With that being said, there’s always a lesson or two to be learned from adversity, and it’s always good to take a look at where things went wrong and how they can be improved. To that end, we’ve put together a list of events in the gaming world that garnered quite a response from the gaming community, and not in a good way. Let’s dive right in!

1. GTA 6 Delayed To November 2026

We’re sure you saw this one coming and thought it best to get it out of the way early. It’s always a bummer when a highly anticipated title faces a delay, and that becomes a lot worse to bear when that title has been a very long time in the making.

While we’re not going to hold a grudge against Rockstar for this one, as we suspect that the delay is only going to make the final game even better, it still rankles to know that there’s still such a long way to go before we get to dive into what we’re sure is a banger from the studio.

2. Microsoft’s Xbox Hardware Price Hikes

The Xbox hasn’t had a great run in the last few years, and Microsoft certainly didn’t help its case when it hiked the prices on Xbox consoles and a few games in May of last year. While we’re not going to get into the politics that are rumored to be behind the decision, it certainly wasn’t great news for Xbox fans in the market for a new console, with the flagship Series X’s prices going up by around 22% – a significant increase on a console whose popularity has been gradually eroding away.

However, Microsoft might not be entirely to blame for the situation; it was a choice that still didn’t sit well with many, never mind the fact that the PlayStation also saw its prices increase as a response.

3. Price Hikes On PlayStation Hardware In Some Regions

In Europe, the UK, and Australia, Sony hiked prices on the PS5 Digital Edition by around 10%, the reason given being economic turmoil around the world. It’s probably not as bad as the hike on Xbox consoles but is still quite an increase on an already pricey machine despite the excellence it brings to the table.
We’re just glad that the PS5 Pro remained unscathed through it all, and Sony probably deserves a bit of praise for managing to keep things under control for the most part.

4. Game Pass Price Increase

It wasn’t just consoles that saw unpopular price hikes, with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate becoming dearer by quite a significant margin, prompting backlash from existing and potential subscribers. Despite Microsoft issuing a statement saying that such occurrences were “never fun for anybody”, it didn’t help with stopping a string of cancellations as frustrated gamers decided to speak up against the price hikes with their wallets.

We’re just glad we didn’t have to deal with the consequences of the decision, as things certainly got nasty.

5. Sony’s PS Plus Pricing Hike

Sony’s PS Plus wasn’t safe from global economic conditions either, and the service saw price hikes in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Once again, Sony must be commended for restricting the fallout of turbulence in global supply chains, but the price hikes were still quite unpopular among gamers.

It’s interesting to see how Sony managed to keep things in control in comparison with Microsoft, but the price hikes did raise concerns about the value of gaming on consoles versus the same costs on a PC. That’s an interesting facet of this equation that does merit close observation over the next couple of years, and the Steam Machine’s debut might be quite a twist in this tale.

6. AI In Video Games

Generative AI made things quite complicated for a few studios in 2025, with many players and critics calling out its use in video games as a step in the wrong direction. A great example would be ARC Raiders, where lines of NPC dialogue being handled by AI received quite a bit of backlash and review bombing on what was an otherwise solid game. And we suppose there’s no need to mention the controversy surrounding The Alters, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and Fortnite.

7. Call of Duty Black Ops 7

While disappointment with the annual Call of Duty franchise has become something of a recurring tradition, it wasn’t really surprising to see Black Ops 7 fall as flatly as it did. The story, gameplay, and overall presentation failed to gain the momentum needed to stop the franchise’s slump, and the game has been among our worst shooters of 2025 thanks to the likes of ARC Raiders.

Some might be holding out hope that the franchise can turn things around with subsequent instalments though, but that’s looking pretty unlikely now.

8. Mario Kart World’s Hefty Price Tag

Mario Kart World was certainly incredible, and a great title to show off what the Switch 2 could do. But its pricing left a bitter taste in the mouth of those who bought it, and perhaps even put off some players who might have otherwise chosen to dive in.

While an $80 price tag on an excellent game might be palatable to people who want quality, it did raise concerns about a new pricing standard that could isolate quite a few gamers whose budgets might not allow them to pick up great games consistently.

9. Industry Wide Layoffs

There’s a long list of studios that have been shut down, and teams that have faced layoffs over a variety of factors. Studios like Monolith, whose Nemesis System is now probably locked away in a vault somewhere, are great examples of talented teams who were unfortunately let go thanks to a variety of factors.

2025 also saw layoffs across Electronic Arts, Supermassive Games, People Can Fly, Amazon Games, and several others, with thousands of developers ultimately losing their jobs. Here’s hoping that all of the talented folks who were affected it managed to land on their feet.

10. MindsEye

Boy, was this one an annoyance. We went into MindsEye expecting great things from Build A Rocket Boy but were left with a bitter taste in our mouth after its lifeless world, lackluster story, and uninspired combat. This was a game that should have been so much more, and was perhaps the most egregious fail that 2025 brought to the gaming world.

The studio’s response to the criticism aimed at their debut title was also quite lacking, showcasing a poor attitude that did it no favors, and perhaps can act as a lesson to other studios whose offerings fail to get off the ground at the outset.

11. Monster Hunter Wilds PC

This one’s another instance of a disappointing end to a very long wait. With Worlds being as good as it was, Wilds should have been a sequel that took the popular franchise from the developer to new heights. And while the game did manage to put up a good show on consoles, its PC performance left players quite irate with the studio thanks to its poor optimization.

Frame rate issues, poor VRAM optimization, crashes, stutters, and so many more problems ruined what should have been an incredible time hunting monsters in visually stunning environments. This one’s a classic example of a game that should have been more popular right off the bat but was let down thanks to its problems. We’re happy it managed to get back on track though, somewhat.

12. Where Winds Meet’s UI Issues

If you’ve been with us for a while, you already know that Where Winds Meet has been quite a surprise for all of us who got to play it. However, its UI is one area that could certainly use some polish. In fact, we’d go so far as to say that it’s so confusing it runs the risk of making its players miss important parts of its gameplay loop, and needs to do better and communicate all of the myriad systems it contains.

This isn’t a game-breaking problem but it does need to be addressed nonetheless considering the amazing quality of everything else on offer in the experience.

13. Valorant’s Text Verification

Valorant might be among the best esports shooters out there, but that might have worked against the game in this particular instance. With Riot Games aiming to minimize cheating within the game and requiring users to use multi-factor-authentication to be able to play the game, it was obvious that there was going to be a bit of backlash.

With accounts being tied to specific mobile numbers and stringent checks against shady practices, players with multiple accounts who actually played the game without resorting to malpractices were forced to adhere to the new rules. Although necessary, it could still be seen as uncomfortable. We’re all human, after all.

14. Lacking Features At Launch

Several titles released with content that wasn’t available at launch, causing dissatisfaction among players thanks to how crucial they were to their overall enjoyment of the game in question. Borderlands 4’s excellent visuals might have tempted many of its players to take a break and grab some awesome shots of its world, but the lack of a Photo Mode at launch made that an area of frustration.

Ghost of Yotei should have had a New Game+ mode from the very start but that wasn’t the case. Its distinct lack of enemies out in its open world after you finished its story should have been a reason to have the option to get right back into the action but at least it’s there now for those who want it. Several other titles had notable omissions that had us scratching our heads at why they weren’t in the game in the first place.

15. Cancelled Projects

Sony pulled the plug on Bend Studio and Bluepoint Studio’s live-service projects in its pivot towards more profitable (and probably safer) ventures, while Microsoft also cancelled Everwild and Perfect Dark, both of which seemed like solid additions to their respective lineups of titles.

It’s always disappointing to see games with potential be denied the chance to show what they have but it is what it is.

And that’s a wrap on some of 2025’s failures that had gamers shaking their heads at dismal decisions and poor execution of great ideas. Here’s to hoping that 2026 manages to make lists like these a lot shorter!

For starters, there’s Ghostwire: Tokyo, Tango Gameworks’ first-person action-adventure open world title, which takes players to a haunted verson of Tokyo, where you’re charged with hunting and dealing with all manner of supernatural entities as part of your attempts to save the city.

Another major title for subscribers to look forward to is Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, Milestone’s acclaimed arcade racer, which launches last October. Finally, there’s also Death Note Killer Within, a multiplayer social deduction game for 10 players set in the Death Note universe, which publisher Bandai Namco has confirmed will be available day one via PS Plus at launch.

All three games will be available starting November 5 for subscribers of all PlayStation Plus tiers, which means you have until November 4 to claim October’s games.

As per the report, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion, the remastered 2022 release of the acclaimed PSP action RPG, will be among the headlining additions that PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers can look forward to this month. It will also be joined by Gunfire Games’ Remnant 2, while the leaker also claimed there’s a good chance that its predecessor, Remnant: From the Ashes, will be added as well- though this isn’t set in stone, they say.

In addition to the aforementioned titles, the report says, subscribers can also look forward to No More Heroes 3, Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes Complete Edition, Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord, and Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous Enhanced Edition.

Allegedly, this month’s new additions will be available to subscribers starting July 17. Stay tuned for an official announcement from Sony, likely in the next day or so.

In fact, as per a report published by TrueTrophies, from a data sample of over 3.1 million active PSN accounts, Sly Cooper has turned out to be the biggest launch for a game on the PlayStation Plus Classic Games Catalog, which is available only for PS Plus Premium subscribers. Previously, that record was held by The Legend of Dragoon, which joined the service’s catalog in 2023, though Sly Cooper has managed to attract 2.5 percent more players on PS5 and PS4 in its launch week.

PlayStation Plus Premium’s pool of users is ultimately a relatively small portion of the larger PSN userbase, so Sly Cooper’s numbers are unlikely to be huge in Sony’s estimation, though the hope for series fans will be that the game’s popularity on PlayStation Plus could spark internal discussions about whether a return is warranted for the franchise.

Back in 2022, Sly Cooper developer Sucker Punch said that a new instalment in the series wasn’t in development. Read more on that through here.

For starters, there’s Destiny 2: Lightfall, the looter shooter’s seventh major expansion, which launched in February last year. With the next expansion, The Final Shape, coming in June, this gives players the perfect opportunity to jump in and catch up. You will, of course, require the base game to be able to play the expansion.

Joining the service on the same day are EA Sports FC 24, One More Level and 505 Games’ acclaimed cyberpunk action game Ghostrunner 2, and Zelda-inspired action-adventure indie hit Tunic.

With all four titles becoming available on May 7, subscribers will have until May 6 to claim April’s offerings, which were Immortals of Aveum, Minecraft Legends, and Skul: The Hero Slayer.

Tales of Kenzera is a 2.5D Metroidvania action-adventure title. Set in the land of Kenzera, the game sees players stepping into the shoes of young shaman Zau, who sets out on a quest to convince Kalunga, the God of Death, to revive his dead father.

Developer Surgent Studios has revealed that Tales of Kenzera: Zau’s main story will be roughly 8-10 hours long, though with optional content, you can get 12-15 hours of play time. The game will feature options for full voice overs in both English and Swahili.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau launches on April 23 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The game will also be available via the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog at launch.

In its preview, One More Game reported that Tales of Kenzera: Zau will be roughly 8-10 hours long if you’re sticking to the main story, and about 12-15 hours with optional content. According to studio founder and game director Abubakar Salim, Surgent Studios wanted to craft an experience befitting its $20 price tag, with the focus being on telling a story and making the game as accessible as possible.

“We almost want to treat it like a good season of TV,” he said. “Plus, at a $20 price point… respect the wallet. Gaming is an expensive hobby, and we want to make this as accessible as possible, especially with the idea of a universal theme of grief.“

Tales of Kenzera: Zau launches on April 23 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. It will also be available with PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium at launch.

Recently, for instance, the developer took to Twitter to reveal that in addition to English, Tales of Kenzera: Zau is also going to feature full Swahili voice overs at launch. Given the game’s strong emphasis on authentic representation of African culture, that’s a massive bonus. Earlier this year, fellow Metroidvania title Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown did something similar when it launched with a Farsi VO option. Hopefully, this is a trend we’ll continue to see more of.

Additionally, Surgent Studios has also revealed the full voice cast for the game’s English and Swahili options. Abubakar Salim – best known as Bayek in Assassin’s Creed Origins, who is, incidentally, also Tales of Kenzera’s director and Surgent Studios’ founder – will voice protagonist Zau in English, in addition to voicing Zuberi. In Swahili, said role will be taken up by Neville Misati. Meanwhile, God of Death Kalunga will be voiced by Tristan D. Lalla in English, and Maqbul Mohammed in Swahili. You can check out the full voice cast below.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau will launch on April 23 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. It will also be available via the PS Plus Game Catalog at launch.

https://twitter.com/ZauTheGame/status/1775553899073606042

It’s been announced that Tales of Kenzera: Zau will be available with the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog at launch. That means those who are subscribed to PlayStation Plus Extra and PlayStation Plus Premium will be able to play the game at no additional cost as soon as it releases.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau will see players taking control of the titular young warrior-shaman Zau, who sets out to seek out Kalunga, the God of Death, so he can bargain with him for the return of his Baba from the land of the dead.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is set to launch later this month, on April 23, for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

As per the documents, which were shared by a Reddit user, sales for Horizon Forbidden West “flatlined” after the open world action RPG became available via PlayStation Plus in its second year. The documents show a graph comparing Forbidden West’s sales in its second year to those of its predecessor, Horizon Zero Dawn, showcasing a noticeable comparative decline in sales, in spite of an “enormous influx” of players coming to the game through PlayStation Plus.

Sony also says in the leaked documents that it was expecting 30% year-on-year revenue of $124 million from year 2 sales of Horizon Forbidden West. However, following its addition to PlayStation Plus, Sony slashed those projections to 9% year-on-year revenue of $35 million, representing an $85 million loss in retail revenue.

Of course, it’s worth pointing out that Horizon Forbidden West has enjoyed its fair share of commercial success regardless. Earlier this year, Sony announced that the game had sold over 8.4 million units worldwide (against a budget of $212 million, as per leaks in July).

Horizon Forbidden West is available on PS5 and PS4. It launches for PC in early 2024.