It’s the dawn of a new console generation, which means yet another iteration of Microsoft’s ever-popular Xbox: the Xbox Series X. With the launch of a new console comes a new collection of games that are often made with the intent of showing what the newest console is capable of, as was the case with the last console from the previous generation: the Xbox One.
Unfortunately, some of the early games on the Xbox turned out to be huge flops. Whether it’s due to not many people having access to the console at the time, the game’s marketing not reaching as far as it could have, or the actual content of the game not being up to snuff, the reasons for a game not meeting expectations are plentiful. Whether a commercial or a critical flop, some games early in the life of the Xbox One didn’t turn out as well they should have.
10 Scalebound
While not the technical definition of a “flop”, this game deserves to be mentioned because of how much hype was building up before the game was ultimately canceled in 2017. Originally announced in 2013 by Platinum Games, Scalebound was poised to be the next epic game that would be the centerpiece for the Xbox One at launch, with players taking control of a hero and being able to order a dragon to do your bidding. The concept was built for success, but the years went on and the game kept getting delayed. Between creative difficulties and the building hype that couldn’t have possibly been met, the game was ultimately canceled and gamers were never able to find out what could’ve been.
9 Fable Legends
The Fable series was a major selling point for previous Xbox consoles, so it was almost a no-brainer that a Fable game to launch the Xbox One would be a good idea. Fable Legends was going to have a very unique concept: 4 player characters would connect online and battle a villain, also controlled by a player. The villain would control the nature of the quest that the heroes would go on, operating similarly to a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. The game was announced in 2013 but kept getting pushed back.
Multiple multiplayer betas were opened but the player bases weren’t as populated as expected. The game was retooled and another multiplayer beta was opened in 2015 with the announcement that the game would be free to play, but was ultimately canceled altogether in 2016. It was a shame that the Fable series that many players held so dear was discarded in this long-winded way, but unfortunately, those kinds of experiments are necessary when trying to launch a console.
8 Ryse: Son of Rome
The first thing that many people will look at when choosing a console is the quality of graphics that it is capable of. Ryse: Son of Rome was a swords and sandals action game that was meant to be the title that showed how exceptional Xbox One games could look, even at launch. Even to this day, Ryse still looks great but unfortunately, looks aren’t everything. The game was criticized by critics and players alike for repetitive gameplay and scenarios, and the game sold fewer copies than the initial hype would lead to believe. It’s important to focus on the graphical capabilities of a new console, but it can become very easy to let that get in the way of a solid, memorable game.
7 ReCore
ReCore was a very exciting title for many gamers because it was an Xbox One exclusive title that was set up to be a huge globe-trotting science fiction adventure, created by people who worked on the Metroid Prime and Mega Man series, who jumped ship from Nintendo to work on a brand new IP. ReCore looked like it would have lovable characters, engaging gameplay, and gorgeous worlds to explore.
In 2016 it was released to the world, but to little fanfare. Most reviews were mixed to negative, and the game barely sold a quarter of a million copies (believe it or not, that is considered a relative failure to some developers), and talk of the game slowly fizzled out. A definitive edition of the game was released in 2017, but it was too late for a ReCore renaissance.
6 Halo Wars 2
A side title in the beloved Halo series that the Xbox holds so dear, Halo Wars was a real-time strategy series based in the Halo universe. Although fully released in 2017, Halo Wars 2 began development in 2013, shortly after the first game released.
Although it was the most successful RTS of that year, it still didn’t get the numbers that Halo games are expected. Halo Wars is completely different than the games that came before, but it’s a shame that the sales weren’t higher. It’s hard to say if there will be a Halo Wars 3 on the Xbox Series X.
5 Crimson Dragon
Seen as a spiritual successor to the Panzer Dragoon series, Crimson Dragon is an on-rails shooter that had players flying on a dragon, blasting their way through many exciting levels. The game released in 2013 exclusively for the Xbox One, and while it was decently well-received, the market for on-rails shooters was not high, especially on the Xbox One. Sales reflected this, and unfortunately, this game got lost in the shuffle with many other launch titles.
4 Powerstar Golf
Golf games come and go on every console, and the Xbox One was no exception. Powerstar Golf was released in 2013 and was a solid and functional golf game, but the reason behind it being an Xbox One exclusive is certainly a mystery. The game was received decently well by critics, but buyers decided to knock this one into the drink.
Very few bought Powerstar Golf, and even fewer remember it among the vast amount of golf games that exist on the Xbox One. There appears to be a modern trend for success in the sports game field: be a straight-up simulation of the sport, or go ridiculously strange and unique.
3 Kinect Sports Rivals
The Kinect peripheral was introduced with the Xbox 360 and while it was touted as the future of gaming, it became a huge focus of Microsoft during the Xbox 360 era, much to the dismay of gamers. This Kinect focus seeped into the beginning of the Xbox One, with the release of Kinect Sports Rivals in 2014. This Kinect-based sports sequel was released to mixed reviews and very low sales. The game caused Rare to suffer heavy losses, which hurt many gamers, even more, knowing the greatness that Rare was capable of in their prime. This game seemed to mark the end of the Kinect as a focused peripheral, and maybe it was for the best.
2 Sunset Overdrive
A case of an excellent game not quite meeting its potential, Sunset Overdrive is a game that is overflowing with style, attitude, smooth gameplay, and a world that is ripe for a franchise continuation. It was released in 2014 as an Xbox One exclusive, and it was set to be the next huge franchise for the console. Unfortunately, the game did not sell nearly as many copies as expected, and the game is in a bit of a limbo regarding its future. Whatever happens with the IP, Sunset Overdrive has already become something of a cult hit, which may be means for a sequel alone.
1 Fighter Within
The exact definition of a flop, Fighter Within was released in 2013 and was a single-player fighting game, with the Kinect being the main form of control. This was already a bad sign from the beginning, and Fighter Within failed in nearly every aspect. The graphics were not impressive for a launch title meant to sell the console, the controls were non-responsive and made players feel lost, and the game barely sold any copies.
Fighter Within is the kind of game that the Xbox Series X needs to avoid as it launches. The main focus should be on the console itself before focusing on peripherals and expansions, and Fighter Within was a huge lesson that Microsoft had to learn from.
NEXT: Xbox Series X: 5 Reasons To Buy It On Day 1 (& 5 Why You Should Wait)
