5 Exciting Games Stuck In Development For More Than 10 Years

Creating a reliable online game is hard. Some video games are such masterpieces that it is a surprise how they ever received made in any respect. There are such a lot of shifting elements, particularly since studio sizes are sometimes within the triple digits, that kudos must go to the video games which might be launched regardless of going by way of numerous trials and tribulations.

Nonetheless, some video games get caught in what’s referred to within the trade as “improvement hell.” Over time, a few of these have ultimately been launched, resembling Duke Nukem Endlessly, Metroid Dread, and Cranium & Bones. Others get canceled when the studio heads or writer decides it is not well worth the funding for the top product anymore. In the meantime, some stay caught in that cycle. Listed here are 5 video games which were in improvement for greater than 10 years and nonetheless have not been launched (although some are, lastly, close to on the horizon).

1

Past Good & Evil 2

Once you noticed the headline of this text, I’ve little doubt that Ubisoft’s Past Good & Evil 2 was the primary sport that you simply considered. Lately, it is the poster youngster for video games trapped in improvement hell. It began pre-production in 2007, which implies that it has been within the works for a whopping 19 years. Whereas most studios would have canceled the undertaking by now, Ubisoft confirmed as not too long ago as January 2026 that the sport is still being worked on, as six initiatives have been canned; Past Good & Evil 2 was not considered one of them.

Past Good & Evil 2 is billed as an open-world action-adventure in area, and is a prequel to the occasions of the primary sport. In keeping with a Eurogamer report on a now-defunct Ubisoft weblog put up, the participant can create their very own character and an interview on The Verge with Michel Ancel, the ex-director of the sport, revealed it is extra akin to an RPG than the primary sport. Gameplay revolves round touring from one planet to a different, every one with its personal society, quests, characters, and extra.

We noticed a Past Good & Evil 2 reveal trailer in 2008, which featured Jade and Pey’j from the primary sport. That was adopted by a leaked trailer in 2009, exhibiting gameplay of Jade fleeing from the authorities down a busy avenue. Nonetheless, probably the most notable exhibiting of the sport got here throughout E3 2017, with a trailer that took the occasion by storm. It acquired another trailer at E3 2018, however that was the final public exhibiting the sport has had.

2

Squadron 42

Star Citizen is a narrative lots of you studying will even be acquainted with, principally as a consequence of its extremely costly in-game ships that may primarily be preordered, and the very fact developer Cloud Imperium Video games not too long ago hit $1 billion in funding. Nonetheless, whereas that sport is arguably in improvement hell, having entered pre-production in 2011, there was a playable alpha model of the sport out there since 2014.

Do you know that Cloud Imperium can also be engaged on Squadron 42, a single-player first-person shooter set inside the Star Citizen universe? You would be forgiven for having not heard about it as a result of it was introduced very shortly after Star Citizen in 2012, however has flown much more beneath the radar. It was initially scheduled to be launched in 2014, which suggests it could maintain the file for the longest delay past its unique release date. In December 2025, the developer reported that the sport is absolutely playable and have full, with a launch date set for 2026… however with solely 4 months left within the yr on the time of writing and no signal of it, that is wanting more and more unlikely.

It is an formidable undertaking, although, set to launch in an episodic format. The primary episode is slated to be up to 20 hours lengthy, with two subsequent episodes deliberate. It additionally has a star-studded cast, together with however not restricted to Gary Oldman, Mark Hamill, Gillian Anderson, Andy Serkis, John Rhys-Davies, Damson Idris, Henry Cavill, and Eleanor Tomlinson. This is hoping we get one other replace on its launch date earlier than the yr is out.

3

Venture Awakening

Venture Awakening was officially revealed in 2018, however the sport itself was announced at Cygames Subsequent 2016 in Tokyo. A behind-closed-doors vertical slice of gameplay was proven to the press at E3 2018, and in response to Game Informer, it featured a knight combating a “scaly lizard-like monster” with sensible motion. Fight was apparently a mix of kinds from video games resembling Monster Hunter and Dragon’s Dogma.

In 2021, extra footage was proven on the Cygames Tech Convention, but it surely was principally a tech demo exhibiting terrain era and climate results, earlier than panning to a soldier standing on the sting of a cliff, overlooking an unlimited panorama with timber and mountains. Since then, we have not seen something new, however in an interview with Famitsu in subject 1955 (thanks, Game Observer), Cygames CEO Koichi Watanabe described improvement as “progressing steadily” and that the sport is “beginning to take form.” I imply, you’d hope so after a decade of improvement.

4

Grand Theft Auto 6

Grand Theft Auto 6 is sort of right here. We are able to principally style it. It is in all probability going to interrupt all of the online game gross sales data we will consider. Nevertheless it is not right here but, and it entered pre-production in 2014, which implies that whereas full improvement did not begin till 2018, the entire cycle has been 12 years lengthy.

Saying that GTA 6 has been in improvement hell may be a bit harsh, although, as a result of apart from a number of delays to its release date (it was initially aiming for fall 2025, then May 2026, and now November 2026), there’s not a lot motive to imagine it has been a troublesome time for the sport itself. Rockstar Video games, the studio behind it, nonetheless, is one other story.

In September 2022, a serious breach leaked a plethora of internal development videos that exposed a lot of new gameplay data, together with the very fact there are two protagonists, the return to Vice Metropolis, and extra. In April 2024, Rockstar requested all staff return to working from places of work for “productiveness and safety within the remaining phases of improvement,” which led to extreme backlash, and in October 2025, 34 staff have been fired, allegedly as a result of they have been trying to unionize with labor organizers.

So it hasn’t been fully easy crusing for probably the most anticipated online game in historical past, however there isn’t any motive to imagine improvement itself has taken successful. We’ll see as soon as and for all when it launches on Nov. 19.

5

The Wolf Amongst Us 2

The Wolf Among Us was launched in 2013, and it was considered one of Telltale Video games’ most profitable. It was praised by critics and shoppers alike, following the standard Telltale narrative construction, and appearing as a prequel to the Fables comedian collection. The Wolf Amongst Us 2 was introduced at San Diego Comedian-Con in 2017, with a launch date slated for the next yr, however after a delay to 2019, Telltale Video games closed down and the sequel was canceled.

Telltale was brought back from the dead by an organization known as LCG Leisure, and The Wolf Amongst Us 2 was being developed in collaboration with AdHoc Studio, which was made up of former Telltale employees who have been let go from the earlier iteration of the corporate. After a number of extra delays by way of 2023 and 2024, alongside more layoffs at Telltale and AdHoc pulling out of the undertaking as a consequence of disagreements between the 2 studios, The Wolf Amongst Us 2 was re-revealed at Summer season Recreation Fest 2026.

Which means we have identified about The Wolf Amongst Us 2 for 9 years, and by the point it releases in its scheduled window of 2027 — if it does not encounter any extra delays, that’s — it is going to hit the 10-year threshold. Very similar to the primary sport, the sequel could have 5 episodes, nonetheless it is reported to have a a lot darker tone. We should always see extra pretty quickly… we hope.