As one of the most popular modern genres, even big and established open-world games and their well-known developers are not immune to failure. In recent years, several ambitious open-world projects that spent years in development ended up disappointing for various reasons and severely underperformed financially. More often than not, just one or two such failures can be enough to bury a developer studio along with its IP entirely or push the franchise into indefinite dormancy until the right time comes to revive it.
6 Forgotten Open-World Franchises That Deserve A Comeback
These franchises would do well with a modern-day entry.
Below, we'll look at some notable yet forgotten open-world game series that are effectively dead today — whether due to their developers being shut down, years of inactivity from the rights holders, or no official announcements of new installments in the works.
There's no guarantee that the series listed below will never return, as some forgotten franchises make unexpected comebacks from time to time. However, the chances are very slim at the moment.
Just Cause
No More Cause for Rico to Fight For
Just Cause 4
- Released
- December 4, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Action, Adventure, Open-World
The Just Cause series needs little introduction, standing as one of the most explosive and chaotic open-world action franchises, with some of the most expansive maps in the genre. Originally launched in 2006, the series returned every four to five years, arguably reaching its peak with the sequel, which introduced several defining features like the grappling hook.
Just Cause 3 and 4 were far more iterative, with the latter feeling particularly rushed, releasing after just three years and offering too few innovations. The game received mixed reviews at best and performed well below expectations, with many fans considering it the weakest entry in the series. Once the dust settled, Just Cause 4 likely contributed to Avalanche Studios' closure and subsequent restructuring. Recently, the studio's co-founder Cristofer Sundberg confirmed that fans shouldn't expect Just Cause 5, as much of the original team is no longer around.
Rage
Not Mad Max, Not Quite Borderlands
Rage 2
- Released
- May 19, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Rage is an uneven open-world FPS franchise despite its immense potential, sharing clear similarities with Mad Max. After the original game by id Software launched in 2011, fans waited eight years for an unexpected sequel. Everything seemed in place for an explosive hit that could pave the way for more Rage follow-ups to rival Borderlands in popularity. Instead, Rage 2 turned out to be one of 2019's biggest disappointments, flopping hard both critically and commercially.
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While there was never an official confirmation that the Rage series is dead, connecting the dots isn't difficult. The sequel largely squandered its second chance, becoming one of the lowest-rated FPS titles in id Software's portfolio. With Avalanche Studios (heavily involved in its production) shut down after two major failures in a row, the excitement for another big post-apocalyptic entry has all but vanished. It seems the developers are better off focusing their efforts on Doom and Quake instead.
Middle-Earth: Shadow of
This One Still Hurts
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War
- Released
- October 10, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Monolith's Middle-earth open-world series (Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War) is probably one of the most painful losses in recent memory. These unique games, set in Tolkien's iconic world and powered by the acclaimed Nemesis system, offered endless replayability and fast-paced, satisfying action reminiscent of Assassin's Creed. What could possibly go wrong?
The sudden announcement in early 2025 of the open-world Wonder Woman game's cancellation, alongside the closure of Monolith Productions, came like a bolt from the blue. Few players eagerly anticipated the Wonder Woman project to begin with, but its cancellation also marked the unexpected end of the “Middle-earth: Shadow of” series and the effective retirement of the Nemesis system. What a shame.
Watch Dogs
Struggling With Its Own Identity
Watch Dogs Legion
- Released
- October 29, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
The Watch Dogs series is perhaps the least “officially dead” among these examples, but there are strong signs that Ubisoft has decided to shelve the franchise indefinitely following the difficult development of Watch Dogs Legion and the game's disappointing critical and commercial performance. The series has always struggled with its place and identity, shifting tone and focus wildly between entries. Despite the rich promise of a modern-day, hacker-driven open-world playground, Ubisoft never fully managed to realize its potential.
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More than five years after Watch Dogs Legion's release, there have been no hints or teasers about the franchise's future — a grim sign, considering Ubisoft's usual eagerness to capitalize on its IPs. To make matters worse, a prominent Ubisoft leaker revealed in 2024 that several Watch Dogs projects had been canceled, effectively leaving the series “dead and buried.” Adding to the bleak outlook, the company ended support for Legion unusually quickly, a stark contrast to its continued backing of another troubled project from that era, Ghost Recon Breakpoint. All in all, until Ubisoft proves otherwise, it's safe to assume Watch Dogs fans shouldn't expect another entry anytime soon.
Prototype
Should've Mutated More Aggressively
Prototype 2
- Released
- April 24, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature - Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Action, Open-World
The Prototype series is in an interesting spot, with some (admittedly unreliable) leaks and speculation suggesting that fans might see a revival of the open-world superhero action, perhaps in the form of remasters. Recently, there's been suspicious activity involving the game's Steam files, along with other claims earlier this year, hinting that something might be happening with Prototype. Still, until there's official confirmation, it's best not to get hopes too high, as the series has been completely dormant for over 13 years.
Released in 2009 and 2012, Prototype and its sequel stood out as memorable superhero-mutant action games, known for their strong worldbuilding, dark atmosphere, and distinctive mix of combat and stealth powered by supernatural abilities. Despite earning a devoted fanbase, the series was never a major hit, and Radical Entertainment suffered significant layoffs in 2010 and 2012. The studio was later restructured to support other Activision projects, effectively halting development of original titles and leaving the Prototype IP abandoned for years.
True Crime
The Deadest of Them All
True Crime: New York City
- Released
- November 15, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M17+ For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
Back in the day, True Crime stood as a direct competitor to the iconic GTA series, featuring expansive modern-day maps, action, vehicles, and bustling city streets. After the relatively successful True Crime: Streets of LA in 2003, its sequel, True Crime: New York City, was met with far less enthusiasm, prompting Activision to rethink its approach.
Rather than developing another sequel set in New York, the company moved forward with True Crime: Hong Kong under a new developer, United Front Games. The project was eventually rebooted and released as Sleeping Dogs by Square Enix — a standalone open-world title with no official connection to the True Crime series. Even with that second chance and the cult status it later achieved, Sleeping Dogs underperformed at launch. In 2014, Activision officially abandoned the True Crime trademark, and United Front Games shut down in 2016, marking the end of the GTA-competitor era.
Mercenaries
The Fall of a Promising Studio
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
- Released
- August 31, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Sandbox
Serving almost as a precursor to the Just Cause series, the Mercenaries open-world games were all about chaos and destruction, filled with explosions and battle-hardened soldiers. After the excellent first entry, Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction, the sequel, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, launched in a messy state, reflecting the internal struggles Pandemic Studios was facing at the time.
Fan suspicions proved justified, as shortly after World in Flames' disappointing release, EA shut down Pandemic Studios for good in 2009. That wasn't the immediate end for the Mercenaries series, though. The same year, EA tasked Danger Close Games with developing a new Mercenaries title. However, the project faced numerous difficulties and was ultimately canceled when the studio closed in 2013, serving as the final nail in the franchise's coffin.
Risen & Elex
At Least Gothic Makes Its Return
Elex 2
- Released
- March 1, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
A European studio with a fascinating history, Piranha Bytes can be said to have spent its entire existence making Gothic-style games — just with different twists each time. After losing the rights to the original Gothic franchise, the studio made several attempts to recreate its signature open-world RPG formula: first with the three Risen titles (including Risen 2: Dark Waters and Risen 3: Titan Lords), and later with two Elex games that blended fantasy and sci-fi elements for a fresh mix.
While the studio's games were never major critical or commercial hits, they maintained a dedicated fanbase, with several entries eventually earning cult status. However, after Elex 2 sold below expectations, it became clear that Piranha Bytes was struggling to move forward. Reports of closure surfaced in December 2023, and by June 2024, the studio had officially shut down — almost certainly marking the end of all its IPs, as Embracer Group failed to find an interested buyer.
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