Compared to most other fandoms, gamers are extremely vocal and passionate people with high standards and expectations held to the games they purchase. For this reason, games can quickly become universally hated if the developers make even a few wrong decisions.
From unfinished disasters to pay-to-win nightmares like the recent Diablo Immortal, some games are loathed by players. However, in some cases, it's not even because the game is bad. Sometimes, it's pretty good and popular but folks still find reasons to hate them.
No Man's Sky (2016)
When No Man's Sky was announced in 2013, gamers were quickly enthralled by its beautiful art style and promise of fresh, innovative gameplay that allowed players to explore an endlessly rich universe in their very own spaceship. However, the game turned out too good to be true as it lacked a great deal of the content that was previously promised.
Upon release, there were next to no multiplayer features and its gameplay was incredibly monotonous with little variation in the types of planets to explore. With its $60 price tag, gamers felt they were cheated and lied to when they finally got to play the game they had been eagerly anticipating, and, as such, it became hated very quickly. Since then, however, the developers have made huge updates to the game that have greatly improved its gameplay, but gamers won't soon forget its disastrous release.
Aliens: Colonial Marines (2013)
After being somewhat disappointed by Aliens Vs. Predator, fans of the Alien franchise could not wait to get their hands on Aliens: Colonial Marines. The game promised to be a terrifying mix of FPS action and survival horror that would put the player in their own Alien movie.
The actual game, however, was not as exciting as the trailers had people believe as players experienced constant bugs and technical issues. If players managed to get past the bugs, they were faced with lackluster gameplay and outdated graphics and animations. The game was so disappointing that two gamers filed a lawsuit against the developers for false advertising, making Aliens: Colonial Marines a truly hated game.
Cyberpunk 2077 (2020)
Announced in 2012, gamers had to wait just under nine long years for Cyberpunk 2077's release. Being developed by the same people behind the widely beloved Witcher trilogy, Cyberpunk 2077 became one of the most anticipated games of the decade.
However, upon release, all of the hype gamers had for it was quickly extinguished. During the few weeks, Cyberpunk 2077 was found to be riddled with bugs and suffered from some serious performance issues, particularly on consoles. On top of this, the physics and AI left a lot to be desired especially when compared to similar, older games like Grand Theft Auto. The developers have since updated Cyberpunk 2077 multiple times which has somewhat improved its quality but it still struggles to live up to expectations.
Diablo Immortal (2022)
Diablo Immortal is a rare example of a game that was hated before it was even released. The game was announced at Blizzcon 2018 to a crowd of PC folks hoping for news on Diablo 4. Instead, Blizzard showed fans a mobile game that was met with boos, with one fan even questioning if it was a prank.
Those who decided to give the game a shot when it was released found that Diablo fans had a right to be angry, as it is a pay-to-win cash-grab. Sadly, those who play the game without spending money will find themselves ridiculously outgunned by players who do. Diablo Immortal players would need to spend a whopping $110,000 to fully level and gear their character. With a Metacritic user score of 0.4, Diablo Immortal is one of the most hated games of the past decade.
Sonic The Hedgehog (2006)
The Sonic the Hedgehog video game franchise seems to fluctuate between incredible, universally adored games and unfinished, disappointing disasters that have fans questioning whether SEGA knows what they're doing. One of the latter games was the 2006 release of Sonic The Hedgehog.
Intended as a reboot for the franchise, the game sought to use the best parts of previous 3D Sonic games whilst expanding on the series' lore with players being able to play as Sonic, Shadow, and a new hedgehog called Silver. The game was a total disaster, however, with poor level design, awkward controls, and ultimately unengaging gameplay. The game's storyline also featured a romance between Sonic and a human which fans have been trying to erase from their minds since 2006. With these negative aspects, the game cemented itself as the most hated in the Sonic franchise.
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition (2021)
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition saw three of the all-time classic GTA games remastered and packaged into one collection. When news of the game's development reached the internet, fans were excited to revisit San Andreas and Vice City with updated graphics.
However, the game was criticized before it was even released when all versions of the games in the collection were pulled from online stores. Furthermore, fans were extremely disappointed with the game's performance issues, bugs, and ugly "updated" graphics. Players felt that it soiled the legacy of these great games and, as such, this collection stands as the most hated GTA release.
Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (2017)
After the disappointing release of the first modern Battlefront game, gamers were hoping Star Wars: Battlefront 2 would be the answer to all their problems with the inclusion of content from the prequels and sequels.
Controversially, though, the game required players to unlock the more powerful characters via loot boxes which could be bought by either slowly earning in-game currency or using real money. This meant that players who spent extra money on the game had a huge advantage over players who didn't. Although EA has since changed this system, their patronizing Reddit comment justifying their choices is still the most downvoted comment on the entire site and exemplifies just how hated this game was.
Battlefield 2042 (2021)
The Battlefield franchise's second foray into science-fiction, Battlefield 2042's trailers showed off massive futuristic battles with all-new mechanics, weapons, and vehicles. After the previous releases of Battlefield 1 and Battlefield V, fans were looking forward to the return of a more modern style of combat for the franchise.
Upon release, however, the game became one of the worst-reviewed on Steam thanks to its chaotic gameplay, numerous bugs, and lack of features. Gamers also criticized the inclusion of Christmas-themed skins as they clashed with the game's realistic tone. The hype surrounding Battlefield 2042 and the eventual disappointment of its release made this game the subject of a palpable amount of hate.
Fallout 76 (2018)
When Fallout 76 was announced in 2018, fans were understandably very excited. The game marked the first multiplayer game by Bethesda Game Studios and, with the rich setting of the Fallout universe, looked to be a hit.
The game turned out to be quite the opposite, however, as it was plagued with countless bugs, dull gameplay, and a distracting lack of human NPCs. This made for a world that felt like a pale reflection of the Fallout universe that gamers have come to know and love. Gamers would much rather have had a great single-player Fallout game over this failed experiment and, as such, Fallout 76 became the most hated game in the franchise.
Fortnite (2017)
Perhaps more than any other, Fortnite is the game that gamers really love to hate. The free-to-play battle royale is consistently popular on Twitch and has remained the biggest name in gaming since 2018.
Despite its immense popularity, Forntie is often the subject of a great deal of hate. One reason for this is its constant influx of brand deals and collaborations that essentially turn the game into one giant billboard constantly cycling through different promotions. On top of this, the game's cartoon-like graphics can be incredibly off-putting for players who are into more realistic shooters, especially when coupled with its goofy emotes. Despite the hate, the game must be doing something right as it doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.