10 Recent Video Games With Troubling Launches That Have Since Been Improved

In recent years, many gamers have noticed a troubling trend: a lot of major video games are launching with serious problems, sometimes making them unplayable. While it’s great that developers can fix issues after a game is released, some seem to rely on this ability too much. They might rush out a game that isn’t ready, thinking they can simply patch it up later. Because of this, many people now think twice before they pre-order a game. Instead, they wait to read reviews or hold off for a few months until the game has been improved, often at a lower price.

First impressions really matter in the gaming world. If a game launches in a terrible state, it can hurt its reputation forever, even if the developers work hard to fix the problems later. With that thought in mind, let’s look at ten recent games that faced a lot of criticism when they first launched because they were unfinished or simply not working properly. Interestingly, many players missed that these games eventually got much better with updates.

One of the most notable examples is Battlefield 2042, which had a rocky start. This game was widely criticized for how poorly it launched. Fans were prepared for the game to come out without a single-player mode, but they were shocked to find it also lacked essential features like voice chat, scoreboards, and a way to browse servers. Additionally, the selection of weapons and vehicles was disappointing. Many players disliked the removal of the franchise’s traditional class system, and the game was plagued by bugs in almost all its modes. As a result, Battlefield 2042 ended up receiving some of the worst reviews on Steam, and far fewer people were playing it compared to earlier games in the series.

However, the story didn’t end there. Throughout 2022 and 2023, the developers at DICE worked hard to improve the game. They added back many beloved features that were missing at launch. They also made changes to the game maps to improve how they played and adjusted the new Specialist system to be closer to the classic class system that players enjoyed. Even though many players had already moved on to other games and were unaware of these changes, it’s true that Battlefield 2042 is much better now. Its overall rating on Steam has improved to “Mixed,” showing that players are slowly coming back.

This situation highlights the importance of waiting to see if a game will get better after its launch rather than jumping in right away. Gamers are becoming more cautious, and for good reason: they want to ensure they are spending their money on a game that works well and delivers the experience they expect. In the end, while it’s good to know developers can fix issues later, it’s even better if they put in the effort to ensure the game is ready when it launches in the first place.