8 anticipated games that never saw the light of day

Every year, video game developers and publishers announce new games at showcase events like the Summer Game Fest or PAX East, hoping to capture the attention of consumers and generate anticipation for their upcoming releases. Over the years, game development cycles have lengthened, so it is not unreasonable to assume that a freshly announced AAA game may take years to be released after its initial announcement. However, some of these games never materialize.

Over the years, there have been numerous highly anticipated games that were announced by publishers, only to be subsequently canceled. Sometimes these cancellations occur internally, even before a formal announcement has been made.

8 Fable Legends

The Fable series is among the most beloved video game series among Xbox fans, and when Fable Legends was announced at E3 2013, fans were thrilled to learn that Lionhead Studios would continue the franchise. The game was intended to be a free multiplayer experience, offering asymmetrical combat mechanics where one player could assume the role of the villain, pitting monsters against four hero players.

A closed beta version was launched on the Xbox One at the end of 2014, and Lionhead Studios had planned to release the game in 2016. However, Microsoft, the former owner of Lionhead Studios, shut down the development team in early 2016 and ceased all work on Fable Legends. In 2021, an employee of Microsoft referred to the event as one of the company's "biggest missteps."

7 Fez II

When Fez was released exclusively for the Xbox 360 in 2012, it became an indie hit. The game received highly positive reviews, and Phil Fish, the creator of the game, announced that Fez would be released on new video game platforms in 2013. On June 13, 2013, it was revealed that Fez II was in development at Fish's studio, Polytron.

And then, just one month later, Fez II was canceled following a dispute between Fish and video game commentator Marcus Beer. Beer criticized Fish for not making a statement regarding a new development in indie game development on the Xbox One. After a heated exchange on Twitter between Fish and Beer, Fish tweeted, "I'm done. Fez II is canceled. Goodbye."

6 Silent Hills

On August 12, 2014, a game demo called P.T. was released on the PlayStation Network. Initially, fans had no idea what the game was about, but after completing the demo, players discovered that P.T. was a demo for a new Silent Hill game called Silent Hills. The game was set to feature The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus in the lead role, with acclaimed video game director Hideo Kojima taking the helm. Additionally, highly acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro was set to be involved in the project.

However, after Kojima's departure from Konami in March 2015, the company announced the cancellation of Silent Hills. In April 2015, P.T. was removed from the PlayStation Network, and there is no longer a legitimate means to access P.T. through game distribution services. In October 2022, Konami announced the next game in the series, Silent Hill f, making it unlikely that Silent Hills will ever return, even under that name.

5 Deep Down

Although not officially canceled, Capcom's "Deep Down" (a working title) has not been shown in any official capacity since the Tokyo Game Show 2014. "Deep Down" takes place in a futuristic version of New York City, where players are transported to the past to battle against monsters.

In an interview with Eurogamer in 2019, Yoshinori Ono, a producer at Capcom who had worked on "Deep Down," confirmed that the original "Deep Down" team was no longer together but that the project was still in progress. In 2020, Ono left Capcom to work at another studio, and the current status of "Deep Down" development has remained unknown since then.

4 Mega Man Legends 3

For years, fans of Mega Man Legends had been hoping for a long-awaited sequel to Mega Man Legends 2, and in 2010, their dreams came true when Mega Man Legends 3 was announced. The game was being developed for the Nintendo 3DS and was expected to be released by the end of 2011.

In April 2011, it was announced that a demo version of the game called Mega Man Legends 3: Prototype Version would be released on the 3DS Shop prior to the full release of the game. It was intended to serve as a prologue to the game. However, in July 2011, Capcom announced the cancellation of Mega Man Legends 3, and the prototype version of the game would not be released. The only journalist known to have played the prototype version was Chris Hoffman from Nintendo Power, who stated that it was fairly complete and entertaining.

3 Bulletstorm 2

Developed by People Can Fly and published by Epic Games, Bulletstorm is the game that keeps going. Originally released in 2011, Bulletstorm has garnered a passionate fan base over the years, leading to a remastered version of the original game in 2017, and a VR update set to be released on various platforms later in 2023.

Despite the longevity of the game, there is still no prospect of a Bulletstorm 2. Mike Capps, the former president of Epic Games, stated that a sequel to Bulletstorm was being worked on, but Epic Games put it on hold and found another project for People Can Fly. People Can Fly is no longer part of Epic Games but has retained the rights to Bulletstorm, giving fans hope for a sequel.

2 Untitled F-Zero Game For Wii U

F-Zero fans have been patiently waiting for a new 3D installment of Nintendo's seemingly inactive racing game series since 2003. Although Nintendo has been relatively silent about F-Zero, NintendoLife confirmed in 2015 that Nintendo had commissioned the developer Criterion, known for Burnout, to develop an F-Zero game as a launch title for the Wii U.

Criterion founder Alex Ward confirmed the information and explained to NintendoLife that there had been discussions between Nintendo of Europe and Criterion. However, since Criterion was working on the development of Need for Speed: Most Wanted at that time, they couldn't allocate resources for the development of an F-Zero game.

1 Titanfall 3

When Respawn Entertainment released Titanfall on Xbox One in 2014, the game was praised for its gameplay mechanics but received criticism from players and critics for lacking a single-player campaign. Then, in 2016, Respawn released Titanfall 2, which featured a critically acclaimed single-player campaign and proved that the developer could create a compelling single-player experience within the Titanfall universe. Unfortunately, it is likely to remain the only one.

In a conversation with BURNETTWORK on YouTube, former developer at Respawn Entertainment, Mohammad Alavi, confirmed that the development team had worked on Titanfall 3 for about ten months before the game was canceled in order to focus on a battle royale multiplayer game. Although not explicitly mentioned, it is believed that this game is Apex Legends, the highly successful battle royale game set in the Titanfall universe, also developed by Respawn. Given the success of Apex Legends, it is unlikely that Respawn will continue the development of Titanfall 3.