5 Video Game Franchises That Need a Break

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Occasionally, I find that giving a video game series some breathing room can be beneficial. Overwhelming fans with constant releases, which are often premature, isn’t the best approach, not even for the most renowned developers and publishers. Quality games require ample time to craft, so rushing them out one after another generally leads to a decline in quality.

Instead of frequently releasing games (like in the case of BioShock), an extended break between releases might not always be ideal. However, it does suggest that the development team was aiming for quality over quantity. Regrettably, these five game franchises seem to lack such a break, needing time off to recharge and refocus their efforts on producing better games rather than releasing numerous ones. Quality should indeed come before quantity.

5. Call of Duty

There’s no justification left for “Call of Duty” to continue releasing yearly games, given that live service games typically have a longer lifespan compared to most other games. This longevity is achieved by developers maintaining the servers for online play for extended periods. The significance of a “Call of Duty” game wanes not when an online shooter has played out its natural course, but rather when a new game is launched, which could be many years later in this instance.

The upcoming game, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, is showing signs of waning popularity, and it may fade away even faster due to the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 only a year later. Over the past decade, there have been only about three Call of Duty games that the gaming community generally considers good. This is a remarkable ratio, but less impressive when you consider that there have been ten games in the series during this time period.

4. Sonic the Hedgehog

It’s tough to acknowledge, but even Sonic the Hedgehog isn’t immune to a bit of confusion. Sega has made great strides bringing the franchise to the big screen, yet the Sonic games have had their ups and downs, particularly when it comes to 3D platforms. The latest major release, Sonic Frontiers, didn’t quite hit the mark (it showed ambition, but fell short).

2D games, in general, have been more popular, managing to steer clear of flops like Sonic Forces in the 3D realm. A break might be beneficial for Sonic Team, allowing them to decide the optimal direction and understand that their skills may not perfectly align with 3D game development.

3. Assassin’s Creed

Once upon a time, Assassin’s Creed games were extremely popular. Ubisoft enjoyed a high success rate with these games, but this trend started to change in the mid-2010s. The release of Assassin’s Creed Unity was seen as a departure from the series norm, and not a positive one. Since then, they’ve produced some good games, yet none have reached the heights of the originals.

As a dedicated fan, I’ve eagerly waited for Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, but it seems the wait was longer than anticipated due to numerous adjustments aimed at perfection. Critics offered decent reviews, yet gamers’ responses were mixed. Sadly, even these positive assessments felt underwhelming considering Ubisoft’s dire need for a triumphant release.

Despite not being a complete disaster for the series, it’s apparent that their tireless work didn’t result in a true masterpiece. It’s time they take a well-deserved break and return refreshed in a few years with something that will reignite our passion as players.

2. Sports Games

Yearly releases of sports games like Madden, NBA 2K, MLB The Show, FIFA, and NHL can be explained by the fact that each sport has a new season annually. However, while this might seem logical, it’s not necessarily beneficial for the gaming community. Frequently, these games lack innovation and ask players to pay around $70 for a slightly altered version every year.

These popular game series never seem to come to an end. Fans are eager to spend hundreds of dollars annually for minor updates and fresh rosters. My idea is to take a break for a few years, maybe transitioning the latest game into a live service model with reduced developer focus, allowing them to create an even more impressive sequel when they’re ready. This break could actually heighten anticipation for the new release.

1. Pokémon

It’s unfortunate to acknowledge that Pokémon isn’t thriving as expected. While games like “Pokémon Legends: Arceus” are excellent, the successes aren’t overshadowing the setbacks, and even the good games feel lacking because they don’t offer much novelty or innovation. Fortunately, there’s a straightforward solution to this dilemma.

It appears that as of now, there’s no confirmed mainline Pokémon game on the horizon. Instead, we’re looking forward to the release of Pokemon Legends: Z-A in October. Following this, The Pokémon Company and Game Freak might want to focus on creating medium-effort remakes of earlier generations, while simultaneously developing a new generation that won’t hit shelves for several years. This strategy would allow them to deliver something truly exceptional, which fans have been eagerly anticipating for quite some time, without risking financial losses due to the remakes that many are also keen on.

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2025-08-13 00:49