users that The Day Before was really real and not make-believe. Technically, the developer did release something, although describing it as a "game" would be generous.
Within just four days of its Early Access debut, the developer shut down The Day Before, and Valve spent most of those days issuing refunds. Steam disasters happen relatively frequently, but The Day Before was the loudest and, in some ways, the funniest.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
The Most Infamous Open-World Controversy Of All Time, And It Is Unsurprisingly GTA
San Andreas is one of the most popular video games ever made, with many people considering CJ's adventures to be the very best the GTA series has to offer. However, the game also landed in hot water when a mod uncovered in-game assets that were covered up at the last second.
The Hot Coffee mod lets players initiate a clunky intimate encounter with CJ's girlfriend at the end of every successful date. It looked horrible and led to a ton of controversy. Eventually, Rockstar had to outright remove these assets from the game to avoid the dreaded Adults Only rating.
Honorable mention to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, which also got a lot of backlash.
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