Video games make up a huge industry with massive yearly profits. Despite rigorous testing and quality control measures, some games are released with significant issues that can range from minor bugs to game-breaking glitches, or even offending elements.
In some cases, the issues are so severe that the game must be recalled either partially or entirely from the market. This can be a costly and embarrassing experience for developers and publishers, and a frustrating one for gamers who were eagerly anticipating the game's release. This article takes look at some of the most notable video games that had to be recalled from the market, and for which reasons.
10 Limbo Of The Lost (2007)
Limbo of the Lost is an adventure game developed by Majestic Studios and published by Tri Synergy. However, the game was quickly recalled after its release due to allegations of plagiarism.
The game was accused of using unauthorized assets from a variety of well-known games and movies, including The Elder Scrolls, Diablo II, Silent Hill, and even Pirates of the Caribbean. As a result, the game became notorious in the gaming industry, and its recall remains one of the most significant in video game history.
9 X-Men: Destiny (2011)
While there is not any hard evidence that X-Men: Destiny was indeed recalled and that unsold copies of the game have been destroyed, Silicon Knights and Epic Games clashed over a legal issue regarding the Unreal Engine 3 code being misused. What followed was a lawsuit and damages awarded to Epic Games.
As a result, Silicon Knights went bankrupt in 2014, and X-Men: Destiny was delisted from online stores. The game may have been recalled in some capacity, but its reputation and reception were truly damaged by the legal issues.
8 Too Human (2008)
Too Human was the subject of lukewarm reviews at its release, with some reviewers appreciating its story and RPG elements, while others criticized its repetitiveness and camera issues. However, the game was not officially recalled from the market.
As in X-Men: Destiny's case, Silicon Knights, the developer of the game, was sued by Epic Games for unauthorized use of Unreal Engine 3 and was ordered to pay damages and destroy all code and materials related to the engine. This legal battle also led to the cancelation of a planned sequel to Too Human.
7 Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro (2001)
Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro was recalled by Activision after the September 11 attacks, to remove any references to the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. Some fights were supposed to take place on the World Trade Center building, but since the tragedy, the environment was changed to look like any skyscraper.
Production was stopped in order to re-edit cutscenes, change the final battle stages, and make a few changes to some levels and cutscenes to avoid any reference to the tragedy. Despite the alterations, the World Trade Center remained visible in the background of some cutscenes and trailers.
6 Mario Party 8 (2007)
In 2007, Mario Party 8 was recalled in the United Kingdom after it was discovered that the game contained an offensive term in its script. Specifically, the "wrong version" of the game was released, which used the word "spastic."
The term is considered very offensive in the UK and is used as a derogatory slur against people with disabilities. As a result, all copies of the game were recalled from retailers just a few days after its release. The issue was rectified in subsequent releases of the game.
5 Cyberpunk 2077 (2020)
Cyberpunk 2077, the highly anticipated game by CD Projekt Red, is marked by the unprecedented move that came after numerous complaints about the game's severe bugs, glitches, and instability, especially on last-gen consoles.
Many gamers claimed the advertisement that surrounded the game before its release was fraudulent, and the game was essentially unplayable on these consoles. The dissatisfied gamers were offered refunds, and the game was recalled. Cyberpunk 2077 faced severe criticism for its poor performance and the creators were forced to apologize to players.
4 Metroid: Other M (2010)
While it was not recalled as usual, Metroid: Other M did have a serious software bug that caused a game-breaking issue. Players discovered that it was possible for the protagonist, Samus Aran, to become trapped in Sector 3 due to a door locking up permanently.
This issue would prevent players from progressing through the game and completing it. The bug was a major issue for players, and Nintendo eventually released a statement acknowledging the problem and providing instructions on how to avoid it. However, the game was not truly recalled, and the bug was not fixed through a patch as in other cases.
3 Batman: Arkham Knight (2015)
Arkham Knight was released to much anticipation, but the PC version of the game faced significant issues with performance, with even high-end systems struggling to run the game properly. Players reported significant frame rate drops, crashes, and other technical issues.
Due to the severity of the issues, the PC version of the game was recalled by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, the game's publisher, just a few days after its release. The company offered full refunds to PC players and took the game off the market until the issues could be resolved.
2 Tales of Graces (2009)
Tales of Graces was recalled in Japan due to a bug that caused the game to freeze during gameplay. The bug affected the original release of the game, so the copies were replaced with fixed versions. The game was later ported to the PlayStation 3 with additional content and improved graphics.
The PS3 version did not have any known recalls. The game received generally positive reviews for its engaging story and combat system. However, it also received criticism for its graphics and lack of innovation in the series.
1 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2005)
Following the discovery of the "Hot Coffee" mod, which unlocked an adult explicit minigame that had been hidden within the game's code, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was recalled in July 2005. The game had previously been rated "Mature", but the controversy surrounding the "Hot Coffee" mod caused the rating to be changed to "Adults Only", effectively banning the game from many retailers.
Rockstar Games eventually released a new version of the game, in which the "Hot Coffee" content had been fully removed, and the game's rating was changed back to "Mature". The controversy surrounding the "Hot Coffee" mod led to increased scrutiny of video game content and prompted calls for more regulation of the industry.