5 video games that faced massive delays but were worth the wait

The reasons are plenty for the delayed release of video games. Forspoken has become the latest big-ticket title to have been pushed back to early 2023 from its original release dates of mid-2022. While a few months might seem a lot, that's not the case.

Not every delayed game turns out to be good in the end. That's not the case with the following five names on the list.

All these games faced a significant amount of delay before they were released. While some were due to management indecisions, others were done to push out a better product.

However, each of these five video games shone the brightest when released, which makes them truly worth the wait.

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Top five video games that delivered despite long delays

5) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was finally released in 2017. While news of the sequel is currently making the rounds, let's go back to what happened with the first video game.

Nintendo announced the game nearly a decade ago in 2013, stating that the release would come two years later. Whoever made that plans didn't foresee what would happen, as it took two more years.

To date, the title has divided the opinions of hardcore fans. However, it is loved by casual players and critics alike, who have saluted the overall quality of the product. It remains one of the highest-rated games of its time.

While the first game might have had a much longer development time than initially anticipated, it was ultimately worth the wait. In fact, several video games released since have tried to recreate the vast open world and other mechanics of it.

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4) Final Fantasy 15

This video game was supposed to be part of a side series, not the main chronology. The development started accordingly in 2007.

However, Square Enix realized in the middle of the development cycle that they needed to change track. Originally supposed to be Final Fantasy Versus 13, it soon changed its name to Final Fantasy 15 and was released in 2016.

It's hard to imagine what the original plans of Square Enix were, but Final Fantasy 15 reasonably delivered on the promise. It created its own space in the franchise and gave rise to some famous characters in its universe.

Some would even argue that without it, there would be no Final Fantasy 16.

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3) Diablo 3

When Diablo 3 was released, it felt very rough around the edges. This was a great deal of disappointment for the fans as the video game had a stretched development cycle.

Many users couldn't understand the poor performance, given how long Blizzard took to make the game. It was released in 2012 following its announcements in 2008. However, the actual development started in 2001, and Diablo 3 took more than a decade to develop.

At first, Diablo 3 hardly justified its claims to be a worthy successor. Plenty of performance issues, glitches, and bugs made it almost impossible to enjoy.

Fortunately for fans, Blizzard kept pushing out the patches that removed most problems. Nearly a decade since its release, Diablo 3 is still being played actively by plenty of fans worldwide.

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2) Fallout 3

Fallout 3, to date, divides the fans about how it should have been in the first place. The entire development had to be repeated midway and started fresh.

Considering the total duration, it would be more than a decade. Thankfully, Fallout 3 turned out to be one of the series' best games. There was a massive change from its first two titles, but fans loved the new style and what was being offered.

While the developers took bold steps with the development, it paid off in the form of several 'Game of the Year' awards. Not only did it sell well, but some of its mechanics are still considered remarkable.

The game's open-ended nature was as delightful as the character leveling up. Fallout 3 remains the highest point of the iconic video game series.

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1) Resident Evil 4

There have been plenty of video game releases in the Resident Evil series, but none will come close to Resident Evil 4.

Fan expectations were that the title would be released in 2000 or 2001. However, it took the first half of the new decade for the game to be released on PlayStation 2. While the delay was indeed disappointing, the game was stunning.

Resident Evil 4 remains one of the best horror-survival video games to date. The way it amalgamated survival elements with raw horror is genuinely magnificent.

The task of saving the president's daughter in the background gave gamers a purpose as they searched through the infected village. In many ways, Resident Evil 4 set a standard that has been hard to match for any game in the genre.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author’s opinion.