Given how popular open-world games have become, it’s easy to see why publishers and developers both seek out a way to turn their games into a long-running franchise. Roping in existing fans and improving the gameplay from previous titles is a sure-shot way to make a brand that can last for years.
Unfortunately, not all open-world games end up enjoying the same level of popularity. As lauded as these franchises were at one point, they’ve fizzled out now. It’s a shame, since most fans would now pay good money to see their favorite video games make a return.
6Mercenaries
Players Miss Causing Endless Destruction In These Games
Mercenariesis a series that fans can check out if they love destructive mechanics in their video games. Being able to decimate everything in sight is a huge draw that has helped theBattlefieldseries stand out, so it’s easy to see why fans loved this in the Mercenaries games too.
However, after the release ofMercenaries 2: World in Flames(a game that many fans liked, despite its issues), the franchise was indefinitely shelved. It’s a long shot, but a revival of this franchise with modern technology can let fans enjoy better destruction mechanics than they could ever imagine in their wildest dreams.
5True Crime
A GTA Clone That Was More Riveting Than People Gave It Credit For
True Crimestarted as aGTAclone, and it ended its run without ever shaking this label. It’s a shame, since these games could’ve transformed to develop an identity of their own, but the series' run was halted after just two games.
Streets of LA was a genuinely fun game, and the Hong KongTrue Crimegame eventually led toSleeping Dogs. If this series ever makes a comeback, then fans can only hope that a new open-worldTrue Crimetitle will knock everyone off their feet.
4Infamous
Fans Would Love A New Entry In The Infamous Series
With Sucker Punch Productions moving on toGhost of Tsushimaand its successor, it’s easy to see why any hopes of theInfamousgames making a comeback have been deflated. It’s a shame, since fans loved these gritty superhero games that started out with electrical powers before players eventually got to use a bunch of elements (both classic and otherwise) in the sequels.
The dark storytelling, fun parkour, and excellent combat made everyInfamousgame worth checking out for fans. It’s a shame that this franchise has seemingly been left in the dust, and fans can only hope that Sucker Punch and Sony decide to come back to this series after theGhostgames end up performing so well that this studio enjoys the benefits of a bigger budget.
3Driver
The Series Of Open-World Action Driving Games Deserves A Comeback
A driving game series that emulated the heists and action-packed chases from most cinematic movies, it’s a shame thatDriverhas slowly fadedto become a forgotten relic of the gaming industry. The first game was notorious for boasting one of the hardest tutorials in a video game, while San Francisco featured a Shift mechanic that should’ve revolutionized the racing genre but ended up being treated like a gimmick.
Fans loved the high-stakes driving in these games, which is why a newDrivergame would do a great job of revitalizing the series. This may seem like a fever dream at this point, but fans can always dream that Tanner will get one more chance to shine in a video game.
2Midnight Club
Fans Would Love It If Rockstar Brought This Street Racing Franchise Back
After Rockstar enjoyed immense success with the release of their open-world hits in theGrand Theft AutoandRed Dead Redemptiongames, one of their beloved street racing franchises took a backseat.Fans lovedMidnight Club, but the hype for their sandbox titles was so massive that players didn’t really make a hue and cry about this series being left in the dust.
It’s a shame, since the atmosphere inMidnight Clubmade it a ton of fun to race on the neon-soaked streets of numerous notable cities. Street racing has always been a blast, and Rockstar’s pull means that the announcement of a newMidnight Clubgame would be very appealing to the masses.
1Saints Row
It may be a stretch tocallSaints Rowforgotten, given that the last game in the series was in 2022. However, this poor attempt at a reboot was so shocking that fans lost interest in the series, and Volition was forced to close its doors.
As a result, it’s very unlikely that a newSaints Rowgame will see the light of day. It’s a shame, since this title had managed to establish itself as a fun open-world series courtesy of its zany humor and a focus on prioritizing player fun over everything else, which is something that more video games need to learn from.
