Grand Theft Auto 6 getting delayed again is a major bummer, but it isn’t the end of the world. Without a doubt, it will launch eventually, but that doesn’t mean GTA 6 will live up to the hype. That brings up the question of whether it’s best to play a game in a failed state or to never experience it at all.
In the case of these games, fans will never know because they were canceled before anyone could have passed judgment beyond the executive level. Maybe they were train wrecks and would have disappointed everyone, but maybe they could have been something momentous that would have changed EVERYTHING.
Super Mario Bros. 35
A Limited Time Celebration
Super Mario Bros. 35 was released in celebration of Mario’s 35th anniversary in 2020. The game reused assets from the NES classic, Super Mario Bros., serving as the basis for a 2D Battle Royale game. It was a popular addition to the genre that was exclusive to the Switch, but just as fast as it arrived, Nintendo took it away. Specifically, it launched on October 1, 2020, and the service ended on April 1, 2021, and it can no longer be played.
The Last Of Us Online
Expanding The World Of Clickers
- Developer: Naughty Dog
- Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Canceled: 2023
The Last of Us Part 2 was announced in 2016, and in 2018, Naughty Dog revealed that they were working on a multiplayer mode for the game. The full game launched in 2020 with numerous updates announcing more delays, and then in 2022, it was revealed that the multiplayer section was going to become a standalone live-service product. A year after that, it was canceled, and all that exists now is some artwork and a few leaked screenshots, but presumably it would have had similar gameplay to the main games.
Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier
A Battle Royale Prequel
Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier was another Battle Royale game based on a popular universe, Final Fantasy 7. It was released in 2021 for mobile devices, and the prequel’s premise involved Shinra testing soldiers to become members of the SOLDIER program, which fit in well enough with the lore.
Players could create their character and load up in between rounds to create the most badass candidate they could. Unfortunately, Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier was never ported to consoles, and the service was shut down in 2023.
Perfect Dark 3
Back To Stealth Mode, Joanna
The next Perfect Dark game never had an official name, but it would have been the third entry following 2005’s Perfect Dark Zero. Announced at The Game Awards in 2020, fans were hyped for it as Microsoft released very slow drops of information over the years. Just when it looked about ready to come out, it was canceled in July 2025, and along with it, the developer, The Initiative, was also demolished. Crystal Dynamics was helping with development, but since Microsoft doesn’t own them, they were safe from the fallout.
Maverick Hunter
X Goes Metroid Prime
- Developer: Armature Studio
- Publisher: Capcom
- Canceled: 2010
Maverick Hunter was a first-person shooter spinoff of the Mega Man X franchise, essentially rebooting the character. It was being developed by Armature Studio, which was made up of former Retro Studios designers. If anyone could do the conversion, they could, since Retro Studios did make the highly acclaimed Metroid Prime games. Maverick Hunter was never officially announced, but apparently, work started and stopped in 2010, with leaked footage appearing in 2013, giving fans a glimpse of the mysterious game at long last.
Star Wars: Battlefront 3
99% There
- Developer: Free Radical Design
- Publisher: LucasArts
- Canceled: 2008
There are many Star Wars games that will never see the light of day, but Star Wars: Battlefront 3 is perhaps the most tragic. That’s because the game was apparently 99% done according to Free Radical Design, known most for their critically acclaimed TimeSplitters franchise.
It was never officially announced, but work was going on between 2006 and 2008. The first round of footage was leaked in 2008, followed by another big one in 2012. The biggest leak was a Wii build of the game dropping in 2024. So, while a build of the game exists for people to play out there, Star Wars: Battlefront 3 is not in a state that fans want to see.
