5 Dead Gaming Series That Deserve A Comeback

by

It’s common for even the best video game series to eventually come to an end. Game studios sometimes close down, taking their popular franchises with them, or they simply decide to focus on new projects. A once-successful series can also fade into obscurity if it doesn’t make enough money, becoming a favorite among a small group of dedicated fans. With increasing development costs and longer production times, there are many reasons why a gaming series might stop being made.

It’s understandable when some game series end, but it’s a shame when a promising one is cancelled too soon. Some of these deserve another chance to prove their worth. While it’s unrealistic to ask for new games from very old or forgotten series, we can still hope! From hidden gems to beloved PlayStation classics, there are several cancelled game series that deserve at least one final installment.

5. The Lord of the Rings: Battle For Middle-Earth

I absolutely loved playing The Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle-earth 2 as a kid! I kept coming back to replay its long and well-designed campaigns, build custom Lord of the Rings characters, and enjoy countless battles on its massive maps. Sadly, it’s become very difficult to play. You can only access it if you still have the original Xbox 360 disc and console, as it doesn’t work on newer systems. Because of licensing issues, EA can’t sell it digitally anymore, meaning a re-release or remaster seems unlikely.

It’s disappointing that Battle for Middle-earth 2 hasn’t been surpassed, because it was a truly outstanding strategy game. It went beyond simply using the Lord of the Rings setting – you could even summon characters like Tom Bombadil as a special ability! The ability to customize characters also added a depth that most games at the time lacked. While games like Dawn of War, Command and Conquer, and Starcraft offered similar gameplay, Battle for Middle-earth stood out thanks to its connection to Lord of the Rings and its own innovative features. This classic strategy game deserves a modern update to ensure it can be enjoyed on today’s computers.

4. Infamous

Before creating the highly praised Ghost of Tsushima games, Sucker Punch Productions developed the Infamous series. These games were essentially superhero simulations that explored morally gray areas and featured complicated characters. While the original Infamous was a hit, Infamous: Second Son received mixed reviews and effectively ended the series. Sucker Punch’s shift to the Ghost of games proved to be a smart move, benefiting both the studio and PlayStation.

It doesn’t look likely that we’ll see a new Infamous game, even though it was a major title when the PlayStation 4 first launched. While the developers at Sucker Punch Productions have mentioned the possibility of revisiting the series or rereleasing the older games, a full return seems improbable for now. These kinds of games are very expensive and take a long time to make. Plus, they’re quite similar to Marvel’s Spider-Man, which would likely lead to unfair comparisons. Still, Infamous deserves another chance – we simply don’t get enough superhero games!

3. Killzone

While many classic PlayStation franchises deserve a revival, Killzone is one that was cut short too soon. It’s been years since Killzone Shadow Fall, a game that doesn’t feel like a fitting end for the series. Though it never reached the popularity of Halo, Killzone consistently pushed the boundaries of graphics for its time. Its unique world, striking visuals, and exciting action sequences made it a cult favorite, even if the stories weren’t always perfect.

It made sense for Guerrilla Games to transition to the Horizon series. Large-scale, first-person shooters like Killzone had become less popular, while open-world games were gaining traction. While the trend might be changing a little, bringing Killzone back seems difficult, similar to the situation with Infamous. It’s a shame, because with even Call of Duty moving away from traditional single-player campaigns, we could really use more focused, linear shooters that prioritize strong gameplay and memorable moments – and Killzone would be a great fit.

2. Titanfall

Many consider Titanfall 2 to be one of the best single-player first-person shooter games ever created, and it’s easy to understand why. The game featured creative level design, a moving story, and incredibly enjoyable mech combat. This same quality extended to its fantastic multiplayer mode, which provided countless hours of entertainment for me and many other players. It seemed poised to become a major franchise like Halo or Call of Duty, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen. It appears the Titanfall series is currently inactive.

Respawn Entertainment definitely wanted to create another single-player Titanfall game, but EA reportedly cancelled it in 2023. This left Respawn focusing on Apex Legends and the very popular Star Wars Jedi games. Thankfully, both of those are excellent games, and I’m glad they were made. It would be a real loss if the Star Wars Jedi series ended, as it still has a lot of potential. However, it would be fantastic to see Respawn and EA revisit Titanfall, offering both single-player stories and multiplayer action. Titanfall 2 delivered a unique FPS campaign experience, and no other game quite captures its mech-based, first-person shooter gameplay. We need more games like that, and a Titanfall 3 seems like the only way to get it.

1. Jak & Daxter

Besides the two PlayStation franchises that have been discontinued, there’s a third: Jak & Daxter. Originally a fantastic series of action-platformer games, it surprisingly evolved into something similar to Grand Theft Auto, blending sci-fi and fantasy. Developed by the creators of The Last of Us, Naughty Dog, Jak was one of PlayStation’s first iconic characters. However, the series was put on hold after the PlayStation 4 launched, and it doesn’t look like we’ll see a new Jak game anytime soon. Considering Naughty Dog’s current focus on dark and serious games, the lighter tone of Jak, even at its most mature, just doesn’t seem to fit their current style.

It would be fantastic to see a new Jak game. Ratchet and Clank has successfully continued its series for new players, proving that classic PlayStation franchises can still thrive. Jak was incredibly innovative for its time, and it wouldn’t be difficult to update it for today’s audiences. The combination of science fiction, fantasy, action, platforming, and open-world gameplay would be just as enjoyable now as it was back then. Unfortunately, unless PlayStation allows another studio to take over the series—which is very unlikely—we probably won’t ever see Jak 4.

What gaming series that’s no longer being made would you love to see revived? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/gaming/list/3-iconic-game-series-that-desperately-need-a-reinvention/embed/#

Read More

2026-04-22 22:25