Summary
- Fans regret games disappearing from old consoles with no digital options.
- Titles like XDefiant and Dauntless were taken offline despite popularity.
- Legal access to delisted games is possible through finding physical copies.
There are a lot of games that fans remember from their youth that they wish they could play again. For example, many games are trapped on the PS1, Sega Saturn, Xbox, and so on. They don’t need remakes or remasters, as some fans would be happy with just straight ports to modern hardware. Although they are unavailable on major platforms, they can be found in thrift shops to purchase and play again legally.
You Better Play These Licensed Games Before They're Gone
Your favorite licensed games may be going away or losing functionality soon!
The same goes for modern games that have been delisted, like The Lord of the Rings: War in the North. It can’t be bought digitally, but thankfully, physical copies were made, and they do still work. These next games have requirements that make them completely unplayable unless a user sets up some kind of personal network or bought them ages ago.
1 Vs 100
Ahead Of Its Time
- Developer: Microsoft Game Studios
- Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
- Released: November 19, 2009
- Platform: Xbox 360
1 vs. 100 was a game show wherein one contestant competed against their peers in a trivia game. It started in 2006, ended in 2008, and a year later it was adapted into an Xbox 360 game on Xbox Live with the same concept.
Players could get into a cue with a chance to play or spectate. There were just two seasons in 2009, and then that was it. Since it was a live broadcast, there was never a way just to play the game casually, so when it ended, it really was over.
Babylon’s Fall
Down Goes The Tower
Babylon's Fall
- Released
- March 3, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood and Gore, Language, Partial Nudity, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash
Babylon’s Fall was a collaboration between Square Enix and PlatinumGames, a pairing that had worked together perfectly before. This multiplayer-focused action RPG had a simple concept tied to adventurers climbing a tower and then going back to the hub town between runs, but it was not received well.
It was released in March 2022, and in September of that same year, Square Enix announced plans to cancel the online service. True to their word, the game officially shut down servers soon after, leaving no lasting way to play the game by the end of February 2023.
Concord
Blink And You Missed It
Concord
- Released
- August 23, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Some may be wondering if Concord ever came out. The answer is yes, it did come out, in one of the most bizarre launch moments ever seen in the industry. Concord was released on August 23, 2024, for PS5 and PC, and just two weeks later, on September 6, 2024, the servers were shut down.
10 Cancelled Superhero Games You'll Never Get To Play
From the fourth Arkham game inspired by Batman Beyond to an open-world Spider-Man/Wolverine game, many superhero titles have been cancelled.
At first, Sony seemed to have a promising idea and hope of relaunching the game after making some internal tweaks, but then the developer, Firewalk Studios, was shuttered. The game was an entirely online hero shooter with heist elements, and while it didn’t get universal acclaim, it had its fans. A major issue was that it launched with a full $70 price tag, while its competitors in the genre had all gone free-to-play.
Dauntless
A Great Monster Hunter Clone
Dauntless
- Released
- September 26, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Monster Hunter was the only game of its kind for a long time, with a few clones popping up occasionally but never putting up much competiton. After the success of Monster Hunter World, more challengers rose to the occasion, like Dauntless in September 2019.
It was a free-to-play game that was well-liked and received great reviews. It had a stable online presence, but even so, death catches up to all. In May 2025, servers and access to the game were shut down. It touched nearly every system following its launch, including PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, but even casting a net that wide couldn't save it.
Marvel Heroes
A Lost Marvel Classic
Marvel Heroes
- Released
- June 4, 2013
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Gazillion Entertainment, Secret Identity Studios
- Genre(s)
- MMORPG
Marvel Heroes is another example of a Marvel game that had an excellent run with a large fan base. It was an action RPG similar to Diablo, with the hook focusing on a large cast of Marvel heroes to choose from, like Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron Man, and even Blade.
The journey began in 2013 for PC only, and then it expanded in 2017 with the release of Marvel Heroes Omega, which acted as a console port for PS4 and Xbox One. This was in June, and then, in November, the game and studio, Gazillion Entertainment, suddenly and unexpectedly shut down, and Marvel Heroes went down with it.
Rumbleverse
Big Brawl In The City
Rumbleverse
- Released
- August 11, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Crude Humor, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Battle Royale
There is no shortage of Battle Royale games, and Rumbleverse aimed to do something different with the genre. Instead of a shooter, it was set in a city wherein players could wrestle each other with over-the-top moves.
7 Canceled Ubisoft Games
Ubisoft has created hundreds of video games over the past few decades, but occasionally even they have to cancel a project.
It was silly and a blast to play for a free game. It launched in August 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, but was shut down forever just months later in February 2023. It didn't have the best run ever, but it certainly isn’t the worst either.
Super Mario Bros. 35
Who Takes A Gift Back?
Super Mario Bros. 35
- Released
- October 1, 2020
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Arika
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
2020 marked the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. Hitting the NES, so Nintendo celebrated with a limited-time Battle Royale for the Switch. In Super Mario Bros. 35, players could play through classic Mario levels against others online when it launched in October.
It looked like the NES game, but thanks to a few modern touches, it played a bit better on the Switch. It was incredibly popular as a free game, but Nintendo never planned to keep it going. As such, in April 2021, the game was taken away.
XDefiant
Ubisoft Did Not Answer The Call Of Duty
XDefiant
- Released
- May 21, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Mild Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft San Francisco
- Genre(s)
- FPS
XDefiant was Ubisoft’s attempt to make a Call of Duty-like shooter to compete in the multiplayer market. This was odd considering Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege is still one of their biggest ongoing games, which fans will say already rivals modes in Call of Duty games.
That said, XDefiant launched in May 2024 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. In December, Ubisoft announced plans to shut down servers, which happened just recently in June 2025. Ubisoft, as a company, seems to be in hot water constantly these days, and while XDefiant wasn't a smash hit, its shutdown didn't help the company's image either.
5 Canceled Kingdom Hearts Games, Explained
Surprisingly, even a series as popular and successful as Kingdom Hearts has had several exciting entries canceled by Square Enix over the years.