Summary
- With a countless number of games coming out every year, there are bound to be a few rough launches.
- Some developers just don't give up, releasing patches and content updates that turn the game around.
- Cyberpunk 2077 and No Man's Sky may just be the biggest comebacks in gaming history.
It's no secret, there are a ton of different options out there when it comes to gaming nowadays, from the biggest AAA companies to the smallest independent developers. With thousands upon thousands of these new games being released every year across multiple platforms, there are bound to be some games that just don’t quite hit the mark when they first launch.
But among the long list of underwhelming game launches, players can find a few titles that have evolved and improved since their initial release, managing to recapture their audience and grow even bigger and better than ever before.
6 No Man’s Sky
The Evolution Of Sandbox Space Exploration
No Man's Sky
- Released
- August 9, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Hello Games
- Publisher(s)
- Hello Games
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Nintendo Switch 2
No Man's Sky was a big idea from a small studio to create a near-endless sandbox experience of space exploration using procedural generation. But its rocky 2016 release proved the concept may have been too ambitious.
From its staggering level of glitches to a universe that just felt plain empty, the game was not positively received at all. However, as the years went on, Hello Games didn't give up on No Man's Sky, releasing dozens and dozens of fixes and large content updates, to the point where the game has made a full comeback in the eyes of the community. The ambitious title finally lives up to its pre-release hype and then some, and it is still getting fresh, new content to this day.
5 Cyberpunk 2077
Possibly The Biggest Comeback In Gaming History
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Cyberpunk 2077 was one of CD Projekt Red’s most anticipated and ambitious titles. But, with its initial 2020 launch being littered with bugs, performance issues, and the absence of its promised content, it could only be described as a total disaster.
CD Projekt Red Reveals Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.3
CD Projekt Red surprises the community once again and reveals another Cyberpunk 2077 update, known as patch 2.3, will be released later this month.
Luckily, CDPR was not ready to give up on their new Cyberpunk RPG, creating perhaps one of the biggest comebacks in gaming history. Releasing a plethora of large content updates over the next few years, including a massive DLC expansion titled Phantom Liberty, they stuck with the project through all of its controversy. On top of the free tools released to make modding much more accessible for the community, Cyberpunk 2077 made a complete 180, with its reception going from mostly negative to almost entirely positive across the board.
4 Fallout 76
An RPG With No NPCs?
Fallout 76
- Released
- November 14, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Fallout 76 was Bethesda’s way of bringing their popular, post-a=pocalyptic RPG into the MMO genre. Though they had seen great success with The Elder Scrolls Online since its launch in 2014, Fallout 76 was a bit of a different story back in 2018.
Numerous bugs and server issues plagued the first few months of the game, not to mention its general lack of content (with the game not even featuring NPCs), generating considerable backlash from fans. While Fallout’s jump into the MMORPG world was rough at first, the game’s technical issues would slowly be ironed out. And that’s on top of the now over 20 seasonal content updates that Fallout 76 has gotten since 2020, with each containing a bunch of new items, quests, and events to take part in solo or with others.
3 Need For Speed Unbound
Stylish But Controversial
Need for Speed Unbound
- Released
- December 2, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Criterion Games
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Genre(s)
- Racing, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Need For Speed Unbound’s new "cartoon-like" artstyle and changes to vehicle handling originally generated some mixed reception back when it initially launched in fall of 2022. Impressions were a bit mixed, and even for one of the most popular series in the "arcade" racing genre, the new game seemed to lean a bit too far into that “arcade” feel with its new visual style and gameplay changes.
Need For Speed Unbound: Best Cars For The Grand
The Grand serves as Unbound's ultimate challenge, requiring players to come fully prepared with four cars across different tiers to secure a big win.
But Unbound would start to improve with many live-support updates over time, with adjustments and additions to bring the title more in-line with the series' traditional mechanics. While it's still not the best of the best for the series, NFS Unbound's evolution has led some fans to regard it as the best modern-day entry in the franchise.
2 Battlefield 2042
Battlefield’s Biggest Blunder
Battlefield 2042
- Released
- November 19, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- DICE, Criterion Games, Ripple Effect
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
Everyone knows the story of Battlefield 2042 by now. The new entry to EA’s massively-popular FPS series generated considerable hype in 2021 for returning to a more traditional, modern setting. Suffice it to say, its launch reception certainly did not match that of its reveal. Chock-full of bugs, glitches, and connection issues, 2042 quickly launched itself into one of the company’s worst releases of all time, and fans were not happy in the slightest.
It was a slow process, but DICE didn’t throw in the towel, bringing out numerous patches, moving forward with scheduled seasonal content releases, and even listening to the fan base in reversing (some of) the more controversial changes made to its class system. Battlefield 2042 surely didn’t become a major success like the rest of the franchise, but it did end up turning things around enough to regain its player base.
1 Final Fantasy 14
"Second Launch Is The Charm"
Final Fantasy 14
- Released
- August 27, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- MMORPG
- Platform(s)
- PC, macOS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
Final Fantasy 14 has been one of the highest-rated and most popular MMORPG’s since its re-launch in 2013. But the same certainly could not be said when speaking about its initial launch back in fall 2010.
When the beloved RPG series originally saw its big MMO debut, it was nothing short of a disaster, being panned with overwhelmingly negative reception. Connection issues and generally lackluster gameplay led to an “unfinished” feeling for players, leading to the game being shut down in late 2012.
But Square Enix brought the MMORPG back, re-launching the online game as Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn in 2013, with updated visuals, re-worked gameplay, and servers that, well, actually worked. The re-launch received universal acclaim, leading the game to climb to the top of the MMORPG ranks, where it still comfortably sits over a decade later.
16 Best Open-World FPS Games, Ranked
The FPS and open-world genres are two of gaming's most popular. Put them together, and you've got a serious recipe for success.