Top 10 Video Game Reveals That Caused a MASSIVE Backlash

Sometimes, all it takes is a character redesign to get a fanbase riled up. For the first and so far only entry not developed internally by Capcom, Ninja Theory sought to make its own mark on the series. Part of that mark was redesigning the lead character, Dante, by giving him a new haircut and a shift in personality. When the game was revealed, fans were none too pleased by the changes. Even the series creator, Hideki Kamiya, wasn’t into it. However, when the game did release, naysayers were silenced. Gameplay was intense, adding enough new features while retaining what everyone loved. Some even came around on the character changes within the context of the story.

For anyone who has played “Conker’s Bad Fur Day,” you know it’s an incredibly mature and raunchy game disguised in a family friendly package. That aspect is what has given it such a long-lasting cult following. But when it came time for a reboot, it seems Microsoft didn’t get the message. “Young Conker” was revealed in 2016 for the Microsoft HoloLens, an AR headset. Going with a more traditional platform would’ve been a better choice, but what really annoyed everyone was Conker himself. Gone was the mature humor that made him interesting and the redesign was considered ugly by…well, pretty much everyone. Hatred was quick and fierce. And unfortunately, it’s so far the last we’ve heard of the squirrel.

When it comes to “Killzone 2,” it wasn’t so much the footage that caused backlash, but the lie that was told about it. The game’s trailer debuted at E3 2005 where its visuals blew everyone away. As we’d come to find out, that was by design. While some could tell it was pre-rendered and not showing actual gameplay, Sony of America’s Vice President, Jack Tretton, claimed that it was. However, interviews with other employees contradicted him. Eventually, news broke that all PS3 games that year were pre-rendered to show the upcoming system’s capabilities. Misleading your consumer base into getting excited about a product is a pretty sketchy thing to do. And the decision was met with an appropriate level of backlash.

In 2000, Nintendo was gearing up for the launch of the GameCube. During the Space World expo, it showed off footage of Link fighting Ganondorf to showcase the console’s potential. Many thought they were getting a look at the next installment, but the development team found this style derivative. It explored new art styles, eventually landing on a cartoon aesthetic with cel-shaded graphics. While it looks delightful to this day, “The Wind Waker” caused a major uproar when it was revealed. Longtime fans wanted something more mature, and they saw it as Nintendo becoming increasingly more kid-friendly. It failed to meet sales expectations and caused Nintendo to make the next console entry, “Twilight Princess,” more in line with what fans wanted.

History has shown us time and time again that a surefire way to piss off your fanbase is to announce a free-to-play mobile entry. In 2018, EA announced “Command & Conquer: Rivals,” the first game in the series in six years. Maybe if there had been a recent mainline entry, the response wouldn’t have been as negative. But as that wasn’t the case, and the series had a strong reputation as a PC strategy franchise, nearly everyone piled on. When “Rivals” released, it actually garnered decent reviews despite it being a bit watered down. However, outside of a remastered collection in 2020, “Rivals” is the newest game in the series. And there’s no doubt fans would prefer a new, full game.

“Metroid” may not have the best sales numbers, but it’s still one of Nintendo’s most respected franchises. Sadly, there was a period where Nintendo completely mishandled it. Announced at E3 2015, “Metroid Prime: Federation Force” was met with a monumentally negative response. The focus on multiplayer and the fact that you played as rando space cops led to a Change.org petition to get the game canceled. However, it being the first release since 2010’s “Other M,” itself a lackluster entry, certainly didn’t help. Needless to say, “Federation Force” reviewed and sold poorly. Nintendo has since course corrected with “Metroid” thanks to “Samus Returns” and “Metroid Dread.” But this was a definite low point.

Once Activision seemingly exhausted both past and present wars, the “Call of Duty” series began to move towards future ones. While the fanbase wasn’t too happy about the overall shift, it reached a breaking point with “Infinite Warfare.” Activision tried some unique marketing tactics, like teasing it in a “Black Ops III” map. But that didn’t matter when the official trailer was revealed. It confirmed the futuristic setting and plot, and fans responded in full force. Many preferred the more realistic approach of the past. And by June of 2021, the reveal trailer had amassed more than 3.95 million dislikes on YouTube. Fans also spoke with their wallets; “Infinite Warfare” failed to meet sales expectations, not that it slowed the series down.

If you haven’t heard of this game before, there’s a very good reason. “Hatred” puts you in control of a man repelled by humanity who takes it upon himself to eliminate as many people as he can. Developer Destructive Creations stated it wanted to make a game that challenged political correctness in games. But all the trailer managed to do was disgust people. Plenty of video games are violent, but this was of a different breed. Many felt it was an excuse to be violent and depraved without any kind of plot that justifies it. The reception to the trailer was a sign of things to come. “Hatred” received an Adults Only rating, meaning it would only launch on PC, and critics ripped it apart.

In fairness, “Metal Gear Survive” could’ve been a phenomenal entry into the series and fans still would’ve reacted negatively towards its announcement. It was revealed in the wake of Konami’s split from series creator Hideo Kojima, in which Konami was very much in the wrong. But adding fuel to the fire was the fact that it didn’t remotely look like a “Metal Gear” game. “Survive” was more focused on action over stealth, and had players battling zombie-like enemies. Everyone could tell it was going to be a generic cash grab, and further updates of microtransactions and a required internet connection just made things worse. It came and went, garnering negative reviews and selling poorly in the process.

Like “Command & Conquer: Rivals,” “Diablo: Immortal” got immediate hate for being a free-to-play mobile entry in a predominantly PC series. Fans were starved for a new entry, with “Diablo III” having been released in 2012. However, player displeasure grew immensely, and quickly, thanks to Blizzard’s own reaction to fan reception. The backlash ended up becoming the biggest news story out of BlizzCon 2018. When “Immortal” was finally released in 2022, it was slammed by players and critics alike for extremely predatory microtransactions. However, the negative press may not even bother Blizzard. “Immortal” became one of the studio’s biggest launches, reaching 30 million downloads in just under 2 months and earning the company a ton of revenue.