15 Games That Overcame the Odds to Become Successful

Watch Dogs 2

Watch Dogs had a mountain of hype going into its release. Whether it was the promise of superpowered “hackerman” abilities or the visual fidelity, it looked to be another hit for the publisher. However, over the years, its graphics started getting downgraded to much backlash from fans. It did well in sales but was also criticized for its numerous bugs, performance issues, and less-than-enticing gameplay.

Watch Dogs 2 immediately had its work cut out. Ditching Chicago for the more vibrant San Francisco Bay Area, it offered a more light-hearted and likeable character in Marcus Holloway. The world design, traversal, driving, and hacking mechanics were significantly improved and/or overhauled, providing a fun playground for fans. It was a definite improvement in every way over the original.

However, despite good reviews at launch, many were reluctant to take the plunge due to being burned before, as evidenced by the low pre-order numbers. The developer, surprisingly, expected this and sure enough, as word of mouth spread, sales increased and Watch Dogs 2 did better over time. It went on to sell over 10 million copies as of May 2020.