Not all titles strike the same chord. Do they? In fact, there’s a special corner in gaming history reserved for those “masterpieces” that fell flat—spectacularly, at times. These titles, for one reason or another, have earned the ire of players and critics alike, leaving a legacy of frustration, anger, and disappointment. Whether it’s due to broken promises, bugs, atrocious design choices, or outright disrespect for fans, the most hated video games ever serve as a cautionary tale for what happens when things go wrong. They remind us that even with huge budgets, beloved franchises, and ambitious ideas, failure is always a possibility. So, let’s dive into this collection of 12 of the most hated video games of all time and explore what makes them infamously bad.
We’re talking about games that really, really ticked people off. Think broken promises and major letdowns, like Cyberpunk’s messy start. Even with fixes, these games are still remembered for how badly they messed up. Was it fair? Was it unfair? Stay with us to find out!
Our List of Top 10 Most Hated Games of All Time
1. Cyberpunk 2077
- Genre: Action RPG
- Core Grievance: Misleading advertising and a buggy launch
CD Projekt Red released Cyberpunk 2077 to the market with monumental expectations. The game market received a revolutionary game that instead introduced players to continuous errors and system slowdowns alongside console hardware bugs at the PS4 and Xbox One launch time. Despite its impressive creation of a new world and compelling storytelling elements, the game suffered from severe operational problems, which made it difficult for many players to use.
Why We Picked It?
The misleading quality of the finished gameplay provoked a strong negative public reaction that forced digital stores including PlayStation to remove the game from their platforms. Current game upgrades have improved its quality but its initial scandalous start has left an enduring mark on its public perception, contributing to Cyberpunk 2077’s status as one of the most hated video games ever.
2. Battlefield 2042
- Genre: First-Person Shooter
- Core Grievance: Missing core features and persistent bugs
The game faces two major problems which include absent core features combined with nonstop bugs emerging throughout the gaming experience.
The gaming community showed immediate skepticism about Battlefield 2042 after EA and DICE released it. Innovation promises faded as developers eliminated essential components, including voice chat features, proper scoreboard presentation, and complete party functionality from the release. A combination of poor performance quality with released game bugs and uninspiring map content created an inevitable product failure.
Why We Picked It?
The intense widespread complaint from core fans alongside casual players demonstrated that essential functions hold critical importance in sustaining traditional gaming titles. The game’s questionable integrity could never overcome its infamous status despite all attempts to save it with fanciful trailers and futuristic gadgets.
3. Fallout 76
- Genre: Multiplayer RPG
- Core Grievance:
The main complaint about this game centers around the absence of Bethesda’s storytelling elements and its widespread issues in the game world.
West Virginians entering an apocalyptic world would have expected to find intriguing characters with exciting quests alongside fascinating historical elements. When Fallout 76 launched, it introduced players to a sterile apocalyptic setting packed with problems, such as bugs and a lack of human characters that impacted the world. The combination of microtransaction controversies along with game-breaking bugs caused fans to swiftly transform their initial excitement into complete outrage.
Why We Picked It
Bethesda’s attempt to bring the Fallout formula online not only missed the mark but also alienated a fanbase that had grown to love the single-player experience. While some fixes later salvaged the game, Fallout 76 remains a reminder of how not to handle online multiplayer RPGs, and a clear example of one of the most hated video games ever due to its launch issues.
4. Anthem
- Genre: Action RPG
- Core Grievance: Repetitive gameplay and lackluster content
When Anthem first appeared, it was marketed as a “Destiny killer,” with fast-paced flying mechanics and a loot-driven experience. What players received, however, was a painfully thin game bogged down by uninteresting loot, a shallow plot, and repetitive missions. Though it had great graphics and promising flight mechanics, the experience felt empty.
Why We Picked It
Bioware’s ambitious project highlighted how a lack of endgame content and a failure to fulfill promises can cripple even the most visually stunning games. Anthem might go down as one of modern gaming’s biggest disasters.
5. Aliens: Colonial Marines
- Genre: First-Person Shooter
- Core Grievance: False advertising and sloppy AI
With its cinematic trailers and focus on the terrifying atmosphere of the Aliens franchise, Colonial Marines seemed promising. However, players joked that the most terrifying thing about the game was how bad it was. A mix of broken AI (blame a coding typo), ugly graphics, and uninspired gameplay left Aliens: Colonial Marines sinking faster than an airlock opening into space.
Why We Picked It
Gearbox Software hyped it up as a true-to-franchise experience but delivered a product that felt unfinished and riddled with false claims. This game became the poster child for disappointing licensed titles, solidifying its place among the most hated video games ever.
6. Duke Nukem Forever
- Genre: First-Person Shooter
- Core Grievance: Clunky design and outdated humor after over a decade of anticipation
A 15-year wait for Duke Nukem Forever ended in crushing disappointment. Fans hoped for a revival of the crude, hilarious action hero Duke Nukem, but instead, they received a game filled with crass and outdated jokes, boring mechanics, and an overall bland experience.
Why We Picked It
The notoriously long development cycle set expectations astronomically high. When the game finally emerged, people couldn’t believe how lackluster it felt for a title in development for so long.
7. No Man’s Sky (Launch Edition)
- Genre: Exploration/Survival
- Core Grievance: Misleading advertising and lack of promised features
When No Man’s Sky dropped, it was marketed as an infinite universe full of epic discoveries, multiplayer experiences, and mind-blowing variety. At launch, however, it lacked almost every feature it advertised, and the endless planets all felt the same. Players were left feeling duped.
Why We Picked It
This game teaches a powerful lesson on the dangers of overpromising and under delivering. Thankfully, Hello Games worked tirelessly over the years to turn No Man’s Sky into a fantastic experience, but its early controversies still scar its legacy, marking it as a significant example of how initial failures can contribute to a game being considered among the most hated video games ever.
8. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
- Genre: Adventure
- Core Grievance: Poor design and rushed production
Widely regarded as one of the worst video games of all time, E.T. became infamous for its rushed production, confusing gameplay, and simplistic mechanics. It was so poorly received that copies were buried in a New Mexico landfill—a story that became legendary in gaming history.
Why We Picked It
While many games have been hated, E.T. is often seen as the game that contributed to the collapse of the gaming industry in the 1980s. That’s a legacy no game wants!
9. Watch Dogs
- Genre: Open-World Action
- Core Grievance: False advertising and boring gameplay mechanics
When Watch Dogs was revealed, Ubisoft promised an ambitious new open-world game with revolutionary hacking mechanics. Unfortunately, the game’s release fell far short of these promises, with visuals downgraded from trailers and underwhelming gameplay.
Why We Picked It
While it wasn’t broken, Watch Dogs remains a cautionary tale of promises exceeding delivery, frustrating gamers who expected a groundbreaking experience.
10. Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)
- Genre: Platformer
- Core Grievance: Glitch-filled mechanics
Colloquially known as “Sonic ’06,” this game is infamous for being one of the most broken entries in the Sonic franchise. Awkward controls, a convoluted story, and constant bugs made it nearly unplayable. Let’s not even get started on the inappropriate human-Sonic romance subplot—it wasn’t well-received, contributing to its reputation as one of the most hated video games ever.
Why We Picked It
While Sonic ’06 was ambitious, its rushed release led it to infamy. Fans still cringe when looking back at this disaster.
11. WWE 2K20
- Genre: Sports/Wrestling
- Core Grievance: Embarrassing bugs and lack of polish
Though previous WWE games were popular, 2K20 was far from championship material. Bugs ranged from laughable to game-breaking, with wrestlers floating, clipping, or contorting bizarrely during gameplay. The problem was bad enough that developers abandoned the yearly release trend the following year.
Why We Picked It
WWE 2K20 serves as an example of how rushing a game to meet deadlines can alienate even loyal fans.
12. Metal Gear Survive
- Genre: Survival-Action
- Core Grievance: Uninspired mechanics and cash-grab tendencies
As the first Metal Gear game after Hideo Kojima’s departure from Konami, Metal Gear Survive felt like a betrayal. Instead of the deep, tactical experiences the franchise was known for, this title offered a hollow survival game monetized through microtransactions.
Why We Picked It
Fans resented Konami not only for how this game turned out but for its treatment of Kojima. Metal Gear Survive was doomed from the start.
Conclusion
While frustrating and disappointing, these titles remind us that not all games live up to the hype. But more importantly, they teach developers and players alike about the fine balance between ambition and execution. With lessons drawn from these blunders, we can hope for a future where overly hyped promises and broken gameplay, as seen in some of the most hated video games ever, are less common.
Do some of these games still have active players?
Yes! Games like No Man’s Sky have made huge comebacks with updates and now have large communities.
Are all hated games bad at their core?
Not always. Sometimes, hate stems from unmet expectations rather than actual gameplay being terrible.
Can improved versions of these games reverse their reputations?
It’s possible—for example, Cyberpunk 2077 and No Man’s Sky have seen reputational boosts after substantial updates.
Why do companies release broken games?
Developers are often pressured by deadlines, investors, and marketing schedules, leading to unfinished games hitting the market.
