Role-playing games are one of the most popular genres in video games, among some of the highest-grossing on console, PC, and even mobile gaming. The genre has also been at the forefront of online-only games going back decades, with MMORPGs also garnering a sizable market.
While some of the best RPG games, like The Witcher 3 and Mass Effect 2, are some of the most acclaimed games of all time, others have been less well-received. But for some, negative reception doesn't keep thousands or even millions of players from getting the game.
Cyberpunk 2077
First announced back in 2012, Cyberpunk 2077 was incredibly highly anticipated for several years, and the fact that it was being created by CD Projekt Red, best known for developing the Witcher series, only added to this feeling.
Upon release, however, the game was noted for its innumerable bugs and glitches that made it near unplayable on certain devices. Still, the game managed to not only sell well but garner a respectable player base. Cyberpunk continues to add new features, and in the years since its release has gained some appreciation from gamers, even if its title will always be associated with its disastrous launch.
Fallout 76
The Fallout series began in 1997, although when it entered the 3D realm, and especially with Fallout 3's release in 2008, it became a defining RPG franchise for consoles. That's what made Fallout 76's absolute failure stand out that much more, although criticism of parent company Bethesda had been happening before then.
Both fans and critics lambasted the game. Yet, like Cyberpunk 2077, that didn't take away from the game's popularity. According to Todd Howard, head of Bethesda, in 2021 Fallout 76 was one of the studio's most played games, and still had 11 million players.
The Walking Dead: Road to Survival
The Walking Dead may have begun with comics, but it made its biggest impact through the TV series and Telltale Games' video games. By the mid-2010s, the franchise was a household name, and a role-playing game for mobile, Road to Survival, was released in 2015.
Unsurprisingly, the game sold well, reaching number 1 on the App Store upon release. On its Metacritic page, critics' reviews were mixed, but the game was skewered by users on the site, with 7 negative reviews and 3 mixed, with only 4 positive ones.
Sea of Thieves
Players of the 2018 game Sea of Thieves can encounter horrifying things on their journey to become the ultimate pirate lord in this exploration-driven game. Sea of Thieves proved incredibly popular with gamers when it was released, helped in part by the many YouTubers and streamers who played it.
However, critics were much less impressed than gamers were, finding nothing special with the game and awarding it mixed with negative reviews. The overall consensus seems to have been that it was a disappointing use of a good premise. Still, the game proved popular enough for a Pirates of the Caribbean DLC.
Vampyr
Dontnod Entertainment made a name for themselves with the Life Is Strange series which began in 2015, and remains their defining franchise. However, in 2018, the same year when Life Is Strange 2 released its first episode, the studio also came out with Vampyr.
While the action RPG was welcomed by fans of the franchise, critics were more mixed on the game; while there were elements that received some praise, there were plenty of issues in a diverse set of areas that attracted comment. Vampyr is a great game for vampire fiction fans, and its popularity bears that out, but it does have its issues, as well.
Final Fantasy XIV
The Final Fantasy series carries plenty of prestige among gamers, and Final Fantasy VII is considered one of the best video games ever made. So, when Final Fantasy XIV was announced as an MMORPG, it garnered plenty of attention, although when released it was hated by both fans and critics, and seemingly damaged the Final Fantasy brand.
However, Square Enix managed to save the Final Fantasy XIV name by shutting down the original game in 2012 and releasing Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, in 2013. Despite the original's bad name, Realm Reborn did well financially and critically.
Tom Clancy's The Division
Tom Clancy-branded games aren't known for their role-playing elements, yet that's exactly what Massive Entertainment reached for with its 2016 game Tom Clancy's The Division. Critical response to the game was mixed, but the revenue it generated helped make 2019's The Division 2 possible.
Although it obviously wouldn't have affected reception at the time, the fact that a viral pandemic is the instigator of the story hasn't aged well, and any future Division games are going to have to take this into account for story purposes.
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
With Redditors making predictions about Hogwarts Legacy, which itself will be an action RPG, the idea of getting to role-play at Hogwarts has never seemed more exciting. However, while Hogwarts Legacy will be the first Harry Potter RPG for consoles, it won't be the first overall.
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery was published for Android and iOS in 2018 by Jam City with some input from Hogwarts Legacy publisher Portkey Games. The issue of microtransactions factored heavily into criticism of the game, although the game mechanics and overall sense of play came in for critique, as well. Still, it's grossed hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.
Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes
Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes is another mobile-based roleplaying game taking place within an ultra-popular franchise. Released in 2015, the game focuses on collectible characters, which can then be used in turn-based battles.
The Star Wars name was always going to bring a lot of attention to Galaxy of Heroes, and the game has proved a popular moneymaker. However, critics were far from acclamatory in their response to the game, finding it of average quality, which – for a series as beloved as Star Wars is – amounts to a negative.
Dragon Age II
BioWare, known for work on the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic games, created a franchise of their own (although not the first) with 2009's Dragon Age: Origins, which received acclaim upon release. Its sequel, Dragon Age II, was not so lucky.
The game sold very well, and while game critics were lukewarm to positive toward it, fans of the franchise were severely divided about the game's quality. BioWare returned to the franchise with 2014's Dragon Age: Inquisition, which brought acclaim back to the series. However, there was plenty of pressure on Inquisition for the studio precisely because of Dragon Age II's reception.