In a perfect world, all great video games would sell 10 million copies and the developer would be given the creative freedom to make an amazing sequel. Sadly, this is not always the case. Today we’re taking a look at five current-gen games that didn’t sell all that well, and therefore are really unlikely to get a sequel. Of course, things change and IPs can always make a return as we’ve seen countless times, but we’re talking five games that have the odds stacked against them.
The sales numbers for these games have been acquired via VGChartz.com. For transparency’s sake, it’s worth noting that VGChartz is not a perfect barometer for a games sales as often the publishers don’t reveal exact numbers, especially when games do not sell well, so feel free to take this list with a grain of salt if you’d like. Don’t get too stressed if your favorite is on here! However, without official numbers, VGChartz is often as good as it is going to get. So for the sake of conversation, let’s get this list underway.
Mad Max – Sold 1.8 Million
We’ll start with a game that is near and dear to this writer’s heart but one that failed due to poor timing. Mad Max was first revealed at Sony’s 2013 E3 conference and came out more than two years later on September 1 2015… the same day as Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
Even though Mad Max was a great game with fun driving mechanics, surprisingly deep customization, serviceable combat, a decent story, and jaw-dropping graphics, it failed to capture the attention of audiences who were drawn to the critically acclaimed Metal Gear Solid. Mad Max had a lot going for it, including the success of the fourth movie installment that same year, but it failed to catch fire and capitalize. It’s worth mentioning that critics didn’t love the game, with it holding a mediocre 69 on Metacritic. So lackluster sales and average reviews lead to a game that probably won’t ever get a sequel, especially when Avalanche Studios also produces the beloved Just Cause series.
This post was originally authored by Curtis Dillon.
