The 10 BIGGEST Broken Promises in Gaming History
Make FPS Great Again
“Splitgate 2” (2025)
There’s nothing worse than being hyperbolic, shooting down your peers, claiming greatness for yourself, and then remaining mediocre… It’s embarrassing. Chuck a hat on that parodies one of the most divisive figures of the 21st century and you’ve just sealed your fate. “Splitgate 2” arrived swinging with bold marketing about revitalizing the FPS genre, but for many players, it struggled to meaningfully evolve beyond the trends it claimed to challenge. Looking at your $70 skins. The original “Splitgate” gained attention by blending arena-style gunplay with portal mechanics, offering a fresh twist on familiar formulas. Expectations were that a sequel would double down on innovation. Instead, critics argue that “Splitgate 2” leaned heavily into the same seasonal content cycles, cosmetic monetization, and progression grinds that dominate modern shooters. While the gameplay was “mechanically competent”, the promise of restoring the classic, skill-driven FPS felt diluted by an emphasis on retention, and monetization. Both of which have created dominant games in the genre, and also angered gamers to no end.
Halo Killer
“Haze” (2008)
When “Haze” was marketed as a potential “Halo killer,” expectations shot through the roof. Which would be fine, if the claim wasn’t trying to compare itself to one of the greatest FPS series of all time. Backed by confident messaging and positioned as a major PlayStation-exclusive FPS, it promised a fresh sci-fi universe, and gameplay to rival “Halo 3”. What players received instead was a technically uneven shooter that leaned heavily on ideas already circulating in the mid-2000s FPS boom. The Nectar mechanic, which was their crowning achievement, was nothing special, and definitely nothing new. Level design felt corridor-bound, AI lacked sophistication, and the narrative’s attempt at social commentary never quite reached the depth it was trying SO hard to reach. It tried to be The Matrix, and became “do you ever feel like a plastic bag?”
Silent Hills
“P.T” (2013)
A reveal is as good as a promise, and in 2013 gamers were left buzzing with excitement when they finished the PS4 exclusive short horror experience “P.T.” to see a dope trailer that explained that what they just played was a teaser/demo for the newest “Silent Hill” entry, “Silent Hills”. We had Norman Reedus as our main star, and gaming director legend Hideo Kojima combining his brain with director Guillermo del Toro to create a game that had the potential to change the horror genre. Instead, Konami and Kojima went their different ways, removing him towards the end of development for “Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain”, the fifth numbered entry in the series that was birthed and bred by Kojima himself, and inevitably they cancelled Silent Hills. This broken promise felt like extra sting from Konami who have so much to thank Kojima for, and seem to have kicked him to the curb when he deserved so much more.
Early Fatality
“Mortal Kombat 11” (2019) & “Mortal Kombat 1” (2023)
Both “Mortal Kombat 11” and “Mortal Kombat 1” built strong launch momentum with promises of long-term content, ongoing character additions, and sustained competitive support, only for post-launch plans to wind down sooner than many players expected. People argue this wasn’t exactly promised, but I disagree. “Mortal Kombat 11” delivered multiple Kombat Packs and a story expansion, but communication around the end of new DLC felt abrupt, especially for fans anticipating additional fighters rumored or teased within the community. Years later, “Mortal Kombat 1” launched with similar messaging about continued evolution, seasonal content, and future expansions, yet support appeared to taper off faster than some players believed had been implied. In both cases, the perception wasn’t necessarily about the quantity of content released, but about expectation management. When live-service elements and roadmap-style updates are emphasized during marketing, communities assume extended lifespans. Ending support earlier than anticipated can leave competitive scenes and dedicated players feeling stranded, and this reinforces skepticism from fans who have already begun to fade.
The Ultimate Alien Experience
“Aliens: Colonial Marines” (2013)
“Aliens: Colonial Marines” was marketed as the definitive interactive follow-up to one of the greatest films of all time, repeatedly described as the “ultimate Aliens experience.” Trailers showcased cinematic lighting, sharp enemy AI, and atmospheric environments that appeared to capture the claustrophobic terror of “Aliens.” Expectations were sky-high, especially with promises of authentic lore connections and involvement from key film creatives. When the game finally released, many fans felt blindsided, myself and my older brother included... In fact, this was very close to when the suspicion part of my brain came online, and I realised developers might try and lie to me in order to make money. The final product suffered from inconsistent visuals compared to early demos, uneven AI behavior, technical bugs, and repetitive level design. Instead of tense, unpredictable Xenomorph encounters, enemies often behaved erratically or lacked the menace showcased in previews, from running into walls, to standing still for no reason. Cooperative play offered moments of fun, but it wasn’t enough, trust me daddy.
Cancelled
“Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” (2003)
I’m currently working on another project titled The 10 Worst Video Game Publishers of All Time, and I wanted to put Ubisoft at #1 just for this reason... But I was forced to be professional. Godammit BossMojo. Ubisoft announced a remake of “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” with the promise of modern visuals, rebuilt combat, and a faithful revival of one of its most beloved action-adventure titles. For longtime fans, it felt like the long-awaited return of a franchise that had been dormant for years. However, the initial reveal was met with heavy criticism over its graphical quality and presentation, which many felt looked outdated rather than reimagined. Following backlash, Ubisoft delayed the project multiple times, reassigned development to a different studio, and assured players it was still in progress. Over time, communication became sparse, release windows disappeared, and confidence was falling away. Finally, the game was declared cancelled along with 6 other projects, but what truly stabbed the dagger of time deeper into our backs was the revelation from developers that the project was basically finished. COME ON, UBISOFT!
AAAA
“Skull and Bones” (2023)
One thing we’ve learned is that developers need to temper expectations, not build them beyond realistic expectation-wait what’s Ubisoft doing? Calling a glorified ship simulator a quadruple A game when the best high budget games of all time have only ever been labelled AAA? Oh that will probably turn out great. “Skull and Bones” made this ridiculous claim, implying a leap beyond traditional big-budget games, deeper systems, cutting-edge visuals, and genre-defining ambition. Given the project’s long development cycle and multiple delays, many assumed the extra time and resources would translate into something revolutionary. Instead, when the game finally launched, the response was “what the f*** is this?” While visually polished in places, players found its core loop repetitive, its world less dynamic than promised, and its progression systems heavily centered on grinding and live-service structure. The problem is, if you’re cocky enough to claim AAAA, you could deliver “Red Dead Redemption 2” and we’d still roll our eyes.
No Story Mode
“Overwatch 2” (2023)
Before launch, “Overwatch 2” was said to be more than a sequel, it was framed as a major evolution built around a dope story campaign. Blizzard showcased talent trees, replayable hero missions, and long-form narrative content that would expand the universe beyond the competitive multiplayer of the first entry. For many fans, that story mode was the primary justification for replacing “Overwatch” with its sequel. And this might come as a surprise, but things changed. In 2023, Blizzard announced that the expansive PvE mode, including the promised hero progression system, had been canceled, uh oh. The shift left players feeling misled, especially those who had accepted sweeping gameplay changes under the assumption that a substantial cooperative campaign was coming. The issue wasn’t just cut content, it was expectation. And after basically killing their first entry, it was “game on mole” for Reddit.
No Man’s Lie
“No Man’s Sky” (2016)
“No Man’s Sky” didn’t just stumble at launch, it face-planted into a fireball of lies courtesy of the head developer Sean Murray. Pre-release trailers painted a picture of a boundless universe packed with seamless multiplayer, complex ecosystems, and near-infinite discovery. Interviews and demo showcases only fueled that excitement, then the game launched, and oh no... Oh god no. Players encountered technical issues, repetitive gameplay loops, and a noticeable absence of several heavily discussed features. Disappointment turned into backlash, and even legal scrutiny followed as consumers questioned the marketing. And by marketing, I mean outright lies. Just straight, down the lense without blinking, lies. The game is dope now, but that took years, they could have done all that without the lies!
“Next Gen” Gaming
When the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S were unveiled, the phrase “next-gen” carried massive expectations: instant loading, groundbreaking visuals, transformative gameplay, and experiences that simply wouldn’t be possible on older hardware. The reality, at least in the eyes of many players, has felt more incremental than revolutionary. While load times improved and performance modes delivered smoother frame rates, much of the library consists of cross-generation titles also playable on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Instead of radically new design philosophies, gamers often received enhanced resolutions, ray tracing toggles, and higher frame rates layered onto familiar formulas. Truly exclusive showcases have been relatively rare, and some highly anticipated releases arrived years into the console cycle. For parts of the community, this generation has felt like a prolonged transition period rather than a clear leap forward. And that has been unfortunately, really disappointing.
