Summary
When big-money studios declare themselves “AAA,” it isn’t necessarily a declaration of quality to gamers. Rather, it signals to investors that their product is safe, that it will have the broadest possible appeal, and will ultimately sell well upon release. Games so big that they require the kind of funding only the biggest companies can provide are open-world games, and it just so happens that these types of games are what the largest gaming companies have been interested in making over the last few years.
With success usually comes a follow-up, and when a sequel to a beloved open-world game isn’t forthcoming, there’s usually a story behind it (even if the story tends to be that of a tragedy).Sales don’t always align with quality, and sometimes, due to a twist of fate, even the most lucrative and critically acclaimed game worlds must remain standalone adventures. These games are still well worth playing today but should be considered one-and-done experiences.
The world has been turned upside down because of a pandemic that turned most of the population into zombies. Players take control of Deacon, a biker-turned-bounty hunter, as he makes his way across the Pacific Northwest in search of his wife, who may or may not be alive.Days Gonehad plenty of fans willing to bat for its merits, but that just didn’t translate into higher sales or confidence behind the scenes at Sony.Days Gone’s director, John Garvin, drew criticism for implying that fans were at fault for the series' untimely conclusion, stating that “if you love a game, buy it at […] full price.”
DespiteDays Goneonly being released in 2019, Garvin’s co-director, Jeff Ross,went on recordto confirm that there is nowno possibility of a forthcoming sequel. While interest in the zombie genre is still a mainstay in gaming culture,it had its heyday in the 2000sand again but less so in the 2010s, and itsappeal in an open-world romp was perhaps not as strong a draw as expected.Days Gonemay have sold millions of copies, but AAA open-world games are still generally expected to sell in the tens of millions if they are to be considered successful.
The Saboteuris a free-roam game about the liberation of 1940s Paris from Nazi forces. Rather than just exploring the city and following missions, the player is tasked with undermining the occupation one section at a time, with each success impacting the story itself. Occupied areas areentirely in black and white, whereas free areas bloom in full color.
Players are free to conduct their liberation of Paris with a number of playstyles, including sneaky or guns blazing. While The Saboteur brought an interesting hook and compelling gameplay, and while there are historical locations ripe for more anti-Nazi liberation activities,technical issues brought its final score downjust enough to keep the IP locked away in the history books.
After splitting off from the True Crime series and forming its own open-world, undercover cop identity,Sleeping Dogsenamored its fans with a tight but well-packed, vibrant, and bustling open-world Hong Kong. With positive reviews, fans expected to see a sequel in the next coming years. Indeed, two were announced: first, an ambitious follow-up that would have taken place down China’s Pearl River Delta and would have included a mobile game tie-in; second, a massively multiplayer spin-off,Triad Wars.
The higher-ups at Square Enix initially acknowledged the less-than-stellar sales inSleeping Dogs' opening month but declared it to be a strong new property for the company nonetheless. However, after a few months, it became evident that the series would not be entering thelist of Square Enix’s best-selling franchisesany time soon. WhileTriad Warsmade it through beta testing before being shuttered,Sleeping Dogs 2never made it past development.
In a meticulous recreation of 1940s Los Angeles, players step into the gumshoes of Detective Cole Phelps, tasked with navigating a web of crime scenes, interrogations, and moral choices.L.A. Noirehas all the markings of a classic, to which its sales and reviews concurred. So why was there no sequel? With so many huge open-world games already in development at the studio and each at anunimaginable monetary cost,it’s not hard to see why Rockstar would be happy to putL.A. Noireinto cold storage from a management perspective.
BesidesRockstar having its hands full(presumably with a steering wheel or gun), there’s another reason why anL.A. Noire 2might never see the light of day:behind-the-scenes friction. Rumors ofunsustainable, toxic working conditionsblew up following the game’s release, and since Team Bondi (the partner studio behindL.A. Noire) was liquidated in 2011, either could have been the final nail in the coffin for another detective romp.
This forgotten open-world gemhas developed more of a cult following recently but flew under the radar at the time of its release. Appropriately adrenaline-fueled during action sequences and morbidly pensive during calm drives through the wasteland, 2015’sMad Madperfectly captures the spirit of the series, in part thanks to the studio’s confidence in departing from the plot ofFury Roadand doing its own thing,which it does with panache. Recent comments by George Miller pin Hideo Kojima as the only person the Mad Max creator and director would trust to direct a game set in theMaxseries in the future.
Despite Miller’s criticisms,Mad Maxis still an extraordinary achievement in gameplay pacing, tone, and open-world combat racing design. Considering the legendary game director’s schedule and the rarity of seeing a movie tie-in game in the modern era, it isunlikely that another Mad Max game will see the light of day any time soon. Coincidentally, the lower-than-expected sales ofMad Maxin 2015 were partly blamed on the game’s release being on the same day as the massively-anticipatedMetal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain.
Also known asCanis Canem Editoutside of North America,Bullytakes players into the chaotic microcosm of Bullworth Academy, a fictional New England boarding school. Players control Jimmy Hopkins, a rebellious teenager who must navigate the social hierarchy, cliques, and pranks of school life while attending classes, participating in extra-curricular activities, and avoiding the eye of the hall monitors.
Rockstar is no stranger todealing with controversial materialin the press or taking heat from politicians and news reports, but the climate of fear in U.S. schools, thanks to the continuous chain of gun-violence-related tragedies, makes the setting more than just a sore spot in the public consciousness. AlthoughBullyhad a strong anti-bullying theme and message, the franchise, like many of its otherbright but troubled franchises, will likely have to stay behind class indefinitely.
