Video game development is a difficult and time-consuming task that can lead to great creative work. Unfortunately, there are canceled video games that no one can ever play.
Keep reading to learn more about canceled video games.
What Is A Canceled Game?
A canceled video game occurs when the development of a video game project ends before the game is finished. When a game is canceled, the developers can release an official statement. Sometimes, developers don’t release any statement, and the game fades into obscurity. Video game cancellation doesn’t follow any legal protocol, so it’s up to the developers/company to deal with it as they see fit.
Some canceled games will have trailers or demos of early builds of the game available, but some will only have concept art of what the developers wanted the game to look like. Games can even be canceled before their existence is announced to the public. All of these factors make these games mysterious pieces of lost media.
Causes Of Cancellations
Although the exact reason Mega Man Legends 3 was canceled is still unclear, there are genuine reasons why a game could be canceled. A game can become too costly to create, forcing companies to give up on a project. Additionally, games can take longer than expected to develop. When this happens, it can siphon resources from different projects a company is working on.
Even when development is going smoothly, a game can be subject to cancellation. At the end of the day, canceling a game is up to a company’s discretion. Because of this, many games have been canceled for petty or downright dumb reasons. It’s unfortunate, but it is an ugly truth of the gaming industry.
Example Of A Canceled Game
Mega Man Legends 3 was going to be a sequel to the Mega Man Legends franchise, developed by Capcom. It was officially announced on September 29th, 2010. Many series fans were excited about the news since the last installment was 10 years ago. Unfortunately, on July 19th, 2011, Capcom announced the game’s cancellation.
There was incredible hype behind the project, so many fans wondered why it was canceled. The only “concrete statement that Capcom gave was “it was not felt that the Mega Man Legends 3 Project met the required criteria.” The criteria were never specified to fans, so all they could do was ask questions.
Some fans have researched and highlighted information about the game’s development from start to cancellation, but even then, there’s no clear answer as to why Mega Man Legends 3 was canceled. To this day, fans hope that the game might return.
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