Top 10 worst game launches in gaming history, ranked

destructoid.com:

Up to 40% of a game’s total sales occur in the first month, according to the SSRN Electronic Journal. Consequently, the best strategy for studios is to ensure their titles launch with a bang. Some strategic marketing is necessary to achieve this. Piling up good reviews from critics and gamers is also vital, meaning it’s essential for games to launch in a polished state.

Over the years, a few titles have missed the mark terribly, resulting in catastrophic launches. The following list contains some of the worst offenders in gaming history.

The WWE franchise has had a long presence in the gaming scene, and titles like Smackdown! vs Raw 2006 and SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain are memorable games that successfully replicate the testosterone-flooded action of sports entertainment.

When WWE 2K20 launched in October 2019, day-one buyers ended up with a game sporting atrocious graphics that looked like they belonged on a PS3. The gameplay wasn’t any better, and the numerous glitches made WWE 2K20 a pain to play. The game’s terrible reception was one of the reasons WWE 2K21 was canceled. It was for the best, as when the franchise returned with WWE 2K22, it achieved double its predecessor’s launch sales.

Amazon’s New World hit stores in September 2021, and the launch was nothing but chaos. Servers were flooded, resulting in players waiting for hours before they could start playing. When people were eventually able to play, they discovered that while the core game was good, it was also plagued with game-breaking glitches. Since release, plenty of updates have been pushed out, and the game is in a better state, but it failed to be the enduring classic that Amazon was likely aiming for.

When Anthem was announced, the flashy marketing