While 2024 delivered some incredible moments in gaming, television, and film, it also had its fair share of disappointments. From industry layoffs and studio closures to underwhelming releases and box office bombs, let’s take a look at some of the year’s biggest letdowns.
Gaming Industry Struggles
The gaming industry faced continued challenges in 2024, with widespread layoffs impacting thousands of talented developers. Major companies like Microsoft, Sony, and EA all reduced their workforce, contributing to a difficult job market for those in the industry.
Several studios also closed their doors this year, including Arkane Austin (the team behind Prey) and PlayStation’s London Studio. While some studios, like Tango Gameworks, were rescued from closure, the overall picture reflects a turbulent time for game developers.
Trend Chasing and Missed Opportunities
- Concord: PlayStation’s highly anticipated hero shooter, Concord, failed to capture an audience and was quickly shut down after a disappointing launch. The game’s generic design and late arrival in a crowded genre contributed to its demise.
- Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League: Rocksteady Studios, known for its acclaimed Batman Arkham series, stumbled with Suicide Squad, a live-service game that failed to resonate with players. Its repetitive gameplay and uninspired design led to poor sales and critical reception.
Hardware Hiccups
- PlayStation 5 Pro: Sony’s mid-generation console refresh, the PlayStation 5 Pro, disappointed many with its high price tag and lack of significant improvements over the base PS5. The console’s added power failed to deliver a truly next-gen experience, leaving many gamers questioning its value.
- Nintendo Alarmo: Nintendo’s surprise hardware announcement, the Alarmo, turned out to be a simple alarm clock with game-themed features. This underwhelming release fell short of expectations for a potential Switch successor or a more innovative gadget.
Unreliable Reliables
- The Bear Season 3: While not a bad season overall, The Bear Season 3 failed to reach the heights of its previous seasons. Its slow pace and focus on a single character’s struggles left some viewers feeling disappointed.
- Star Wars: The Acolyte: This Star Wars series, set in the late High Republic era, had a promising premise but ultimately suffered from uneven storytelling and was canceled after just one season.
Awful Adaptations
- Like a Dragon: Yakuza: Amazon’s adaptation of the popular Yakuza game series failed to capture the essence of the source material, resulting in a disappointing and forgettable series.
- Uzumaki: The animated adaptation of Junji Ito’s acclaimed horror manga was a rushed and visually inconsistent mess, failing to translate the chilling atmosphere and intricate details of the original work.
Box Office Bombs
- Borderlands: The film adaptation of the Borderlands video game franchise was a critical and commercial failure, with its miscast actors, toned-down humor, and generic action failing to impress audiences.
- Joker: Folie à Deux: This sequel to the Oscar-winning Joker film proved to be a disappointing follow-up, with its musical format and drawn-out courtroom scenes failing to capture the intrigue and intensity of the original.
- Megalopolis: Francis Ford Coppola’s ambitious and self-financed film, Megalopolis, was a divisive and polarizing release, with many finding it to be a pretentious and overblown misfire.
A Year of Ups and Downs
2024 was a mixed bag for pop culture, with both triumphs and disappointments. While some of the year’s failures are hard to overlook, they also serve as a reminder that even the most talented creators and established franchises can stumble. Hopefully, 2025 will bring more successes and fewer disappointments for the entertainment world.