10 Canceled Video Game Sequels We'll NEVER Get to Play

10 Canceled Video Game Sequels We’ll Never Get to Play

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at video game sequels whose cancellation hurt us the most. Oh, what could have been.

“Days Gone 2”

While “Days Gone” initially struggled to find its audience, it clearly got there eventually considering how many players still mourn the fact that the series won’t continue. Bend Studio had several ideas in mind for a sequel, including co-op within a shared game world, which had to be cut from the original. The first had sold decently enough, but the mixed reviews and lengthy
development period caused Sony to reject the team’s pitch for a sequel. That’s a pretty big bummer since we ended on a cliffhanger, promising fallout from the shady NERO organization and that there was more to the genetically-altered Freakers than players thought.

“Legacy of Kain: Dead Sun”

The “Legacy of Kain” series still retains a loyal following, despite the fact that it hasn’t seen a new entry since 2003. Well, one was in development during the seventh generation of consoles, but was sadly canceled in 2012. “Dead Sun” would have been set in the distant future and focused on two new characters; a vampire named Gein and a human named Asher. When it was canceled, Square Enix stated it “just wasn't the right game, at the right time.” The multiplayer portion was saved and reworked into “Nosgoth,” but reception was poor since it was too different from what the series was meant to be, and it never made it out of the beta stage. Meanwhile, desire for a new “Legacy of Kain” has never wavered.

“Fez 2”

If you’ve played 2012’s “Fez,” you know it to be an incredibly charming and inventive puzzle platformer. And you were probably just as interested in a possible sequel as we were. Unfortunately, one person who was completely disinterested was the creator himself. Following the sequel’s announcement, Phil Fish got into an argument with journalist Marcus Beer on Twitter, which seemed to be the final straw in him putting up with the games industry. It was unceremoniously canceled a month after its announcement and Fish left game development behind for good. He later clarified that he saw the argument as “an out,” and that he never really had any personal desire to make “Fez II,” which never got past the concept art phase.

“Mortal Kombat: Fire & Ice”

When “Mortal Kombat” began to receive spin-offs, they got off to a pretty bad start. But one that was actually pretty good was 2005’s “Shaolin Monks.” Following Liu Kang and Kung Lao, it blended the franchise’s signature violent style with beat ‘em up gameplay, which was praised by critics and players, especially when playing in co-op. It also sold fairly well, meaning a sequel was greenlit in “Fire & Ice,” which would’ve featured the duo of Scorpion and Sub-Zero in a similar format. However, publisher Midway eventually went bankrupt in 2009, which caused the developer to close down and the sequel to go no further than a single prototype stage.

“The Thing 2”

John Carpenter’s brilliant sci-fi horror film, “The Thing,” got a 2002 sequel in the form of a video game. And it was actually pretty awesome. You controlled a Captain in the U.S. Special Forces, sent to the fateful research base to figure out what happened to the team, only to then be confronted by the horrific, shapeshifting alien. It sold and reviewed well, and so developer Computer Artworks immediately began planning a follow-up. The sequel never got very far, though, with only concept art and demo videos produced. Computer Artworks experienced financial difficulties, going into receivership before closing in 2003.

“Sleeping Dogs 2”

As far as open world, crime-ridden action games go, 2012’s “Sleeping Dogs” is among the best. United Front Games brought modern-day Hong Kong to life spectacularly, and navigating its criminal underworld as an undercover officer and martial artist was nothing short of badass. The studio had lofty ambitions for the series that tragically never got to see the light of day. A sequel went into development soon after the first game’s release, which would’ve given us a corrupt partner and tied in with a mobile app whose actions could impact the game’s world. It seems disappointing sales in the eyes of publisher Square Enix were the cause of the sequel’s cancellation, and the developer closed soon after.

“Mega Man Legends 3”

There are a few sub-series within “Mega Man.” But for action adventure gameplay with a stronger sense of story, you have the “Legends” games. While they didn’t perform as strongly as the Blue Bomber’s core entries, they still developed an incredibly passionate fanbase. A third game was announced in 2010 for Nintendo’s 3DS, but ended up getting canceled the following year. And fans were very vocally upset about it. It had been 10 years since the last installment, and Capcom claimed cancellation was due to a “lack of interaction” with the development rooms it had created to utilize fan feedback and submissions. To this day, there are players who yearn for the revival of “Mega Man Legends 3.”

“Conker’s Other Bad Day”

With its incredibly mature humor wrapped within a delightfully cartoonish style, “Conker’s Bad Fur Day” is a fan favorite of the N64’s library. Even though it didn’t sell well, Rare began working on a sequel that would’ve dealt with the foul-mouthed squirrel’s unsuccessful time as King, which he became at the end of the previous game. It didn’t get very far, however, as Rare was purchased by Microsoft in 2002, who reportedly had no interest in creating a sequel. A remake of “Bad Fur Day” did eventually release on the Xbox, and while Conker did appear in later titles, most players found them disappointing compared to what this cult classic platformer offered.

“Baldur’s Gate 4”

The game that everyone was obsessed with in 2023, “Baldur’s Gate 3” brought Larian Studios immense success. Although the team considered DLC for the game, it eventually transitioned to a full-fledged sequel that got as far as a playable build. So, what happened? Simply put, the developers decided they wanted to create something new rather than be tied to a world that existed outside of their work, the Forgotten Realms of “Dungeons & Dragons.” According to director and studio head Swen Vincke, this choice increased morale and excitement at the studio. Making this decision for the betterment of staff was the right call, and we have no doubt that someone will make a “Baldur’s Gate 4” someday. But we’re still a little sad that Larian won’t be the team to bring it to us.

“Silent Hills”

We’ll forever be bitter over this one, and we know we aren’t alone. In 2012, Konami enlisted “Metal Gear” creator Hideo Kojima to revitalize the “Silent Hill” series. Guillermo del Toro signed on as assistant director, and Norman Reedus was to star as the protagonist. What this project would’ve looked and felt like was revealed in 2014 via “P.T.,” standing for playable teaser. From all corners of the internet, this terrified every single one of us. It was an exciting promise for a future that would sadly never come. The public falling out between Kojima and Konami, in which the latter was definitely in the wrong, led to the cancellation of “Silent Hills.” Konami even removed “P.T.” from digital stores. The studio is currently attempting a comeback with “Silent Hill,” but the loss of what could have been is a huge disappointment.

What sequel cancellation are you still bitter over? Share your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great gaming videos every day!