Given how popular open-world games have become, it's easy to see why publishers and developers both seek out a way to turn their games into a long-running franchise. Roping in existing fans and improving the gameplay from previous titles is a sure-shot way to make a brand that can last for years.
7 Open-World Video Game Sequels That Went In A Completely Different Direction
Not every open-world game sticks to the same formula. These open-world sequels changed things up to make sure their series stayed fresh.
Unfortunately, not all open-world games end up enjoying the same level of popularity. As lauded as these franchises were at one point, they've fizzled out now. It's a shame, since most fans would now pay good money to see their favorite video games make a return.
6 Mercenaries
Players Miss Causing Endless Destruction In These Games
- Best Game(s): Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
Mercenaries is a series that fans can check out if they love destructive mechanics in their video games. Being able to decimate everything in sight is a huge draw that has helped the Battlefield series stand out, so it's easy to see why fans loved this in the Mercenaries games too.
However, after the release of Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (a game that many fans liked, despite its issues), the franchise was indefinitely shelved. It's a long shot, but a revival of this franchise with modern technology can let fans enjoy better destruction mechanics than they could ever imagine in their wildest dreams.
5 True Crime
A GTA Clone That Was More Riveting Than People Gave It Credit For
- Best Game(s): True Crime: Streets of LA
True Crime started as a GTA clone, and it ended its run without ever shaking this label. It's a shame, since these games could've transformed to develop an identity of their own, but the series' run was halted after just two games.
Streets of LA was a genuinely fun game, and the Hong Kong True Crime game eventually led to Sleeping Dogs. If this series ever makes a comeback, then fans can only hope that a new open-world True Crime title will knock everyone off their feet.
4 Infamous
Fans Would Love A New Entry In The Infamous Series
- Best Game(s): Infamous, Infamous 2
With Sucker Punch Productions moving on to Ghost of Tsushima and its successor, it's easy to see why any hopes of the Infamous games making a comeback have been deflated. It's a shame, since fans loved these gritty superhero games that started out with electrical powers before players eventually got to use a bunch of elements (both classic and otherwise) in the sequels.
8 Best Open-World Games That Let You Conquer Areas, Ranked
Take over and control territory in these open-world games that let you conquer areas.
The dark storytelling, fun parkour, and excellent combat made every Infamous game worth checking out for fans. It's a shame that this franchise has seemingly been left in the dust, and fans can only hope that Sucker Punch and Sony decide to come back to this series after the Ghost games end up performing so well that this studio enjoys the benefits of a bigger budget.
3 Driver
The Series Of Open-World Action Driving Games Deserves A Comeback
- Best Game(s): Driver 2, Driver: San Francisco
A driving game series that emulated the heists and action-packed chases from most cinematic movies, it's a shame that Driver has slowly faded to become a forgotten relic of the gaming industry. The first game was notorious for boasting one of the hardest tutorials in a video game, while San Francisco featured a Shift mechanic that should've revolutionized the racing genre but ended up being treated like a gimmick.
Fans loved the high-stakes driving in these games, which is why a new Driver game would do a great job of revitalizing the series. This may seem like a fever dream at this point, but fans can always dream that Tanner will get one more chance to shine in a video game.
2 Midnight Club
Fans Would Love It If Rockstar Brought This Street Racing Franchise Back
- Best Game(s): Midnight Club 2, Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition
After Rockstar enjoyed immense success with the release of their open-world hits in the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption games, one of their beloved street racing franchises took a backseat. Fans loved Midnight Club, but the hype for their sandbox titles was so massive that players didn't really make a hue and cry about this series being left in the dust.
It's a shame, since the atmosphere in Midnight Club made it a ton of fun to race on the neon-soaked streets of numerous notable cities. Street racing has always been a blast, and Rockstar's pull means that the announcement of a new Midnight Club game would be very appealing to the masses.
1 Saints Row
The Reboot Was A Bad Move, But The Franchise Doesn't Deserve To Be Shelved
- Best Game(s): Saints Row 2, Saints Row 3
It may be a stretch to call Saints Row forgotten, given that the last game in the series was in 2022. However, this poor attempt at a reboot was so shocking that fans lost interest in the series, and Volition was forced to close its doors.
As a result, it's very unlikely that a new Saints Row game will see the light of day. It's a shame, since this title had managed to establish itself as a fun open-world series courtesy of its zany humor and a focus on prioritizing player fun over everything else, which is something that more video games need to learn from.
10 Xbox 360 Games That Should Get The Recompilation Treatment
From ambitious RPGs to cult-favorite action games, these are the Xbox 360 titles that would benefit the most from the recompilation treatment.