5 Games that Flop in 2024

Since the beginning of 2024, the gaming industry has seen a multitude of new releases. While some games have achieved monumental success and captured the hearts of players worldwide, others have fallen short of expectations, struggling with technical issues, lackluster gameplay, or failure to connect with audiences. In this ever-competitive market, not every title is lucky enough to make a lasting impact. Here are five games that, despite their potential, have unfortunately flopped in 2024.

Alone in the Dark

While the original Alone in the Dark is considered a survival horror classic, the 2024 remake failed to innovate or expand on the core gameplay. Players and critics felt the game relied too much on nostalgia and lacked depth, making the gameplay feel dated rather than fresh. Despite star power from actors David Harbour and Jodie Comer, the story and dialogue felt lackluster. Many reviews noted that the pacing was off, with long stretches of dull moments and underdeveloped characters that didn’t fully engage the player. The game was released with technical problems, including glitches, long loading times, and frame rate drops. These issues detracted from the overall experience, frustrating many players and affecting reviews. The remake struggled to keep up with modern horror game expectations. With competition from successful horror titles like Resident Evil, the game’s atmosphere and scare tactics felt uninspired and didn’t resonate with audiences accustomed to more immersive and innovative horror experiences​.

Foamstars

Upon release, the game was criticized for having limited content. There weren’t enough game modes, maps, or customization options to sustain player interest, and it relied heavily on repetitive gameplay. Despite some post-launch updates, they were not enough to retain a steady player base​. The game was often compared to Splatoon, but many felt it didn’t offer anything significantly new or innovative. Players found the foam-shooting mechanics fun at first, but the novelty wore off quickly without deeper mechanics or varied objectives to keep engagement high. It faced stiff competition from other multiplayer and live-service games that were already well-established or offered more compelling content. As a result, many players quickly moved on to more polished alternatives. The player base dropped sharply after launch. Within a few months, Foamstars lost around 95% of its initial players, a sign that the game failed to maintain long-term interest and engagement.

Dustborn

Despite its ambitious premise of exploring themes like misinformation and community, many felt the game’s storytelling was underdeveloped. The characters and plot failed to create the emotional impact expected from a story-driven game. Many players rather feel disconnected from the promised premise, the personality of the character, and how the story goes on. While the game focused on narrative and decision-making, the combat mechanics were criticized for being overly repetitive and lacking depth. Players found the combat sequences to be monotonous, which detracted from the overall experience. Similar to other flops in 2024, Dustborn suffered from performance problems, including glitches and poor optimization. These issues were especially problematic for a game that relied on immersion and storytelling.

Warhaven

The game, developed by Nexon, aimed to create a large-scale fantasy PvP experience, but it struggled to retain players after launch. Despite initial interest, the player base rapidly declined as many found the game’s combat repetitive and lacking in depth. The fast player drop-off was a major red flag, especially for a multiplayer-focused title. The game was criticized for unpolished mechanics and frequent technical glitches. Additionally, balancing problems made some characters or classes overpowered, frustrating many players who expected a fairer competitive experience. Without unique features or an engaging hook to differentiate itself, the game struggled to stand out, leading to poor engagement and low player numbers. Its planned console ports were even canceled due to the game’s inability to attract and maintain a stable player base.

Concord

Billed as the next big live-service game, Concord was expected to redefine multiplayer experiences for First-Person Shooter enjoyers. However, it was criticized for offering nothing particularly innovative. The gameplay felt generic, and the live-service model had become saturated with competitors offering more polished experiences. Most bad reviews come from in-game character design that players find their design is ‘uninspiring’ for a champion to play. And with a low player retention rate, some players find this game is almost unplayable for matchmaking difficulty without any bot system to help. The game failed to gain a stable player base, resulting in Sony offering refunds soon after launch.

While every game release comes with high hopes and ambitions, not all can thrive in a market driven by innovation and player engagement. The titles that flopped in 2024 serve as a reminder of how critical it is to not only meet but exceed player expectations. Have you tried one of these games? And how do you feel? Comment down below.

About The Author