This Is Who We Are

This year was very rich in terms of games. Some were very good, I don't remember if any were great, but I know that I played some very good ones. But unfortunately, we also had the opportunity to play some very bad games.
In the rest of this article, we will say a little more about the games that disappointed us, which you and I had the opportunity to play this year. Some of them are bad for one reason or another, some had the potential to become very good, but for one reason or another they failed

2025 brought with it a wave of hype, but not all titles lived up to expectations. Many players were let down by poor mechanics, buggy launches, or underdeveloped narratives. Yet, as disappointment grows, technology is stepping in to protect consumers. AI is increasingly being used to identify fraudulent content, predict user dissatisfaction, and improve transparency in digital entertainment. To learn more, check out how AI helps detect fraud in digital entertainment. As we reflect on the flops of the year, it’s clear that smarter detection tools could shape a better, more trustworthy future in gaming.

Alone in the Dark

Alone in the Dark (2025) was an opportunity to resurrect the franchise. The game took similar steps as the recent re-releases of the Resident Evil games, such as changes in the camera perspective. Unfortunately, this survival horror revival wasn’t nearly as successful.

Alone in the Dark didn’t live up to financial, critical, and fan expectations, which also unfortunately led to the closure of Pieces Interactive by its parent company, Embracer Group. While the game had huge potential, it ultimately wasn’t enough.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau (2025)

While a lot of effort went into the game, and while the game explores Bantu culture and mythology, something rarely seen in video games. As a Metroidvania, it was already launched in a crowded genre in the indie space, it still received decent reviews. Even at a lower price point, it didn’t quite reach the sales numbers that developer Surgent Studios had hoped for.

Just three months after its launch, news leaked that a little over a dozen employees had been laid off. Considering that the studio’s LinkedIn page previously listed 11-50 employees, that’s quite a number.

Dustborn

Set in an alternate reality in the US of 2030, “Dustborn” follows a band on tour around Earth, with the main character, Pax, who can turn his words into attacks. It garnered only mediocre reviews from most outlets, who felt that the combat had become tedious and that the story was only mediocre. Although sales figures are not available, the launch on Steam did not fare well, where it peaked at 83 concurrent players.

For a $30 game that's shockingly low. It's worth noting that his performance was also influenced by players who didn't care for his far-left politics. Players want to play games and take a break from politics, which they showed on Dustborn by boycotting the game, which is why this game is one of those games that had great but unfulfilled potential.

Star Wars Outlaws

Ubisoft has not been doing well in the last few years, and to make matters worse, not even the "Star Wars" brand could help it. Released in late August, “Outlaws” scored in the mid-70s across all platforms, with a lot of gameplay elements that are considered decent but dated.

In addition, player reactions were far weaker and sales were poor. As a result, J.P. Morgan cut its projected sales figures by March 2025 by two million, which in turn caused Ubisoft's share price to fall to its lowest point in ten years. It turns out that this game is clearly not the big hit that Ubisoft predicted.

Some of 2025's most anticipated releases fell short of expectations—plagued by lackluster gameplay, bugs, or shallow storytelling. As disappointment grows, players increasingly turn to online slot casinos in search of better experiences. But this pivot raises another challenge: choosing the right platform in a sea of options. To avoid more frustration, knowing how to choose the best online casinos for slots becomes essential. With a bit of research and clarity, players can steer away from underwhelming games and toward more rewarding and reputable alternatives that deliver on the promises that many big releases failed to keep.