It\u2019s amazing to think that Dead Island 2 is finally upon us. Having been announced in 2014, it\u2019s changed hands three separate times but publisher Deep Silver never gave up on the game. Even though it was starting to look like a proper release would never happen, it\u2019s finally here and has managed to escape from the depths of \u201cdevelopment hell\u201d. Regardless of the quality of the final release, Deep Silver and Dambuster Studios deserve commendation for seeing it through to the finish line with this project.<\/p>\n
Many games simply never get to that finish line. Some linger in development hell, only being brought up rarely in conversations as some kind of myth or urban legend of gaming. It\u2019s always a joy to see games escape from this, though, even if the final product isn\u2019t everything it could\u2019ve been. Here are 10 games that we would like to see follow in Dead Island 2\u2019s footsteps and push past development hell.<\/p>\n
Beyond Good & Evil 2<\/h2>\n\n![\"beyond](\"https:\/\/twinfinite.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Beyond-Good-and-Evil-2-1200x675-c-default.jpeg?resize=1000%2C563\")
<\/div>Image Source: Ubisoft<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nLet\u2019s just get this one out of the way right now, because it\u2019s the obvious inclusion. When it comes to vaporware, there\u2019s almost no game that jumps to mind as quickly as Beyond Good & Evil 2. A game first teased in 2008, officially announced in 2016, showcased in 2017 and 2018\u2026 and it still hasn\u2019t even entered full production yet.<\/p>\n
Ever since the faint glimmer of hope we got out of the game at previous E3 shows, it\u2019s been nothing but bad news for Beyond Good & Evil 2. Series creator Michel Ancel left the company in 2020, the game broke the Guinness World Record for the longest development period for a video game (unthinkably beating the infamous Duke Nukem Forever), and it\u2019s since come under labor investigations as a result of concerns over the well-being of its team. With this, managing director Guillaume Carmona and senior creative director Jean-Marc Geffroy have departed, and the game\u2019s hopes seem bleaker than ever.<\/p>\n
It appears to have become far too overscoped but still lacking in a clear vision, and Ubisoft is at a point where it simply can\u2019t cancel the game because too much money has already been dumped into it. It would be a great story to see this actually reach the finish line, and it\u2019d be a greater story if it ends up being a good game. Expectations are sky-high, however, given what it has to live up to, so\u2026 here\u2019s hoping.<\/p>\n
Skull and Bones<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/twinfinite.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Skull-and-Bones-1.jpg?resize=1000%2C563\")
<\/div>Image Source: Ubisoft<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAt this point, it would be good for Skull and Bones to get out of development hell so that the hellish cycle of the game\u2019s creation can finally come to a close. While Beyond Good & Evil 2 has had its own trouble with development, Skull & Bones has been arguably just as much of a problem for Ubisoft, evidenced by the fact that it\u2019s already been officially delayed a whopping six times.<\/p>\n
This title has been a massive, widely publicized mess for Ubisoft, who has already dumped copious amounts of money \u2013 at least $120 million, to be exact \u2013 into a game where no one knows what they\u2019re doing. Several creative directors have come and gone like a revolving door, each one restarting its development from the ground up, but the overall game doesn\u2019t seem to have any kind of direction despite all of these resources being invested into it. It probably would\u2019ve been completely canceled long ago had it not been for Ubisoft Singapore\u2019s agreement with the government that would earn them resources and funds to continue operating as a developer.<\/p>\n
Thus, being a seemingly uncancellable title, Ubisoft has tried to push forward but continuously trod water. What started as a mere Assassin\u2019s Creed expansion is becoming a massive example of the \u201ctoo many cooks in the kitchen\u201d ideology. It\u2019s currently set for release in a vague 2023-2024 release window, one that it may also struggle to properly hit. For now, we only hope that Skull and Bones can actually make it out alive so that this nightmare of a development period can be properly completed.<\/p>\n
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake<\/h2>\n\n![\"prince](\"https:\/\/twinfinite.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Prince-of-Persia-remake-transferred-to-another-studio-1200x675-1.jpg?resize=1000%2C563\")
<\/div>Image Source: Ubisoft<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nI\u2019m sensing a pattern here: it sounds like Ubisoft has a lot of games it should be releasing. It hasn\u2019t exactly been the best of times for the publisher lately, and it hits a little harder when you realize just how many unreleased games Ubisoft has been sitting on, with no signs of an upcoming release.<\/p>\n
The remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was announced back at the Ubisoft Forward 2020 event, and it was set to bring the franchise back in a big way. Not long before its initially planned release of Jan. 21, 2021, though, Ubisoft delayed the project to March 18 in response to criticism over the initial trailer. Since then, it\u2019s been removed from Ubisoft\u2019s release schedule and delayed indefinitely, while also changing hands and seeing Ubisoft Montreal now head its development.<\/p>\n
Ubisoft is insisting at this point that the remake has not been abandoned, though pre-orders have been canceled as a result of the game not having a release date. Even still, we hardly heard anything about it in 2022 other than that the development team still has a pulse. It would be great to see it push through development hell, though, for the sake of giving this franchise the return it deserves.<\/p>\n
In The Valley of Gods<\/h2>\n\n![\"In](\"https:\/\/twinfinite.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/in_the_valley_of_gods.jpg?resize=1000%2C563\")
<\/div>Image Source: Valve\/Campo Santo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nPerhaps the smallest title on this list, In The Valley of Gods carried so much promise. Campo Santo\u2019s planned second game after 2016\u2019s Firewatch, the developer\u2019s progress would be halted by its acquisition from Valve, who wanted the team to help on then-upcoming projects like Half-Life Alyx.<\/p>\n
While the game is currently said to be \u201con hold\u201d, there are some greater concerns that it may be vaporware. Developers at Campo Santo have removed mentions of the title from their Twitter descriptions, the company has scrubbed all mentions of it from its website, and the officially uploaded trailer has since been set to private.<\/p>\n
It has not been officially canceled, however, and the game\u2019s individual website and Steam page remain active. Of course, Steam lists the release date as December 2029\u2026 surely, that\u2019s just a placeholder. Regardless, perhaps it\u2019s simply on the back burner as Campo Santo assists Valve with other projects. Hopefully, this promising first-person adventure game finds a way to release at some point.<\/p>\n
Deep Down<\/h2>\n\n![\"deep](\"https:\/\/twinfinite.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/1573042280_429934_1573042365_noticia_normal.jpg?resize=1000%2C563\")
<\/div>Image Source: Capcom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nHey, remember this one? Probably not, right? Announced way back at the PlayStation 4\u2019s debut in 2013, Deep Down was Capcom\u2019s planned free-to-play take on the Soulslike formula, offering single-player and four-player co-op gameplay in a dungeon crawler style. After this event, though, Capcom went quiet on the project, never showing it off again.<\/p>\n
Yet, the publisher continues to extend its trademark, despite the fact that producer Yoshinori Ono departed from Capcom in 2020. Still, while it looks like the project has not officially been canceled, no one seems to be doing anything with it. Even PlayStation\u2019s former chairman Shawn Layden was asked what happened to the game, and could only respond that he had \u201cno idea\u201d.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Deep Down seems to exist somewhere, but precisely where is anyone\u2019s guess. It appeared to be in a near-complete state before being shelved, so Capcom could possibly bring it out at any time. It would be interesting to see this game, which was announced so early in the PlayStation 4\u2019s life, make a return in the next generation to finally close the book of its development hell.<\/p>\n
Payday 3<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/twinfinite.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Payday-3-1.jpg?resize=1000%2C563\")
<\/div>Image Source: Prime Matter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nYou might not even know it, but yes, Payday 3 is indeed a game that is happening. With how much content Payday 2 has continued to receive, it might be forgotten that a third entry in the series was announced back in 2017. A little over a year later, though, co-developer Starbreeze Studios had to undergo restructuring following the commercial failure of Overkill\u2019s The Walking Dead. With this financial difficulty, concerns arose that Starbreeze wouldn\u2019t survive long enough to see Payday 3 through.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, the team was able to properly restructure, but this process was not fully completed until December 2019. All of this clearly meant that Payday 3\u2019s development was not a massive priority, and the COVID pandemic coming shortly after had to have further impeded the overall progress of the game. It wasn\u2019t until 2021 that the team was able to sign a deal with Koch Media to assist in publishing it.<\/p>\n
Better news, Payday 3 is set for a release at some point in 2023. Thus, we may see the development hell period finally come to an end sometime soon. Here\u2019s hoping this sequel offers up the same chaotic fun that Payday 2 was able to provide players with.<\/p>\n
Vampire: The Masquerade \u2013 Bloodlines 2<\/h2>\n\n![\"vampire](\"https:\/\/twinfinite.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/VampireBloodline2_HERO.webp?resize=1000%2C563\")
<\/div>Image Source: Paradox Interactive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you\u2019re looking for a game whose development has been extremely messy, let\u2019s have a refresher on this one. Vampire: The Masquerade \u2013 Bloodlines 2 was first teased in 2019 with an expected release in March 2020. Since then, it\u2019s been delayed numerous times, to the point where it currently doesn\u2019t have a release date whatsoever. It\u2019d be one thing if the developers simply went quiet on the game, but instead, there\u2019s been a bevy of drama.<\/p>\n
Chris Avellone, a writer on the project, would see his contributions removed in 2020 following allegations of sexual assault, while lead narrative designer Brian Mitsoda, creative director Ka\u2019ai Cluney, and senior narrative designer Cara Ellison exited from the project. Already losing a lot of key players, publisher Paradox Interactive later announced that developer Hardsuit Labs would no longer be working on the title, with a new development team set to take over. Who is that development team, you may ask? That\u2019s a great question that still doesn\u2019t have an answer because Paradox still hasn\u2019t revealed who it is.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a miracle a game like this persists on, and Paradox\u2019s CEO Fredrik Wester insists that the project is still in development. Wester even said a 2023 release is \u201cabsolutely not impossible\u201d, which indicates that a solid amount of progress is being made, so much so that we don\u2019t know who the developer making that progress is but hey, it\u2019s progress! Hopefully, the fruits of that labor can be shared with the rest of us sometime soon, and this messy development can be put squarely in the rearview mirror.<\/p>\n
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/twinfinite.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Stalker-2.jpg?resize=1000%2C563\")
<\/div>Image Source: GSC Game World<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis is the rare example on this list of a game affected by world-based conditions, and a title that otherwise probably would\u2019ve been out by now. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, first announced in 2010 and canceled in 2012, was revived in 2018 and prominently featured at Xbox\u2019s E3 2021 show. It even received a release date of Dec. 8, 2022 at one point, and it appeared the game was almost ready to finally end up in the hands of gamers.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, life got in the way; developer GSC Game World, based in Kyiv, Ukraine, was obviously rocked by the Russia-Ukraine war that forced the team to flee for the Czech Republic. Naturally, development had to be suspended in the wake of this, as the team had to make sure that they, along with their families and loved ones, could live safely. One of the former developers at the studio was also killed in action fighting in the war, which is obviously going to rock the team and slow down development.<\/p>\n
It appears as though GSC has been able to continue working on it, though, enough that it\u2019s still set for a release sometime in 2023. Given all that the team has had to endure, it would be wonderful to see this game make it out of this long development cycle. We sure hope that GSC can have the game out in 2023, while also keeping its employees and their families safe in this trying time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Metroid Prime 4<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/twinfinite.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Metroid-Prime-4.jpg?resize=1000%2C563\")
<\/div>Image Source: Nintendo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMetroid Prime 4 has had a rather long saga of silence compared to the typical Nintendo game, only made more bearable by Nintendo\u2019s recent attention paid to the series. This entry was announced early in the Switch\u2019s life \u2013 at E3 2017, to be exact \u2013 but the only news we\u2019ve heard about it since then was its switch in developers, with Retro Studios returning to the helm in 2019.<\/p>\n
The upside for Nintendo has been its recent commitment to the franchise, with 2017\u2019s Metroid: Samus Returns and 2021\u2019s Metroid Dread bringing the franchise back in a fantastic way. 2023 also saw the Prime sub-series make a return with Metroid Prime Remastered, and this re-release may be the biggest sign that Prime 4\u2019s vaporware saga may be over soon.<\/p>\n
Rumors of this remaster existed for years before its eventual release, with reports noting that the game had been finished for some time but that Nintendo was sitting on it until Metroid Prime 4 was closer to being ready. This was further supported by its surprise release, so maybe Prime 4 might come sooner than we think. Given the incredible quality of the series and massive anticipation, it will almost certainly be a wonderful time when Prime 4 breaks from development hell.<\/p>\n
Perfect Dark<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/twinfinite.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/perfect-dark-come-gameplay-parla-the-initiative-v3-487157-e1651597849831.jpg?resize=1000%2C563\")
<\/div>Image Source: Xbox Game Studios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nQuite frankly, you can put a bunch of other first-party Xbox titles in this spot. With a bevy of games like Avowed, Everwild, Fable, The Outer Worlds 2, and Hellblade 2 taking their good old time to release, any one of them could fill this list. Fable is a particularly strong choice as well, but in this case, we\u2019re gonna go with Perfect Dark.<\/p>\n
It was a pleasant surprise when a Perfect Dark reboot was announced at The Game Awards in 2020, but beyond a general silence ever since, what little news we have gotten hasn\u2019t been all that nice to hear about. Set to be the debut title from new Xbox team The Initiative (with Crystal Dynamics co-developing), this supposed \u201cAAAA\u201d game has seen large amounts of developers and key senior staff members exit the company, with a lack of creative autonomy and exceedingly slow-paced development being the biggest issues.<\/p>\n
Worse, it sounds like the game is not close to being finished, which means the wait is going to feel even longer from this point forward. Even so, seeing this game exit development hell could be a big moment for Xbox and for the franchise. Given the beloved status of the classic Perfect Dark and the more polarizing reception to Perfect Dark Zero, a game like this would be perfect for putting the franchise back on the map.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>Let\u2019s just get this one out of the way right now, because it\u2019s the obvious inclusion. When it comes to vaporware, there\u2019s almost no game that jumps to mind as quickly as Beyond Good & Evil 2. A game first teased in 2008, officially announced in 2016, showcased in 2017 and 2018\u2026 and it still hasn\u2019t even entered full production yet.<\/p>\n
Ever since the faint glimmer of hope we got out of the game at previous E3 shows, it\u2019s been nothing but bad news for Beyond Good & Evil 2. Series creator Michel Ancel left the company in 2020, the game broke the Guinness World Record for the longest development period for a video game (unthinkably beating the infamous Duke Nukem Forever), and it\u2019s since come under labor investigations as a result of concerns over the well-being of its team. With this, managing director Guillaume Carmona and senior creative director Jean-Marc Geffroy have departed, and the game\u2019s hopes seem bleaker than ever.<\/p>\n
It appears to have become far too overscoped but still lacking in a clear vision, and Ubisoft is at a point where it simply can\u2019t cancel the game because too much money has already been dumped into it. It would be a great story to see this actually reach the finish line, and it\u2019d be a greater story if it ends up being a good game. Expectations are sky-high, however, given what it has to live up to, so\u2026 here\u2019s hoping.<\/p>\n
Skull and Bones<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Ubisoft<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAt this point, it would be good for Skull and Bones to get out of development hell so that the hellish cycle of the game\u2019s creation can finally come to a close. While Beyond Good & Evil 2 has had its own trouble with development, Skull & Bones has been arguably just as much of a problem for Ubisoft, evidenced by the fact that it\u2019s already been officially delayed a whopping six times.<\/p>\n
This title has been a massive, widely publicized mess for Ubisoft, who has already dumped copious amounts of money \u2013 at least $120 million, to be exact \u2013 into a game where no one knows what they\u2019re doing. Several creative directors have come and gone like a revolving door, each one restarting its development from the ground up, but the overall game doesn\u2019t seem to have any kind of direction despite all of these resources being invested into it. It probably would\u2019ve been completely canceled long ago had it not been for Ubisoft Singapore\u2019s agreement with the government that would earn them resources and funds to continue operating as a developer.<\/p>\n
Thus, being a seemingly uncancellable title, Ubisoft has tried to push forward but continuously trod water. What started as a mere Assassin\u2019s Creed expansion is becoming a massive example of the \u201ctoo many cooks in the kitchen\u201d ideology. It\u2019s currently set for release in a vague 2023-2024 release window, one that it may also struggle to properly hit. For now, we only hope that Skull and Bones can actually make it out alive so that this nightmare of a development period can be properly completed.<\/p>\n
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Ubisoft<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nI\u2019m sensing a pattern here: it sounds like Ubisoft has a lot of games it should be releasing. It hasn\u2019t exactly been the best of times for the publisher lately, and it hits a little harder when you realize just how many unreleased games Ubisoft has been sitting on, with no signs of an upcoming release.<\/p>\n
The remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was announced back at the Ubisoft Forward 2020 event, and it was set to bring the franchise back in a big way. Not long before its initially planned release of Jan. 21, 2021, though, Ubisoft delayed the project to March 18 in response to criticism over the initial trailer. Since then, it\u2019s been removed from Ubisoft\u2019s release schedule and delayed indefinitely, while also changing hands and seeing Ubisoft Montreal now head its development.<\/p>\n
Ubisoft is insisting at this point that the remake has not been abandoned, though pre-orders have been canceled as a result of the game not having a release date. Even still, we hardly heard anything about it in 2022 other than that the development team still has a pulse. It would be great to see it push through development hell, though, for the sake of giving this franchise the return it deserves.<\/p>\n
In The Valley of Gods<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Valve\/Campo Santo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nPerhaps the smallest title on this list, In The Valley of Gods carried so much promise. Campo Santo\u2019s planned second game after 2016\u2019s Firewatch, the developer\u2019s progress would be halted by its acquisition from Valve, who wanted the team to help on then-upcoming projects like Half-Life Alyx.<\/p>\n
While the game is currently said to be \u201con hold\u201d, there are some greater concerns that it may be vaporware. Developers at Campo Santo have removed mentions of the title from their Twitter descriptions, the company has scrubbed all mentions of it from its website, and the officially uploaded trailer has since been set to private.<\/p>\n
It has not been officially canceled, however, and the game\u2019s individual website and Steam page remain active. Of course, Steam lists the release date as December 2029\u2026 surely, that\u2019s just a placeholder. Regardless, perhaps it\u2019s simply on the back burner as Campo Santo assists Valve with other projects. Hopefully, this promising first-person adventure game finds a way to release at some point.<\/p>\n
Deep Down<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Capcom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nHey, remember this one? Probably not, right? Announced way back at the PlayStation 4\u2019s debut in 2013, Deep Down was Capcom\u2019s planned free-to-play take on the Soulslike formula, offering single-player and four-player co-op gameplay in a dungeon crawler style. After this event, though, Capcom went quiet on the project, never showing it off again.<\/p>\n
Yet, the publisher continues to extend its trademark, despite the fact that producer Yoshinori Ono departed from Capcom in 2020. Still, while it looks like the project has not officially been canceled, no one seems to be doing anything with it. Even PlayStation\u2019s former chairman Shawn Layden was asked what happened to the game, and could only respond that he had \u201cno idea\u201d.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Deep Down seems to exist somewhere, but precisely where is anyone\u2019s guess. It appeared to be in a near-complete state before being shelved, so Capcom could possibly bring it out at any time. It would be interesting to see this game, which was announced so early in the PlayStation 4\u2019s life, make a return in the next generation to finally close the book of its development hell.<\/p>\n
Payday 3<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Prime Matter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nYou might not even know it, but yes, Payday 3 is indeed a game that is happening. With how much content Payday 2 has continued to receive, it might be forgotten that a third entry in the series was announced back in 2017. A little over a year later, though, co-developer Starbreeze Studios had to undergo restructuring following the commercial failure of Overkill\u2019s The Walking Dead. With this financial difficulty, concerns arose that Starbreeze wouldn\u2019t survive long enough to see Payday 3 through.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, the team was able to properly restructure, but this process was not fully completed until December 2019. All of this clearly meant that Payday 3\u2019s development was not a massive priority, and the COVID pandemic coming shortly after had to have further impeded the overall progress of the game. It wasn\u2019t until 2021 that the team was able to sign a deal with Koch Media to assist in publishing it.<\/p>\n
Better news, Payday 3 is set for a release at some point in 2023. Thus, we may see the development hell period finally come to an end sometime soon. Here\u2019s hoping this sequel offers up the same chaotic fun that Payday 2 was able to provide players with.<\/p>\n
Vampire: The Masquerade \u2013 Bloodlines 2<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Paradox Interactive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you\u2019re looking for a game whose development has been extremely messy, let\u2019s have a refresher on this one. Vampire: The Masquerade \u2013 Bloodlines 2 was first teased in 2019 with an expected release in March 2020. Since then, it\u2019s been delayed numerous times, to the point where it currently doesn\u2019t have a release date whatsoever. It\u2019d be one thing if the developers simply went quiet on the game, but instead, there\u2019s been a bevy of drama.<\/p>\n
Chris Avellone, a writer on the project, would see his contributions removed in 2020 following allegations of sexual assault, while lead narrative designer Brian Mitsoda, creative director Ka\u2019ai Cluney, and senior narrative designer Cara Ellison exited from the project. Already losing a lot of key players, publisher Paradox Interactive later announced that developer Hardsuit Labs would no longer be working on the title, with a new development team set to take over. Who is that development team, you may ask? That\u2019s a great question that still doesn\u2019t have an answer because Paradox still hasn\u2019t revealed who it is.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a miracle a game like this persists on, and Paradox\u2019s CEO Fredrik Wester insists that the project is still in development. Wester even said a 2023 release is \u201cabsolutely not impossible\u201d, which indicates that a solid amount of progress is being made, so much so that we don\u2019t know who the developer making that progress is but hey, it\u2019s progress! Hopefully, the fruits of that labor can be shared with the rest of us sometime soon, and this messy development can be put squarely in the rearview mirror.<\/p>\n
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: GSC Game World<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis is the rare example on this list of a game affected by world-based conditions, and a title that otherwise probably would\u2019ve been out by now. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, first announced in 2010 and canceled in 2012, was revived in 2018 and prominently featured at Xbox\u2019s E3 2021 show. It even received a release date of Dec. 8, 2022 at one point, and it appeared the game was almost ready to finally end up in the hands of gamers.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, life got in the way; developer GSC Game World, based in Kyiv, Ukraine, was obviously rocked by the Russia-Ukraine war that forced the team to flee for the Czech Republic. Naturally, development had to be suspended in the wake of this, as the team had to make sure that they, along with their families and loved ones, could live safely. One of the former developers at the studio was also killed in action fighting in the war, which is obviously going to rock the team and slow down development.<\/p>\n
It appears as though GSC has been able to continue working on it, though, enough that it\u2019s still set for a release sometime in 2023. Given all that the team has had to endure, it would be wonderful to see this game make it out of this long development cycle. We sure hope that GSC can have the game out in 2023, while also keeping its employees and their families safe in this trying time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Metroid Prime 4<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Nintendo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMetroid Prime 4 has had a rather long saga of silence compared to the typical Nintendo game, only made more bearable by Nintendo\u2019s recent attention paid to the series. This entry was announced early in the Switch\u2019s life \u2013 at E3 2017, to be exact \u2013 but the only news we\u2019ve heard about it since then was its switch in developers, with Retro Studios returning to the helm in 2019.<\/p>\n
The upside for Nintendo has been its recent commitment to the franchise, with 2017\u2019s Metroid: Samus Returns and 2021\u2019s Metroid Dread bringing the franchise back in a fantastic way. 2023 also saw the Prime sub-series make a return with Metroid Prime Remastered, and this re-release may be the biggest sign that Prime 4\u2019s vaporware saga may be over soon.<\/p>\n
Rumors of this remaster existed for years before its eventual release, with reports noting that the game had been finished for some time but that Nintendo was sitting on it until Metroid Prime 4 was closer to being ready. This was further supported by its surprise release, so maybe Prime 4 might come sooner than we think. Given the incredible quality of the series and massive anticipation, it will almost certainly be a wonderful time when Prime 4 breaks from development hell.<\/p>\n
Perfect Dark<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Xbox Game Studios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nQuite frankly, you can put a bunch of other first-party Xbox titles in this spot. With a bevy of games like Avowed, Everwild, Fable, The Outer Worlds 2, and Hellblade 2 taking their good old time to release, any one of them could fill this list. Fable is a particularly strong choice as well, but in this case, we\u2019re gonna go with Perfect Dark.<\/p>\n
It was a pleasant surprise when a Perfect Dark reboot was announced at The Game Awards in 2020, but beyond a general silence ever since, what little news we have gotten hasn\u2019t been all that nice to hear about. Set to be the debut title from new Xbox team The Initiative (with Crystal Dynamics co-developing), this supposed \u201cAAAA\u201d game has seen large amounts of developers and key senior staff members exit the company, with a lack of creative autonomy and exceedingly slow-paced development being the biggest issues.<\/p>\n
Worse, it sounds like the game is not close to being finished, which means the wait is going to feel even longer from this point forward. Even so, seeing this game exit development hell could be a big moment for Xbox and for the franchise. Given the beloved status of the classic Perfect Dark and the more polarizing reception to Perfect Dark Zero, a game like this would be perfect for putting the franchise back on the map.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>At this point, it would be good for Skull and Bones to get out of development hell so that the hellish cycle of the game\u2019s creation can finally come to a close. While Beyond Good & Evil 2 has had its own trouble with development, Skull & Bones has been arguably just as much of a problem for Ubisoft, evidenced by the fact that it\u2019s already been officially delayed a whopping six times.<\/p>\n
This title has been a massive, widely publicized mess for Ubisoft, who has already dumped copious amounts of money \u2013 at least $120 million, to be exact \u2013 into a game where no one knows what they\u2019re doing. Several creative directors have come and gone like a revolving door, each one restarting its development from the ground up, but the overall game doesn\u2019t seem to have any kind of direction despite all of these resources being invested into it. It probably would\u2019ve been completely canceled long ago had it not been for Ubisoft Singapore\u2019s agreement with the government that would earn them resources and funds to continue operating as a developer.<\/p>\n
Thus, being a seemingly uncancellable title, Ubisoft has tried to push forward but continuously trod water. What started as a mere Assassin\u2019s Creed expansion is becoming a massive example of the \u201ctoo many cooks in the kitchen\u201d ideology. It\u2019s currently set for release in a vague 2023-2024 release window, one that it may also struggle to properly hit. For now, we only hope that Skull and Bones can actually make it out alive so that this nightmare of a development period can be properly completed.<\/p>\n
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Ubisoft<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nI\u2019m sensing a pattern here: it sounds like Ubisoft has a lot of games it should be releasing. It hasn\u2019t exactly been the best of times for the publisher lately, and it hits a little harder when you realize just how many unreleased games Ubisoft has been sitting on, with no signs of an upcoming release.<\/p>\n
The remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was announced back at the Ubisoft Forward 2020 event, and it was set to bring the franchise back in a big way. Not long before its initially planned release of Jan. 21, 2021, though, Ubisoft delayed the project to March 18 in response to criticism over the initial trailer. Since then, it\u2019s been removed from Ubisoft\u2019s release schedule and delayed indefinitely, while also changing hands and seeing Ubisoft Montreal now head its development.<\/p>\n
Ubisoft is insisting at this point that the remake has not been abandoned, though pre-orders have been canceled as a result of the game not having a release date. Even still, we hardly heard anything about it in 2022 other than that the development team still has a pulse. It would be great to see it push through development hell, though, for the sake of giving this franchise the return it deserves.<\/p>\n
In The Valley of Gods<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Valve\/Campo Santo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nPerhaps the smallest title on this list, In The Valley of Gods carried so much promise. Campo Santo\u2019s planned second game after 2016\u2019s Firewatch, the developer\u2019s progress would be halted by its acquisition from Valve, who wanted the team to help on then-upcoming projects like Half-Life Alyx.<\/p>\n
While the game is currently said to be \u201con hold\u201d, there are some greater concerns that it may be vaporware. Developers at Campo Santo have removed mentions of the title from their Twitter descriptions, the company has scrubbed all mentions of it from its website, and the officially uploaded trailer has since been set to private.<\/p>\n
It has not been officially canceled, however, and the game\u2019s individual website and Steam page remain active. Of course, Steam lists the release date as December 2029\u2026 surely, that\u2019s just a placeholder. Regardless, perhaps it\u2019s simply on the back burner as Campo Santo assists Valve with other projects. Hopefully, this promising first-person adventure game finds a way to release at some point.<\/p>\n
Deep Down<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Capcom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nHey, remember this one? Probably not, right? Announced way back at the PlayStation 4\u2019s debut in 2013, Deep Down was Capcom\u2019s planned free-to-play take on the Soulslike formula, offering single-player and four-player co-op gameplay in a dungeon crawler style. After this event, though, Capcom went quiet on the project, never showing it off again.<\/p>\n
Yet, the publisher continues to extend its trademark, despite the fact that producer Yoshinori Ono departed from Capcom in 2020. Still, while it looks like the project has not officially been canceled, no one seems to be doing anything with it. Even PlayStation\u2019s former chairman Shawn Layden was asked what happened to the game, and could only respond that he had \u201cno idea\u201d.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Deep Down seems to exist somewhere, but precisely where is anyone\u2019s guess. It appeared to be in a near-complete state before being shelved, so Capcom could possibly bring it out at any time. It would be interesting to see this game, which was announced so early in the PlayStation 4\u2019s life, make a return in the next generation to finally close the book of its development hell.<\/p>\n
Payday 3<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Prime Matter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nYou might not even know it, but yes, Payday 3 is indeed a game that is happening. With how much content Payday 2 has continued to receive, it might be forgotten that a third entry in the series was announced back in 2017. A little over a year later, though, co-developer Starbreeze Studios had to undergo restructuring following the commercial failure of Overkill\u2019s The Walking Dead. With this financial difficulty, concerns arose that Starbreeze wouldn\u2019t survive long enough to see Payday 3 through.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, the team was able to properly restructure, but this process was not fully completed until December 2019. All of this clearly meant that Payday 3\u2019s development was not a massive priority, and the COVID pandemic coming shortly after had to have further impeded the overall progress of the game. It wasn\u2019t until 2021 that the team was able to sign a deal with Koch Media to assist in publishing it.<\/p>\n
Better news, Payday 3 is set for a release at some point in 2023. Thus, we may see the development hell period finally come to an end sometime soon. Here\u2019s hoping this sequel offers up the same chaotic fun that Payday 2 was able to provide players with.<\/p>\n
Vampire: The Masquerade \u2013 Bloodlines 2<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Paradox Interactive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you\u2019re looking for a game whose development has been extremely messy, let\u2019s have a refresher on this one. Vampire: The Masquerade \u2013 Bloodlines 2 was first teased in 2019 with an expected release in March 2020. Since then, it\u2019s been delayed numerous times, to the point where it currently doesn\u2019t have a release date whatsoever. It\u2019d be one thing if the developers simply went quiet on the game, but instead, there\u2019s been a bevy of drama.<\/p>\n
Chris Avellone, a writer on the project, would see his contributions removed in 2020 following allegations of sexual assault, while lead narrative designer Brian Mitsoda, creative director Ka\u2019ai Cluney, and senior narrative designer Cara Ellison exited from the project. Already losing a lot of key players, publisher Paradox Interactive later announced that developer Hardsuit Labs would no longer be working on the title, with a new development team set to take over. Who is that development team, you may ask? That\u2019s a great question that still doesn\u2019t have an answer because Paradox still hasn\u2019t revealed who it is.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a miracle a game like this persists on, and Paradox\u2019s CEO Fredrik Wester insists that the project is still in development. Wester even said a 2023 release is \u201cabsolutely not impossible\u201d, which indicates that a solid amount of progress is being made, so much so that we don\u2019t know who the developer making that progress is but hey, it\u2019s progress! Hopefully, the fruits of that labor can be shared with the rest of us sometime soon, and this messy development can be put squarely in the rearview mirror.<\/p>\n
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: GSC Game World<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis is the rare example on this list of a game affected by world-based conditions, and a title that otherwise probably would\u2019ve been out by now. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, first announced in 2010 and canceled in 2012, was revived in 2018 and prominently featured at Xbox\u2019s E3 2021 show. It even received a release date of Dec. 8, 2022 at one point, and it appeared the game was almost ready to finally end up in the hands of gamers.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, life got in the way; developer GSC Game World, based in Kyiv, Ukraine, was obviously rocked by the Russia-Ukraine war that forced the team to flee for the Czech Republic. Naturally, development had to be suspended in the wake of this, as the team had to make sure that they, along with their families and loved ones, could live safely. One of the former developers at the studio was also killed in action fighting in the war, which is obviously going to rock the team and slow down development.<\/p>\n
It appears as though GSC has been able to continue working on it, though, enough that it\u2019s still set for a release sometime in 2023. Given all that the team has had to endure, it would be wonderful to see this game make it out of this long development cycle. We sure hope that GSC can have the game out in 2023, while also keeping its employees and their families safe in this trying time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Metroid Prime 4<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Nintendo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMetroid Prime 4 has had a rather long saga of silence compared to the typical Nintendo game, only made more bearable by Nintendo\u2019s recent attention paid to the series. This entry was announced early in the Switch\u2019s life \u2013 at E3 2017, to be exact \u2013 but the only news we\u2019ve heard about it since then was its switch in developers, with Retro Studios returning to the helm in 2019.<\/p>\n
The upside for Nintendo has been its recent commitment to the franchise, with 2017\u2019s Metroid: Samus Returns and 2021\u2019s Metroid Dread bringing the franchise back in a fantastic way. 2023 also saw the Prime sub-series make a return with Metroid Prime Remastered, and this re-release may be the biggest sign that Prime 4\u2019s vaporware saga may be over soon.<\/p>\n
Rumors of this remaster existed for years before its eventual release, with reports noting that the game had been finished for some time but that Nintendo was sitting on it until Metroid Prime 4 was closer to being ready. This was further supported by its surprise release, so maybe Prime 4 might come sooner than we think. Given the incredible quality of the series and massive anticipation, it will almost certainly be a wonderful time when Prime 4 breaks from development hell.<\/p>\n
Perfect Dark<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Xbox Game Studios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nQuite frankly, you can put a bunch of other first-party Xbox titles in this spot. With a bevy of games like Avowed, Everwild, Fable, The Outer Worlds 2, and Hellblade 2 taking their good old time to release, any one of them could fill this list. Fable is a particularly strong choice as well, but in this case, we\u2019re gonna go with Perfect Dark.<\/p>\n
It was a pleasant surprise when a Perfect Dark reboot was announced at The Game Awards in 2020, but beyond a general silence ever since, what little news we have gotten hasn\u2019t been all that nice to hear about. Set to be the debut title from new Xbox team The Initiative (with Crystal Dynamics co-developing), this supposed \u201cAAAA\u201d game has seen large amounts of developers and key senior staff members exit the company, with a lack of creative autonomy and exceedingly slow-paced development being the biggest issues.<\/p>\n
Worse, it sounds like the game is not close to being finished, which means the wait is going to feel even longer from this point forward. Even so, seeing this game exit development hell could be a big moment for Xbox and for the franchise. Given the beloved status of the classic Perfect Dark and the more polarizing reception to Perfect Dark Zero, a game like this would be perfect for putting the franchise back on the map.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>I\u2019m sensing a pattern here: it sounds like Ubisoft has a lot of games it should be releasing. It hasn\u2019t exactly been the best of times for the publisher lately, and it hits a little harder when you realize just how many unreleased games Ubisoft has been sitting on, with no signs of an upcoming release.<\/p>\n
The remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was announced back at the Ubisoft Forward 2020 event, and it was set to bring the franchise back in a big way. Not long before its initially planned release of Jan. 21, 2021, though, Ubisoft delayed the project to March 18 in response to criticism over the initial trailer. Since then, it\u2019s been removed from Ubisoft\u2019s release schedule and delayed indefinitely, while also changing hands and seeing Ubisoft Montreal now head its development.<\/p>\n
Ubisoft is insisting at this point that the remake has not been abandoned, though pre-orders have been canceled as a result of the game not having a release date. Even still, we hardly heard anything about it in 2022 other than that the development team still has a pulse. It would be great to see it push through development hell, though, for the sake of giving this franchise the return it deserves.<\/p>\n
In The Valley of Gods<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Valve\/Campo Santo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nPerhaps the smallest title on this list, In The Valley of Gods carried so much promise. Campo Santo\u2019s planned second game after 2016\u2019s Firewatch, the developer\u2019s progress would be halted by its acquisition from Valve, who wanted the team to help on then-upcoming projects like Half-Life Alyx.<\/p>\n
While the game is currently said to be \u201con hold\u201d, there are some greater concerns that it may be vaporware. Developers at Campo Santo have removed mentions of the title from their Twitter descriptions, the company has scrubbed all mentions of it from its website, and the officially uploaded trailer has since been set to private.<\/p>\n
It has not been officially canceled, however, and the game\u2019s individual website and Steam page remain active. Of course, Steam lists the release date as December 2029\u2026 surely, that\u2019s just a placeholder. Regardless, perhaps it\u2019s simply on the back burner as Campo Santo assists Valve with other projects. Hopefully, this promising first-person adventure game finds a way to release at some point.<\/p>\n
Deep Down<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Capcom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nHey, remember this one? Probably not, right? Announced way back at the PlayStation 4\u2019s debut in 2013, Deep Down was Capcom\u2019s planned free-to-play take on the Soulslike formula, offering single-player and four-player co-op gameplay in a dungeon crawler style. After this event, though, Capcom went quiet on the project, never showing it off again.<\/p>\n
Yet, the publisher continues to extend its trademark, despite the fact that producer Yoshinori Ono departed from Capcom in 2020. Still, while it looks like the project has not officially been canceled, no one seems to be doing anything with it. Even PlayStation\u2019s former chairman Shawn Layden was asked what happened to the game, and could only respond that he had \u201cno idea\u201d.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Deep Down seems to exist somewhere, but precisely where is anyone\u2019s guess. It appeared to be in a near-complete state before being shelved, so Capcom could possibly bring it out at any time. It would be interesting to see this game, which was announced so early in the PlayStation 4\u2019s life, make a return in the next generation to finally close the book of its development hell.<\/p>\n
Payday 3<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Prime Matter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nYou might not even know it, but yes, Payday 3 is indeed a game that is happening. With how much content Payday 2 has continued to receive, it might be forgotten that a third entry in the series was announced back in 2017. A little over a year later, though, co-developer Starbreeze Studios had to undergo restructuring following the commercial failure of Overkill\u2019s The Walking Dead. With this financial difficulty, concerns arose that Starbreeze wouldn\u2019t survive long enough to see Payday 3 through.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, the team was able to properly restructure, but this process was not fully completed until December 2019. All of this clearly meant that Payday 3\u2019s development was not a massive priority, and the COVID pandemic coming shortly after had to have further impeded the overall progress of the game. It wasn\u2019t until 2021 that the team was able to sign a deal with Koch Media to assist in publishing it.<\/p>\n
Better news, Payday 3 is set for a release at some point in 2023. Thus, we may see the development hell period finally come to an end sometime soon. Here\u2019s hoping this sequel offers up the same chaotic fun that Payday 2 was able to provide players with.<\/p>\n
Vampire: The Masquerade \u2013 Bloodlines 2<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Paradox Interactive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you\u2019re looking for a game whose development has been extremely messy, let\u2019s have a refresher on this one. Vampire: The Masquerade \u2013 Bloodlines 2 was first teased in 2019 with an expected release in March 2020. Since then, it\u2019s been delayed numerous times, to the point where it currently doesn\u2019t have a release date whatsoever. It\u2019d be one thing if the developers simply went quiet on the game, but instead, there\u2019s been a bevy of drama.<\/p>\n
Chris Avellone, a writer on the project, would see his contributions removed in 2020 following allegations of sexual assault, while lead narrative designer Brian Mitsoda, creative director Ka\u2019ai Cluney, and senior narrative designer Cara Ellison exited from the project. Already losing a lot of key players, publisher Paradox Interactive later announced that developer Hardsuit Labs would no longer be working on the title, with a new development team set to take over. Who is that development team, you may ask? That\u2019s a great question that still doesn\u2019t have an answer because Paradox still hasn\u2019t revealed who it is.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a miracle a game like this persists on, and Paradox\u2019s CEO Fredrik Wester insists that the project is still in development. Wester even said a 2023 release is \u201cabsolutely not impossible\u201d, which indicates that a solid amount of progress is being made, so much so that we don\u2019t know who the developer making that progress is but hey, it\u2019s progress! Hopefully, the fruits of that labor can be shared with the rest of us sometime soon, and this messy development can be put squarely in the rearview mirror.<\/p>\n
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: GSC Game World<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis is the rare example on this list of a game affected by world-based conditions, and a title that otherwise probably would\u2019ve been out by now. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, first announced in 2010 and canceled in 2012, was revived in 2018 and prominently featured at Xbox\u2019s E3 2021 show. It even received a release date of Dec. 8, 2022 at one point, and it appeared the game was almost ready to finally end up in the hands of gamers.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, life got in the way; developer GSC Game World, based in Kyiv, Ukraine, was obviously rocked by the Russia-Ukraine war that forced the team to flee for the Czech Republic. Naturally, development had to be suspended in the wake of this, as the team had to make sure that they, along with their families and loved ones, could live safely. One of the former developers at the studio was also killed in action fighting in the war, which is obviously going to rock the team and slow down development.<\/p>\n
It appears as though GSC has been able to continue working on it, though, enough that it\u2019s still set for a release sometime in 2023. Given all that the team has had to endure, it would be wonderful to see this game make it out of this long development cycle. We sure hope that GSC can have the game out in 2023, while also keeping its employees and their families safe in this trying time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Metroid Prime 4<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Nintendo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMetroid Prime 4 has had a rather long saga of silence compared to the typical Nintendo game, only made more bearable by Nintendo\u2019s recent attention paid to the series. This entry was announced early in the Switch\u2019s life \u2013 at E3 2017, to be exact \u2013 but the only news we\u2019ve heard about it since then was its switch in developers, with Retro Studios returning to the helm in 2019.<\/p>\n
The upside for Nintendo has been its recent commitment to the franchise, with 2017\u2019s Metroid: Samus Returns and 2021\u2019s Metroid Dread bringing the franchise back in a fantastic way. 2023 also saw the Prime sub-series make a return with Metroid Prime Remastered, and this re-release may be the biggest sign that Prime 4\u2019s vaporware saga may be over soon.<\/p>\n
Rumors of this remaster existed for years before its eventual release, with reports noting that the game had been finished for some time but that Nintendo was sitting on it until Metroid Prime 4 was closer to being ready. This was further supported by its surprise release, so maybe Prime 4 might come sooner than we think. Given the incredible quality of the series and massive anticipation, it will almost certainly be a wonderful time when Prime 4 breaks from development hell.<\/p>\n
Perfect Dark<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Xbox Game Studios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nQuite frankly, you can put a bunch of other first-party Xbox titles in this spot. With a bevy of games like Avowed, Everwild, Fable, The Outer Worlds 2, and Hellblade 2 taking their good old time to release, any one of them could fill this list. Fable is a particularly strong choice as well, but in this case, we\u2019re gonna go with Perfect Dark.<\/p>\n
It was a pleasant surprise when a Perfect Dark reboot was announced at The Game Awards in 2020, but beyond a general silence ever since, what little news we have gotten hasn\u2019t been all that nice to hear about. Set to be the debut title from new Xbox team The Initiative (with Crystal Dynamics co-developing), this supposed \u201cAAAA\u201d game has seen large amounts of developers and key senior staff members exit the company, with a lack of creative autonomy and exceedingly slow-paced development being the biggest issues.<\/p>\n
Worse, it sounds like the game is not close to being finished, which means the wait is going to feel even longer from this point forward. Even so, seeing this game exit development hell could be a big moment for Xbox and for the franchise. Given the beloved status of the classic Perfect Dark and the more polarizing reception to Perfect Dark Zero, a game like this would be perfect for putting the franchise back on the map.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>Perhaps the smallest title on this list, In The Valley of Gods carried so much promise. Campo Santo\u2019s planned second game after 2016\u2019s Firewatch, the developer\u2019s progress would be halted by its acquisition from Valve, who wanted the team to help on then-upcoming projects like Half-Life Alyx.<\/p>\n
While the game is currently said to be \u201con hold\u201d, there are some greater concerns that it may be vaporware. Developers at Campo Santo have removed mentions of the title from their Twitter descriptions, the company has scrubbed all mentions of it from its website, and the officially uploaded trailer has since been set to private.<\/p>\n
It has not been officially canceled, however, and the game\u2019s individual website and Steam page remain active. Of course, Steam lists the release date as December 2029\u2026 surely, that\u2019s just a placeholder. Regardless, perhaps it\u2019s simply on the back burner as Campo Santo assists Valve with other projects. Hopefully, this promising first-person adventure game finds a way to release at some point.<\/p>\n
Deep Down<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Capcom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nHey, remember this one? Probably not, right? Announced way back at the PlayStation 4\u2019s debut in 2013, Deep Down was Capcom\u2019s planned free-to-play take on the Soulslike formula, offering single-player and four-player co-op gameplay in a dungeon crawler style. After this event, though, Capcom went quiet on the project, never showing it off again.<\/p>\n
Yet, the publisher continues to extend its trademark, despite the fact that producer Yoshinori Ono departed from Capcom in 2020. Still, while it looks like the project has not officially been canceled, no one seems to be doing anything with it. Even PlayStation\u2019s former chairman Shawn Layden was asked what happened to the game, and could only respond that he had \u201cno idea\u201d.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Deep Down seems to exist somewhere, but precisely where is anyone\u2019s guess. It appeared to be in a near-complete state before being shelved, so Capcom could possibly bring it out at any time. It would be interesting to see this game, which was announced so early in the PlayStation 4\u2019s life, make a return in the next generation to finally close the book of its development hell.<\/p>\n
Payday 3<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Prime Matter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nYou might not even know it, but yes, Payday 3 is indeed a game that is happening. With how much content Payday 2 has continued to receive, it might be forgotten that a third entry in the series was announced back in 2017. A little over a year later, though, co-developer Starbreeze Studios had to undergo restructuring following the commercial failure of Overkill\u2019s The Walking Dead. With this financial difficulty, concerns arose that Starbreeze wouldn\u2019t survive long enough to see Payday 3 through.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, the team was able to properly restructure, but this process was not fully completed until December 2019. All of this clearly meant that Payday 3\u2019s development was not a massive priority, and the COVID pandemic coming shortly after had to have further impeded the overall progress of the game. It wasn\u2019t until 2021 that the team was able to sign a deal with Koch Media to assist in publishing it.<\/p>\n
Better news, Payday 3 is set for a release at some point in 2023. Thus, we may see the development hell period finally come to an end sometime soon. Here\u2019s hoping this sequel offers up the same chaotic fun that Payday 2 was able to provide players with.<\/p>\n
Vampire: The Masquerade \u2013 Bloodlines 2<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Paradox Interactive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you\u2019re looking for a game whose development has been extremely messy, let\u2019s have a refresher on this one. Vampire: The Masquerade \u2013 Bloodlines 2 was first teased in 2019 with an expected release in March 2020. Since then, it\u2019s been delayed numerous times, to the point where it currently doesn\u2019t have a release date whatsoever. It\u2019d be one thing if the developers simply went quiet on the game, but instead, there\u2019s been a bevy of drama.<\/p>\n
Chris Avellone, a writer on the project, would see his contributions removed in 2020 following allegations of sexual assault, while lead narrative designer Brian Mitsoda, creative director Ka\u2019ai Cluney, and senior narrative designer Cara Ellison exited from the project. Already losing a lot of key players, publisher Paradox Interactive later announced that developer Hardsuit Labs would no longer be working on the title, with a new development team set to take over. Who is that development team, you may ask? That\u2019s a great question that still doesn\u2019t have an answer because Paradox still hasn\u2019t revealed who it is.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a miracle a game like this persists on, and Paradox\u2019s CEO Fredrik Wester insists that the project is still in development. Wester even said a 2023 release is \u201cabsolutely not impossible\u201d, which indicates that a solid amount of progress is being made, so much so that we don\u2019t know who the developer making that progress is but hey, it\u2019s progress! Hopefully, the fruits of that labor can be shared with the rest of us sometime soon, and this messy development can be put squarely in the rearview mirror.<\/p>\n
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: GSC Game World<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis is the rare example on this list of a game affected by world-based conditions, and a title that otherwise probably would\u2019ve been out by now. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, first announced in 2010 and canceled in 2012, was revived in 2018 and prominently featured at Xbox\u2019s E3 2021 show. It even received a release date of Dec. 8, 2022 at one point, and it appeared the game was almost ready to finally end up in the hands of gamers.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, life got in the way; developer GSC Game World, based in Kyiv, Ukraine, was obviously rocked by the Russia-Ukraine war that forced the team to flee for the Czech Republic. Naturally, development had to be suspended in the wake of this, as the team had to make sure that they, along with their families and loved ones, could live safely. One of the former developers at the studio was also killed in action fighting in the war, which is obviously going to rock the team and slow down development.<\/p>\n
It appears as though GSC has been able to continue working on it, though, enough that it\u2019s still set for a release sometime in 2023. Given all that the team has had to endure, it would be wonderful to see this game make it out of this long development cycle. We sure hope that GSC can have the game out in 2023, while also keeping its employees and their families safe in this trying time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Metroid Prime 4<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Nintendo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMetroid Prime 4 has had a rather long saga of silence compared to the typical Nintendo game, only made more bearable by Nintendo\u2019s recent attention paid to the series. This entry was announced early in the Switch\u2019s life \u2013 at E3 2017, to be exact \u2013 but the only news we\u2019ve heard about it since then was its switch in developers, with Retro Studios returning to the helm in 2019.<\/p>\n
The upside for Nintendo has been its recent commitment to the franchise, with 2017\u2019s Metroid: Samus Returns and 2021\u2019s Metroid Dread bringing the franchise back in a fantastic way. 2023 also saw the Prime sub-series make a return with Metroid Prime Remastered, and this re-release may be the biggest sign that Prime 4\u2019s vaporware saga may be over soon.<\/p>\n
Rumors of this remaster existed for years before its eventual release, with reports noting that the game had been finished for some time but that Nintendo was sitting on it until Metroid Prime 4 was closer to being ready. This was further supported by its surprise release, so maybe Prime 4 might come sooner than we think. Given the incredible quality of the series and massive anticipation, it will almost certainly be a wonderful time when Prime 4 breaks from development hell.<\/p>\n
Perfect Dark<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Xbox Game Studios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nQuite frankly, you can put a bunch of other first-party Xbox titles in this spot. With a bevy of games like Avowed, Everwild, Fable, The Outer Worlds 2, and Hellblade 2 taking their good old time to release, any one of them could fill this list. Fable is a particularly strong choice as well, but in this case, we\u2019re gonna go with Perfect Dark.<\/p>\n
It was a pleasant surprise when a Perfect Dark reboot was announced at The Game Awards in 2020, but beyond a general silence ever since, what little news we have gotten hasn\u2019t been all that nice to hear about. Set to be the debut title from new Xbox team The Initiative (with Crystal Dynamics co-developing), this supposed \u201cAAAA\u201d game has seen large amounts of developers and key senior staff members exit the company, with a lack of creative autonomy and exceedingly slow-paced development being the biggest issues.<\/p>\n
Worse, it sounds like the game is not close to being finished, which means the wait is going to feel even longer from this point forward. Even so, seeing this game exit development hell could be a big moment for Xbox and for the franchise. Given the beloved status of the classic Perfect Dark and the more polarizing reception to Perfect Dark Zero, a game like this would be perfect for putting the franchise back on the map.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>Hey, remember this one? Probably not, right? Announced way back at the PlayStation 4\u2019s debut in 2013, Deep Down was Capcom\u2019s planned free-to-play take on the Soulslike formula, offering single-player and four-player co-op gameplay in a dungeon crawler style. After this event, though, Capcom went quiet on the project, never showing it off again.<\/p>\n
Yet, the publisher continues to extend its trademark, despite the fact that producer Yoshinori Ono departed from Capcom in 2020. Still, while it looks like the project has not officially been canceled, no one seems to be doing anything with it. Even PlayStation\u2019s former chairman Shawn Layden was asked what happened to the game, and could only respond that he had \u201cno idea\u201d.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Deep Down seems to exist somewhere, but precisely where is anyone\u2019s guess. It appeared to be in a near-complete state before being shelved, so Capcom could possibly bring it out at any time. It would be interesting to see this game, which was announced so early in the PlayStation 4\u2019s life, make a return in the next generation to finally close the book of its development hell.<\/p>\n
Payday 3<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Prime Matter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nYou might not even know it, but yes, Payday 3 is indeed a game that is happening. With how much content Payday 2 has continued to receive, it might be forgotten that a third entry in the series was announced back in 2017. A little over a year later, though, co-developer Starbreeze Studios had to undergo restructuring following the commercial failure of Overkill\u2019s The Walking Dead. With this financial difficulty, concerns arose that Starbreeze wouldn\u2019t survive long enough to see Payday 3 through.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, the team was able to properly restructure, but this process was not fully completed until December 2019. All of this clearly meant that Payday 3\u2019s development was not a massive priority, and the COVID pandemic coming shortly after had to have further impeded the overall progress of the game. It wasn\u2019t until 2021 that the team was able to sign a deal with Koch Media to assist in publishing it.<\/p>\n
Better news, Payday 3 is set for a release at some point in 2023. Thus, we may see the development hell period finally come to an end sometime soon. Here\u2019s hoping this sequel offers up the same chaotic fun that Payday 2 was able to provide players with.<\/p>\n
Vampire: The Masquerade \u2013 Bloodlines 2<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Paradox Interactive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you\u2019re looking for a game whose development has been extremely messy, let\u2019s have a refresher on this one. Vampire: The Masquerade \u2013 Bloodlines 2 was first teased in 2019 with an expected release in March 2020. Since then, it\u2019s been delayed numerous times, to the point where it currently doesn\u2019t have a release date whatsoever. It\u2019d be one thing if the developers simply went quiet on the game, but instead, there\u2019s been a bevy of drama.<\/p>\n
Chris Avellone, a writer on the project, would see his contributions removed in 2020 following allegations of sexual assault, while lead narrative designer Brian Mitsoda, creative director Ka\u2019ai Cluney, and senior narrative designer Cara Ellison exited from the project. Already losing a lot of key players, publisher Paradox Interactive later announced that developer Hardsuit Labs would no longer be working on the title, with a new development team set to take over. Who is that development team, you may ask? That\u2019s a great question that still doesn\u2019t have an answer because Paradox still hasn\u2019t revealed who it is.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a miracle a game like this persists on, and Paradox\u2019s CEO Fredrik Wester insists that the project is still in development. Wester even said a 2023 release is \u201cabsolutely not impossible\u201d, which indicates that a solid amount of progress is being made, so much so that we don\u2019t know who the developer making that progress is but hey, it\u2019s progress! Hopefully, the fruits of that labor can be shared with the rest of us sometime soon, and this messy development can be put squarely in the rearview mirror.<\/p>\n
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: GSC Game World<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis is the rare example on this list of a game affected by world-based conditions, and a title that otherwise probably would\u2019ve been out by now. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, first announced in 2010 and canceled in 2012, was revived in 2018 and prominently featured at Xbox\u2019s E3 2021 show. It even received a release date of Dec. 8, 2022 at one point, and it appeared the game was almost ready to finally end up in the hands of gamers.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, life got in the way; developer GSC Game World, based in Kyiv, Ukraine, was obviously rocked by the Russia-Ukraine war that forced the team to flee for the Czech Republic. Naturally, development had to be suspended in the wake of this, as the team had to make sure that they, along with their families and loved ones, could live safely. One of the former developers at the studio was also killed in action fighting in the war, which is obviously going to rock the team and slow down development.<\/p>\n
It appears as though GSC has been able to continue working on it, though, enough that it\u2019s still set for a release sometime in 2023. Given all that the team has had to endure, it would be wonderful to see this game make it out of this long development cycle. We sure hope that GSC can have the game out in 2023, while also keeping its employees and their families safe in this trying time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Metroid Prime 4<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Nintendo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMetroid Prime 4 has had a rather long saga of silence compared to the typical Nintendo game, only made more bearable by Nintendo\u2019s recent attention paid to the series. This entry was announced early in the Switch\u2019s life \u2013 at E3 2017, to be exact \u2013 but the only news we\u2019ve heard about it since then was its switch in developers, with Retro Studios returning to the helm in 2019.<\/p>\n
The upside for Nintendo has been its recent commitment to the franchise, with 2017\u2019s Metroid: Samus Returns and 2021\u2019s Metroid Dread bringing the franchise back in a fantastic way. 2023 also saw the Prime sub-series make a return with Metroid Prime Remastered, and this re-release may be the biggest sign that Prime 4\u2019s vaporware saga may be over soon.<\/p>\n
Rumors of this remaster existed for years before its eventual release, with reports noting that the game had been finished for some time but that Nintendo was sitting on it until Metroid Prime 4 was closer to being ready. This was further supported by its surprise release, so maybe Prime 4 might come sooner than we think. Given the incredible quality of the series and massive anticipation, it will almost certainly be a wonderful time when Prime 4 breaks from development hell.<\/p>\n
Perfect Dark<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Xbox Game Studios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nQuite frankly, you can put a bunch of other first-party Xbox titles in this spot. With a bevy of games like Avowed, Everwild, Fable, The Outer Worlds 2, and Hellblade 2 taking their good old time to release, any one of them could fill this list. Fable is a particularly strong choice as well, but in this case, we\u2019re gonna go with Perfect Dark.<\/p>\n
It was a pleasant surprise when a Perfect Dark reboot was announced at The Game Awards in 2020, but beyond a general silence ever since, what little news we have gotten hasn\u2019t been all that nice to hear about. Set to be the debut title from new Xbox team The Initiative (with Crystal Dynamics co-developing), this supposed \u201cAAAA\u201d game has seen large amounts of developers and key senior staff members exit the company, with a lack of creative autonomy and exceedingly slow-paced development being the biggest issues.<\/p>\n
Worse, it sounds like the game is not close to being finished, which means the wait is going to feel even longer from this point forward. Even so, seeing this game exit development hell could be a big moment for Xbox and for the franchise. Given the beloved status of the classic Perfect Dark and the more polarizing reception to Perfect Dark Zero, a game like this would be perfect for putting the franchise back on the map.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>You might not even know it, but yes, Payday 3 is indeed a game that is happening. With how much content Payday 2 has continued to receive, it might be forgotten that a third entry in the series was announced back in 2017. A little over a year later, though, co-developer Starbreeze Studios had to undergo restructuring following the commercial failure of Overkill\u2019s The Walking Dead. With this financial difficulty, concerns arose that Starbreeze wouldn\u2019t survive long enough to see Payday 3 through.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, the team was able to properly restructure, but this process was not fully completed until December 2019. All of this clearly meant that Payday 3\u2019s development was not a massive priority, and the COVID pandemic coming shortly after had to have further impeded the overall progress of the game. It wasn\u2019t until 2021 that the team was able to sign a deal with Koch Media to assist in publishing it.<\/p>\n
Better news, Payday 3 is set for a release at some point in 2023. Thus, we may see the development hell period finally come to an end sometime soon. Here\u2019s hoping this sequel offers up the same chaotic fun that Payday 2 was able to provide players with.<\/p>\n
Vampire: The Masquerade \u2013 Bloodlines 2<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Paradox Interactive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you\u2019re looking for a game whose development has been extremely messy, let\u2019s have a refresher on this one. Vampire: The Masquerade \u2013 Bloodlines 2 was first teased in 2019 with an expected release in March 2020. Since then, it\u2019s been delayed numerous times, to the point where it currently doesn\u2019t have a release date whatsoever. It\u2019d be one thing if the developers simply went quiet on the game, but instead, there\u2019s been a bevy of drama.<\/p>\n
Chris Avellone, a writer on the project, would see his contributions removed in 2020 following allegations of sexual assault, while lead narrative designer Brian Mitsoda, creative director Ka\u2019ai Cluney, and senior narrative designer Cara Ellison exited from the project. Already losing a lot of key players, publisher Paradox Interactive later announced that developer Hardsuit Labs would no longer be working on the title, with a new development team set to take over. Who is that development team, you may ask? That\u2019s a great question that still doesn\u2019t have an answer because Paradox still hasn\u2019t revealed who it is.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a miracle a game like this persists on, and Paradox\u2019s CEO Fredrik Wester insists that the project is still in development. Wester even said a 2023 release is \u201cabsolutely not impossible\u201d, which indicates that a solid amount of progress is being made, so much so that we don\u2019t know who the developer making that progress is but hey, it\u2019s progress! Hopefully, the fruits of that labor can be shared with the rest of us sometime soon, and this messy development can be put squarely in the rearview mirror.<\/p>\n
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: GSC Game World<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis is the rare example on this list of a game affected by world-based conditions, and a title that otherwise probably would\u2019ve been out by now. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, first announced in 2010 and canceled in 2012, was revived in 2018 and prominently featured at Xbox\u2019s E3 2021 show. It even received a release date of Dec. 8, 2022 at one point, and it appeared the game was almost ready to finally end up in the hands of gamers.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, life got in the way; developer GSC Game World, based in Kyiv, Ukraine, was obviously rocked by the Russia-Ukraine war that forced the team to flee for the Czech Republic. Naturally, development had to be suspended in the wake of this, as the team had to make sure that they, along with their families and loved ones, could live safely. One of the former developers at the studio was also killed in action fighting in the war, which is obviously going to rock the team and slow down development.<\/p>\n
It appears as though GSC has been able to continue working on it, though, enough that it\u2019s still set for a release sometime in 2023. Given all that the team has had to endure, it would be wonderful to see this game make it out of this long development cycle. We sure hope that GSC can have the game out in 2023, while also keeping its employees and their families safe in this trying time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Metroid Prime 4<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Nintendo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMetroid Prime 4 has had a rather long saga of silence compared to the typical Nintendo game, only made more bearable by Nintendo\u2019s recent attention paid to the series. This entry was announced early in the Switch\u2019s life \u2013 at E3 2017, to be exact \u2013 but the only news we\u2019ve heard about it since then was its switch in developers, with Retro Studios returning to the helm in 2019.<\/p>\n
The upside for Nintendo has been its recent commitment to the franchise, with 2017\u2019s Metroid: Samus Returns and 2021\u2019s Metroid Dread bringing the franchise back in a fantastic way. 2023 also saw the Prime sub-series make a return with Metroid Prime Remastered, and this re-release may be the biggest sign that Prime 4\u2019s vaporware saga may be over soon.<\/p>\n
Rumors of this remaster existed for years before its eventual release, with reports noting that the game had been finished for some time but that Nintendo was sitting on it until Metroid Prime 4 was closer to being ready. This was further supported by its surprise release, so maybe Prime 4 might come sooner than we think. Given the incredible quality of the series and massive anticipation, it will almost certainly be a wonderful time when Prime 4 breaks from development hell.<\/p>\n
Perfect Dark<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Xbox Game Studios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nQuite frankly, you can put a bunch of other first-party Xbox titles in this spot. With a bevy of games like Avowed, Everwild, Fable, The Outer Worlds 2, and Hellblade 2 taking their good old time to release, any one of them could fill this list. Fable is a particularly strong choice as well, but in this case, we\u2019re gonna go with Perfect Dark.<\/p>\n
It was a pleasant surprise when a Perfect Dark reboot was announced at The Game Awards in 2020, but beyond a general silence ever since, what little news we have gotten hasn\u2019t been all that nice to hear about. Set to be the debut title from new Xbox team The Initiative (with Crystal Dynamics co-developing), this supposed \u201cAAAA\u201d game has seen large amounts of developers and key senior staff members exit the company, with a lack of creative autonomy and exceedingly slow-paced development being the biggest issues.<\/p>\n
Worse, it sounds like the game is not close to being finished, which means the wait is going to feel even longer from this point forward. Even so, seeing this game exit development hell could be a big moment for Xbox and for the franchise. Given the beloved status of the classic Perfect Dark and the more polarizing reception to Perfect Dark Zero, a game like this would be perfect for putting the franchise back on the map.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>If you\u2019re looking for a game whose development has been extremely messy, let\u2019s have a refresher on this one. Vampire: The Masquerade \u2013 Bloodlines 2 was first teased in 2019 with an expected release in March 2020. Since then, it\u2019s been delayed numerous times, to the point where it currently doesn\u2019t have a release date whatsoever. It\u2019d be one thing if the developers simply went quiet on the game, but instead, there\u2019s been a bevy of drama.<\/p>\n
Chris Avellone, a writer on the project, would see his contributions removed in 2020 following allegations of sexual assault, while lead narrative designer Brian Mitsoda, creative director Ka\u2019ai Cluney, and senior narrative designer Cara Ellison exited from the project. Already losing a lot of key players, publisher Paradox Interactive later announced that developer Hardsuit Labs would no longer be working on the title, with a new development team set to take over. Who is that development team, you may ask? That\u2019s a great question that still doesn\u2019t have an answer because Paradox still hasn\u2019t revealed who it is.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a miracle a game like this persists on, and Paradox\u2019s CEO Fredrik Wester insists that the project is still in development. Wester even said a 2023 release is \u201cabsolutely not impossible\u201d, which indicates that a solid amount of progress is being made, so much so that we don\u2019t know who the developer making that progress is but hey, it\u2019s progress! Hopefully, the fruits of that labor can be shared with the rest of us sometime soon, and this messy development can be put squarely in the rearview mirror.<\/p>\n
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: GSC Game World<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis is the rare example on this list of a game affected by world-based conditions, and a title that otherwise probably would\u2019ve been out by now. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, first announced in 2010 and canceled in 2012, was revived in 2018 and prominently featured at Xbox\u2019s E3 2021 show. It even received a release date of Dec. 8, 2022 at one point, and it appeared the game was almost ready to finally end up in the hands of gamers.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, life got in the way; developer GSC Game World, based in Kyiv, Ukraine, was obviously rocked by the Russia-Ukraine war that forced the team to flee for the Czech Republic. Naturally, development had to be suspended in the wake of this, as the team had to make sure that they, along with their families and loved ones, could live safely. One of the former developers at the studio was also killed in action fighting in the war, which is obviously going to rock the team and slow down development.<\/p>\n
It appears as though GSC has been able to continue working on it, though, enough that it\u2019s still set for a release sometime in 2023. Given all that the team has had to endure, it would be wonderful to see this game make it out of this long development cycle. We sure hope that GSC can have the game out in 2023, while also keeping its employees and their families safe in this trying time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Metroid Prime 4<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Nintendo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMetroid Prime 4 has had a rather long saga of silence compared to the typical Nintendo game, only made more bearable by Nintendo\u2019s recent attention paid to the series. This entry was announced early in the Switch\u2019s life \u2013 at E3 2017, to be exact \u2013 but the only news we\u2019ve heard about it since then was its switch in developers, with Retro Studios returning to the helm in 2019.<\/p>\n
The upside for Nintendo has been its recent commitment to the franchise, with 2017\u2019s Metroid: Samus Returns and 2021\u2019s Metroid Dread bringing the franchise back in a fantastic way. 2023 also saw the Prime sub-series make a return with Metroid Prime Remastered, and this re-release may be the biggest sign that Prime 4\u2019s vaporware saga may be over soon.<\/p>\n
Rumors of this remaster existed for years before its eventual release, with reports noting that the game had been finished for some time but that Nintendo was sitting on it until Metroid Prime 4 was closer to being ready. This was further supported by its surprise release, so maybe Prime 4 might come sooner than we think. Given the incredible quality of the series and massive anticipation, it will almost certainly be a wonderful time when Prime 4 breaks from development hell.<\/p>\n
Perfect Dark<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Xbox Game Studios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nQuite frankly, you can put a bunch of other first-party Xbox titles in this spot. With a bevy of games like Avowed, Everwild, Fable, The Outer Worlds 2, and Hellblade 2 taking their good old time to release, any one of them could fill this list. Fable is a particularly strong choice as well, but in this case, we\u2019re gonna go with Perfect Dark.<\/p>\n
It was a pleasant surprise when a Perfect Dark reboot was announced at The Game Awards in 2020, but beyond a general silence ever since, what little news we have gotten hasn\u2019t been all that nice to hear about. Set to be the debut title from new Xbox team The Initiative (with Crystal Dynamics co-developing), this supposed \u201cAAAA\u201d game has seen large amounts of developers and key senior staff members exit the company, with a lack of creative autonomy and exceedingly slow-paced development being the biggest issues.<\/p>\n
Worse, it sounds like the game is not close to being finished, which means the wait is going to feel even longer from this point forward. Even so, seeing this game exit development hell could be a big moment for Xbox and for the franchise. Given the beloved status of the classic Perfect Dark and the more polarizing reception to Perfect Dark Zero, a game like this would be perfect for putting the franchise back on the map.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>This is the rare example on this list of a game affected by world-based conditions, and a title that otherwise probably would\u2019ve been out by now. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, first announced in 2010 and canceled in 2012, was revived in 2018 and prominently featured at Xbox\u2019s E3 2021 show. It even received a release date of Dec. 8, 2022 at one point, and it appeared the game was almost ready to finally end up in the hands of gamers.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, life got in the way; developer GSC Game World, based in Kyiv, Ukraine, was obviously rocked by the Russia-Ukraine war that forced the team to flee for the Czech Republic. Naturally, development had to be suspended in the wake of this, as the team had to make sure that they, along with their families and loved ones, could live safely. One of the former developers at the studio was also killed in action fighting in the war, which is obviously going to rock the team and slow down development.<\/p>\n
It appears as though GSC has been able to continue working on it, though, enough that it\u2019s still set for a release sometime in 2023. Given all that the team has had to endure, it would be wonderful to see this game make it out of this long development cycle. We sure hope that GSC can have the game out in 2023, while also keeping its employees and their families safe in this trying time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Metroid Prime 4<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Nintendo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMetroid Prime 4 has had a rather long saga of silence compared to the typical Nintendo game, only made more bearable by Nintendo\u2019s recent attention paid to the series. This entry was announced early in the Switch\u2019s life \u2013 at E3 2017, to be exact \u2013 but the only news we\u2019ve heard about it since then was its switch in developers, with Retro Studios returning to the helm in 2019.<\/p>\n
The upside for Nintendo has been its recent commitment to the franchise, with 2017\u2019s Metroid: Samus Returns and 2021\u2019s Metroid Dread bringing the franchise back in a fantastic way. 2023 also saw the Prime sub-series make a return with Metroid Prime Remastered, and this re-release may be the biggest sign that Prime 4\u2019s vaporware saga may be over soon.<\/p>\n
Rumors of this remaster existed for years before its eventual release, with reports noting that the game had been finished for some time but that Nintendo was sitting on it until Metroid Prime 4 was closer to being ready. This was further supported by its surprise release, so maybe Prime 4 might come sooner than we think. Given the incredible quality of the series and massive anticipation, it will almost certainly be a wonderful time when Prime 4 breaks from development hell.<\/p>\n
Perfect Dark<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Xbox Game Studios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nQuite frankly, you can put a bunch of other first-party Xbox titles in this spot. With a bevy of games like Avowed, Everwild, Fable, The Outer Worlds 2, and Hellblade 2 taking their good old time to release, any one of them could fill this list. Fable is a particularly strong choice as well, but in this case, we\u2019re gonna go with Perfect Dark.<\/p>\n
It was a pleasant surprise when a Perfect Dark reboot was announced at The Game Awards in 2020, but beyond a general silence ever since, what little news we have gotten hasn\u2019t been all that nice to hear about. Set to be the debut title from new Xbox team The Initiative (with Crystal Dynamics co-developing), this supposed \u201cAAAA\u201d game has seen large amounts of developers and key senior staff members exit the company, with a lack of creative autonomy and exceedingly slow-paced development being the biggest issues.<\/p>\n
Worse, it sounds like the game is not close to being finished, which means the wait is going to feel even longer from this point forward. Even so, seeing this game exit development hell could be a big moment for Xbox and for the franchise. Given the beloved status of the classic Perfect Dark and the more polarizing reception to Perfect Dark Zero, a game like this would be perfect for putting the franchise back on the map.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>Metroid Prime 4 has had a rather long saga of silence compared to the typical Nintendo game, only made more bearable by Nintendo\u2019s recent attention paid to the series. This entry was announced early in the Switch\u2019s life \u2013 at E3 2017, to be exact \u2013 but the only news we\u2019ve heard about it since then was its switch in developers, with Retro Studios returning to the helm in 2019.<\/p>\n
The upside for Nintendo has been its recent commitment to the franchise, with 2017\u2019s Metroid: Samus Returns and 2021\u2019s Metroid Dread bringing the franchise back in a fantastic way. 2023 also saw the Prime sub-series make a return with Metroid Prime Remastered, and this re-release may be the biggest sign that Prime 4\u2019s vaporware saga may be over soon.<\/p>\n
Rumors of this remaster existed for years before its eventual release, with reports noting that the game had been finished for some time but that Nintendo was sitting on it until Metroid Prime 4 was closer to being ready. This was further supported by its surprise release, so maybe Prime 4 might come sooner than we think. Given the incredible quality of the series and massive anticipation, it will almost certainly be a wonderful time when Prime 4 breaks from development hell.<\/p>\n
Perfect Dark<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>Image Source: Xbox Game Studios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nQuite frankly, you can put a bunch of other first-party Xbox titles in this spot. With a bevy of games like Avowed, Everwild, Fable, The Outer Worlds 2, and Hellblade 2 taking their good old time to release, any one of them could fill this list. Fable is a particularly strong choice as well, but in this case, we\u2019re gonna go with Perfect Dark.<\/p>\n
It was a pleasant surprise when a Perfect Dark reboot was announced at The Game Awards in 2020, but beyond a general silence ever since, what little news we have gotten hasn\u2019t been all that nice to hear about. Set to be the debut title from new Xbox team The Initiative (with Crystal Dynamics co-developing), this supposed \u201cAAAA\u201d game has seen large amounts of developers and key senior staff members exit the company, with a lack of creative autonomy and exceedingly slow-paced development being the biggest issues.<\/p>\n
Worse, it sounds like the game is not close to being finished, which means the wait is going to feel even longer from this point forward. Even so, seeing this game exit development hell could be a big moment for Xbox and for the franchise. Given the beloved status of the classic Perfect Dark and the more polarizing reception to Perfect Dark Zero, a game like this would be perfect for putting the franchise back on the map.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>Quite frankly, you can put a bunch of other first-party Xbox titles in this spot. With a bevy of games like Avowed, Everwild, Fable, The Outer Worlds 2, and Hellblade 2 taking their good old time to release, any one of them could fill this list. Fable is a particularly strong choice as well, but in this case, we\u2019re gonna go with Perfect Dark.<\/p>\n
It was a pleasant surprise when a Perfect Dark reboot was announced at The Game Awards in 2020, but beyond a general silence ever since, what little news we have gotten hasn\u2019t been all that nice to hear about. Set to be the debut title from new Xbox team The Initiative (with Crystal Dynamics co-developing), this supposed \u201cAAAA\u201d game has seen large amounts of developers and key senior staff members exit the company, with a lack of creative autonomy and exceedingly slow-paced development being the biggest issues.<\/p>\n
Worse, it sounds like the game is not close to being finished, which means the wait is going to feel even longer from this point forward. Even so, seeing this game exit development hell could be a big moment for Xbox and for the franchise. Given the beloved status of the classic Perfect Dark and the more polarizing reception to Perfect Dark Zero, a game like this would be perfect for putting the franchise back on the map.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n