WORST year for games?

[DougieJones]

I keep reading debates about the best years for games... but what are the worst?

1983 doesn't count lol

 

[Harry Dresden]

Probably last year? The sag aftra strikes actually affected video game industry as well felt like a slow year I wasnt really playing anything except old games. 2026 has gta 6 coming (so I bought some stock in take two for it's month long surge) and nioh 3 drops in a few days. I cant think of anything that dropped in 2025 I liked.

 

[Kassitus]

Didn't 83 have the release of the Famicom?

2008-2012 was pretty unmemorable. Basically just COD dominating the market.

 

[KaNesDeath]

A non-issue in the 21st century.

Only individuals who will complain under this pretense are console users regarding exclusivity. Which is a console unit selling tactic that died last decade during that console generation.

 

[Madmick]

I remember everyone bitching about 2014.

At the time, I thought everyone was just whining, the what have you done for me lately attitude, but in retrospect, I realized years ago they probably had a point.

Dragon Age: Inquisition and Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor were the two so-called heavyweights of the year battling it for GOTY. Even most of the best games from the year had weaknesses. Hearthstone had pay-to-win complaints early after release, P.T. wasn't even an official release (and never would be), Far Cry 4 was good but disappointed many after 3, Titanfall just couldn't get a playerbase off the ground, Wolfenstein: The New Order was good but perhaps not sensational, Mario Kart 8 was a huge hit for Nintendo...3 years after it launched when the Switch came out. Destiny was my favorite from that year, it was awesome, but there was a lot of complaints about a shallow story and not much to do in the PvE outside the raids.

Alien: Isolation and Bayonetta 2 have probably aged the best. South Park: Stick of Truth was also amazing: maybe the funniest game of all time. Shovel Knight is a cult classic.

But when you match the above up to other years...doesn't look good.

 

[PBAC]

There's very little that makes me want to buy a PS5 today so console wise this is pretty poor. There's virtually only that one system worth getting. Otherwise the games I am really enjoying can be played on my laptop and are relatively low end. There's a lot of cool game but we are long way from certain golden ages. Maybe it's just the oversaturation and changing market.

 

[My Spot]

I remember everyone bitching about 2014.

At the time, I thought everyone was just whining, the what have you done for me lately attitude, but in retrospect, I realized years ago they probably had a point.

Dragon Age: Inquisition and Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor were the two so-called heavyweights of the year battling it for GOTY. Even most of the best games from the year had weaknesses. Hearthstone had pay-to-win complaints early after release, P.T. wasn't even an official release (and never would be), Far Cry 4 was good but disappointed many after 3, Titanfall just couldn't get a playerbase off the ground, Wolfenstein: The New Order was good but perhaps not sensational, Mario Kart 8 was a huge hit for Nintendo...3 years after it launched when the Switch came out. Destiny was my favorite from that year, it was awesome, but there was a lot of complaints about a shallow story and not much to do in the PvE outside the raids.

Alien: Isolation and Bayonetta 2 have probably aged the best. South Park: Stick of Truth was also amazing: maybe the funniest game of all time. Shovel Knight is a cult classic.

But when you match the above up to other years...doesn't look good.

I did the Acclaimed Games points thing and it's not the worst of the years I've done so far. But some of these games I've never even heard of.

 

[HHJ]

2008

This all any gamer ever needed

 

[Madmick]

I did the Acclaimed Games points thing and it's not the worst of the years I've done so far. But some of these games I've never even heard of.

Yeah, 2003 is pretty goddamn thin. If any year is weaker than 2014 after gaming picked up and really got going, it's that one.

It comes out with a haymaker in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, but it gasses fast.

 

[KaNesDeath]

Yeah, 2003 is pretty goddamn thin. If any year is weaker than 2014 after gaming picked up and really got going, it's that one.

N2K3 was released. It proved that a market existed for NASCAR and simulation racing. Resulting in EA swooping in to claim the NASCAR gaming license.

Americas Army which released in mid-2002 became one of the most popular Pc FPS games in 2003. It did so well the Department of Defense seized the project.

1942's DC Combat mod released in 2003. Directly inspiring the modernization of both Call of Duty and Battlefield franchises.

CS 1.6 released in 2003 alongside Steam.

Wolfenstein Enemy Territory, Call of Duty 1, KOTOR..............

 

[Madmick]

N2K3 was released. It proved that a market existed for NASCAR and simulation racing. Resulting in EA swooping in to claim the NASCAR gaming license.

Americas Army which released in mid-2002 became one of the most popular Pc FPS games in 2003. It did so well the Department of Defense seized the project.

1942's DC Combat mod released in 2003. Directly inspiring the modernization of both Call of Duty and Battlefield franchises.

CS 1.6 released in 2003 alongside Steam.

Wolfenstein Enemy Territory, Call of Duty 1, KOTOR..............

• KOTOR
• Call of Duty
• Counter-Strike 1.6
• Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory
• NASCAR 2K3
• America's Army
• DC Combat (mod)

-- I'm pretty sure Gran Turismo is cited as the game/IP that proved a lucrative market existed for simulation racing.
-- Call of Duty is obviously an enormous franchise, and the seminal title was acclaimed, but it was actually Call of Duty II: World War 2 that launched that IP into the mainstream.
-- Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory isn't even regarded as particularly exceptional within its own franchise, much less the wider world, and that's true both critically or if you look at Steam user ratings.
-- This is the first time I've ever even heard of America's Army, but that game was designed for the military from the start, it wasn't appropriated by the DoD because it was popular.

You believe this is a case for a strong year?