Launching a fresh title from a famed developer is a dream come true for gamers. Yet sometimes the hype outweighs reality, leading to trimmed promises or nothing at all. This collection gathers those games that looked incredible on paper but never hit the shelves for odd reasons.
Star burger
- Announce date: October 10, 2012
- Developer and Publisher: Cloud Imperium Games
- Genre: space simulator, first person shooter
- Originally promised release date: 2016
Since the announcement Star Citizen has surpassed a decade, with spending exceeding five hundred million dollars. The space sim was unveiled as an MMO with deep combat, a complex economy, and vast freedom, including a rich single-player campaign. Yet details about that campaign remain scarce.
As of today, no solid release window or plot has been disclosed. In plain terms, players receive a promise without a clear roadmap. The project is funded by its own audience rather than the publisher.
More visuals are available in the gallery.
The root cause is simple: the studio overreached its capabilities and admitted progress had not yet caught up with the grand plan. Still, Cloud Imperium Games insists development remains active and that the game will appear eventually.
Fable legends
- Announce date: August 20, 2013
- Developer: Lionhead Studios
- Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
- Genre: Action RPG, Adventure
- Originally promised release date: October 2015
Fans of the Fable series welcomed a new installment in 2013 with high hopes. The joy faded quickly when Lionhead Studios, then under Microsoft’s wing, announced its closure.
The reason remains sparse, but the lack of ambition or a perceived mismatch with expectations reportedly contributed to the decision. Fans could not sway the outcome.
Later, Playground Games stepped in to revive the Fable concept. Yet details remain scarce, and the team cites engine hurdles and experience gaps as reasons for slow progress.
star wars 1313
- Announce date: May 31, 2012
- Developer and Publisher: LucasArts Entertainment
- Genre: action-adventure, shooter
- Originally promised release date: unknown
One of the screenshots from Star Wars 1313
In 2012, LucasArts was advancing a project centered on a Boba Fett lead. A 2013 deal with Disney followed, and then a sweeping shift for the brand.
Disney later shuttered the project and dismantled the LucasArts team to redirect energy toward other ventures. The move, seen by many fans as a misstep, left a void in Star Wars gaming lore.
In 2022 a gameplay clip of the canceled game surfaced, sparking renewed regret among fans who felt a potential classic had slipped away.
Divinity: fallen heroes
- Announce date: March 27, 2019
- Developer: Larian Studios, Logic Artists
- Publisher: Larian Studios
- Genre: TRPG
- Originally promised release date: November 2019
Visually, the game resembled the previous installment.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 had already created a buzz after its launch. Many outlets hailed it as a potential Game of the Year, though a competing release in 2017 briefly stole that spotlight. Undeterred, the team announced Divinity: Fallen Heroes to extend the saga, collaborating with Logic Artists.
Soon, both studios cited heavy workloads and shifting priorities, freezing the project. Since 2019, there has been no substantial news, a disappointment for fans waiting for a new chapter.
The older scrolls 6
- Announce date: June 11, 2018
- Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
- Genre: Action RPG
- Originally promised release date: unknown
Players still discuss the main location of The Elder Scrolls 6
Legends surround this title. Some have given up hope of ever seeing it, while others chase every trailer at E3. Since 2018, there has been silence.
After Starfield’s release, more chatter might surface, but history suggests a cautious stance toward Bethesda’s timelines. Still, one thing remains certain: Skyrim 2 is on the horizon, somewhere down the road.
Where do you think The Elder Scrolls 6 will take place?
Project LMNO
- Announcement date: 2010
- Developer and Publisher: Electronic Arts
- Genre: action-adventure, shooter
- Originally promised release date: unknown
This project gained fame through a collaboration with Steven Spielberg. Despite that partnership, Electronic Arts Los Angeles faltered. The concept aimed to blend parkour, choice-driven action, and a cinematic storyline, but development slipped away from the studio. The publisher ultimately redirected focus toward a different project, and LMNO was shelved.
EA later signaled a shift away from new releases for a period, redirecting resources elsewhere, which seemed to seal LMNO’s fate.
Ares
- Announce date: never announced
- Developer and Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
- Genre: First person shooter
- Originally promised release date: unknown
Blizzard flirted with a shooter inspired by StarCraft, using the Overwatch engine for speed. Prototypes surfaced in 2017, but the project faced ongoing turbulence before it was quietly halted. The timing aligned with the emergence of Overwatch 2, leading many to infer the outcome.
Silent hills
- Announce date: August 12, 2014
- Developer: Kojima Productions
- Publisher: Konami
- Genre: Survival Horror
- Originally promised release date: 2016
Demo material tied to a collaboration between Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro stirred excitement. Yet the project was canceled, and PT disappeared from the PlayStation catalog.
The fallout between Konami and Kojima is one widely discussed explanation. Reports varied, including resistance to a new engine and other internal frictions. The creative duo moved on, while the game never reemerged.
Glimpses of what might have been linger in memory and conversation among fans.
“To Hell With Konami”
Beyond good and evil 2
- Announce date: May 28, 2008
- Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier, Ubisoft
- Publisher: Ubisoft
- Genre: Action Adventure, Shooting, Fighting
- Originally promised release date: unknown
Beyond Good and Evil 2 was announced long ago and has not yet seen the light of day. Ubisoft paused development and denied progress, with whispers of closed alpha circulating inside the company.
Insider Tom Henderson suggested it would be unlikely to release in the near term due to a lack of a clear creative direction. Fans of the first game still hold out hope for a future entry.
Half-Life 2: Episode Three
- Announce date: May 22, 2006
- Developer and Publisher: Valve
- Genre: action-adventure, shooter
- Originally promised release date: late 2007
The Half-Life saga became infamous for what fans call the tease of Episode Three. The project was never released, despite ongoing discussion and expectations. Gabe Newell later pointed to shifting priorities as a reason for the pause, and the industry moved on with other chapters in the series, including a distinct new direction in Half-Life Alyx.
This list features not only outright cancellations but also projects delayed for years. Some of these ideas eventually evolved into other games or sparked new innovations in the industry. Which title did you look forward to the most, or are you still hoping for a revival?
Which game from the collection were you most excited about or still await?
Source: VG Times