FPS games have been one of the most popular video game genres for many years now, and since the beginning, there have been plenty of franchises that have risen to the top of the gaming world and dominated the space with sequel after sequel. However, many FPS franchises have also come and gone, either because they were canceled by developers, replaced by newer titles, or simply lost to the passage of time.
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Sometimes, a successful franchise can have one poor release that puts a halt to further development and kills any potential for more games. Other times, the developers struggle to get the production off the ground, whether that's due to conflicting ideas, struggles with management, or a transfer of the brand name, leaving beloved shooters in a state from which they may never escape.
Killzone
A Forgotten PlayStation Classic
Killzone
- Released
- December 2, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Guerrilla Games, Supermassive Games
- Genre(s)
- FPS
For years, Killzone was Sony’s gritty counter to Halo, a cinematic, war-torn shooter that helped define the PlayStation 2 and 3 eras. With its haunting setting and visceral gunplay, it gave Guerrilla Games a reputation for technical excellence and atmosphere. The franchise continued to receive praise right up until the PS4 launch title Killzone: Shadow Fall.
However, Guerrilla has since confirmed that the series is completely retired. According to reports, the studio has fully pivoted toward the Horizon franchise and even closed the official Killzone website in 2024, with the team expressing gratitude to fans but making it clear that the Helghast wars are finally over. Though it would be great to see a revival, leaving the franchise as is would preserve its legacy as an exceptional FPS series that captivated fans in the 2000s era.
TimeSplitters
The Hero Shooter From Before It Was Cool
TimeSplitters
- Released
- October 23, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Free Radical Design
- Genre(s)
- FPS
The TimeSplitters series was a chaotic, colorful alternative to the military shooters that dominated the early and mid-2000s. Created by Free Radical Design, it drew in a sizable audience thanks to its fast-paced combat, humor, and time-hopping campaign structure, which gave it a unique personality that allowed it to carve out a niche in the FPS genre.
Open-World Game Franchises That Are Effectively Dead
Despite their strengths and plenty of promise, some open-world series are very unlikely to make a comeback.
Sadly, hopes for a revival officially died in 2023 when Free Radical was shut down amid sweeping industry layoffs. The studio had been working on a TimeSplitters reboot, but following internal restructuring, the project was canceled and staff were let go. With no successor studio or license handover, the name now remains a relic from the past that may never see the light of day again.
Resistance
Couldn't Quite Survive The Apocalypse
Resistance: Fall of Man
- Released
- November 17, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Insomniac Games
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Insomniac Games’ Resistance trilogy carved out a distinct space in the FPS landscape, inviting players into an apocalyptic world full of death, decay, and alien monstrosities. The story pits humanity against the monstrous Chimera, delivering brutal cinematic moments and showcasing the talent of the studio long before their later successes like Marvel's Spider-Man.
Despite the series' cult following, Resistance 4 never materialized. Sony reportedly rejected the pitch, feeling the market for grim post-apocalyptic shooters was oversaturated, particularly with The Last of Us in production. Insomniac has since shifted entirely to other IPs, confirming no plans to revisit Resistance and leaving the horrific aliens to rot in the past.
Red Faction
Stuck In The 2000s
Red Faction
- Released
- May 22, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
Red Faction stood out from other shooters by introducing groundbreaking destructible environments to its world, creating an experience unlike anything else in the genre at the time. Its Geo-Mod Engine let players reshape the battlefield in real time, tunneling through walls or leveling buildings entirely, and each entry in the series only served to level up that destruction.
Franchises That Lived Up To Their Amazing First Game
These franchises hit the ground running with their first release and have kept the momentum going until this day with countless acclaimed titles.
Unfortunately, the planned sequel from developer Fishlabs was quietly canceled during Embracer Group’s major restructuring in 2024. The publisher’s aggressive cost-cutting led to the closure of multiple studios, and Red Faction was one of its biggest casualties. Today, without an active developer or roadmap, the franchise’s signature brand of physics-based destruction has been shelved indefinitely.
Unreal Tournament
Cut Down By The Success Of Fortnite
Unreal Tournament
- Released
- November 30, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Shooter, Action
In the early 2000s, Unreal Tournament defined the competitive arena shooter space with its blistering speed, precision gunplay, and futuristic arenas that inspired countless imitators and helped shape the online multiplayer landscape. It was once the proving ground for reflex-driven combat, dominating PC LANs and eSports events alike, and is widely credited as the main driving force for some of the most popular FPS games of all time.
However, Epic Games has long since moved on, with the Unreal Tournament reboot quietly abandoned and its servers officially shut down in 2022. Epic has even approved the Internet Archive to preserve early Unreal titles, a clear sign that the franchise has transitioned into history rather than future development. While modern players may not remember the franchise, its impact is undeniable, and its legacy remains both in Unreal Engine and where its DNA can be found scattered across the shooter world.
Team Fortress
Lead By The Community, Not The Devs
Team Fortress
- Released
- April 7, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
Team Fortress was a cultural phenomenon that brought the concept of class shooters to a mainstream audience. The first game was a starting point, but the real magic blossomed in TF2, where the humor met a satisfying set of gameplay mechanics that were both inviting for new players but also deeply satisfying for veterans.
However, at this point, the franchise and any chances of a sequel have pretty much been left to gather dust. TF2 hasn't received a major Valve update in almost a decade, and the only content added to the game nowadays comes from the die-hard community that has continued to show its love ever since the start. Valve has even admitted that hardly anyone is working on TF2 anymore. Despite this lack of support, the game still thrives to this day, and TF Classic still pulls in decent numbers despite being a footnote in the history of the FPS genre.
Video Game Franchises That Are Officially Done
These video games had their time in the sun, but we won't be seeing follow-ups any time soon.