20 Game Franchises RUINED By Publishers

Why It Matters

Publisher choices can quickly erode a franchise’s equity, turning once‑profitable IPs into liabilities and reshaping industry expectations for stewardship and monetization.

Key Takeaways

• Publisher greed turns successful franchises into disappointing live‑service experiments.
• Microtransactions in Metal Gear Solid 5 sparked fan backlash and brand damage.
• EA’s unrealistic sales targets halted the promising Dead Space remake.
• Activision’s rushed James Bond titles erased the series’ legacy.
• Epic’s abandonment of Unreal left a historic shooter unavailable.

Summary

The video surveys twenty once‑thriving video‑game franchises that have been tarnished by poor publisher decisions, ranging from ill‑conceived live‑service pivots to ill‑timed releases and abandoned sequels. It argues that no franchise is permanently doomed, but missteps can erode fan goodwill and stall momentum.

Key examples include Warner Brothers turning the acclaimed Batman Arkham series into the lackluster Suicide Squad live‑service, and Konami loading Metal Gear Solid 5 with microtransactions that left a sour taste. EA’s push for cooperative play and micro‑transactions in Dead Space 3, followed by unrealistic sales expectations that led to the franchise’s dormancy, illustrates how revenue‑first thinking can backfire. Activision’s hurried James Bond titles, notably 007 Legends, were pulled from stores within a year, effectively ending the series’ relevance.

The narrator highlights memorable moments such as Kevin Conroy’s forced cameo death in Suicide Squad, the war‑asset debuff that forced Mass Effect 3 players into multiplayer, and Epic’s decision to crowdsource an Unreal Tournament remake only to monetize user‑generated content, leaving the original titles unavailable for purchase.

These cases underscore the broader industry lesson: publishers wield decisive power over a franchise’s health. While some series may rebound with fresh stewardship, repeated mismanagement risks permanent brand erosion, affecting both consumer trust and long‑term revenue streams.

Original Description

Video companies have made some big mistakes that have risked entire franchises.

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0:00 Intro

0:39 Batman: Arkham Asylum

3:17 Metal Gear Solid

5:32 GoldenEye 007

7:27 Mass Effect

9:37 Dead Space

11:34 Duke Nukem

13:31 Unreal

15:12 Halo

16:49 Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater

18:37 Crash Bandicoot

20:33 Deus Ex

21:56 Rainbow Six

24:09 Lost Planet

25:48 Parasite Eve

27:41 Thief

29:15 Prince of Persia

30:48 Banjo-Kazooie

32:27 Star Wars: Battlefront

34:35 Sonic the Hedgehog

36:27 Ultima