7 most disappointing games of 2024

2024 has seen many disappointing games, with even the most established studios, like Ubisoft and Rocksteady, struggling to meet player expectations, despite massive budgets and well-known franchises. Many of this year's most-hyped releases have failed to deliver, from sequels like Senua's Saga: Hellblade II to spin-offs like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

Here’s a look at seven of the most disappointing games of 2024, which promised a lot but failed to live up to the hype.

Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer.

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Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Skull and Bones, and other disappointing games of 2024

1) Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

Harley Quinn and others in SS: Kill the Justice League (Image via Warner Bros. Games)

• Release date: February 2, 2024

Developed by Rocksteady Studios, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League ultimately failed to live up to expectations.

The studio’s previous success with the Batman: Arkham series set high hopes among fans, but this team-based shooter became bogged down by repetitive gameplay and an overemphasis on live-service elements. While it did feature a solid traversal system and high-quality presentation, including great voice acting, these features were not enough to save it.

According to a Forbes report, Warner Bros. lost around $200 million on Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, leading to layoffs at Rocksteady, making this one of the year’s disappointing games.

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2) Skull and Bones

Wreck Ship and battles in Skull and Bones (Image via Ubisoft)

• Release date: February 16, 2024

After a decade of development and reportedly over $650 million in investment, Ubisoft’s pirate adventure, Skull and Bones, was poorly received at launch. Inspired by Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag's naval combat, the title was criticized for offering uninspired multiplayer mechanics and repetitive gameplay, all for a hefty $70 price tag.

Players piloted pirate ships through the Indian Ocean, but the lack of innovation left many feeling the experience was a retread of older, better games. The overwhelming negative feedback has solidified Skull and Bones as one of the year’s most disappointing titles.

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3) Concord

The Fall in Concord (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

• Release date: August 23, 2024

After eight years of development, Concord, a first-person hero shooter from Firewalk Studios, released to poor reception.

By the time it launched, the title was already outdated, especially with many of its competitors offering free-to-play models. Its small player base quickly dwindled, and Sony was forced to take the game offline just two weeks after release, offering full refunds to anyone who purchased it.

With a lackluster roster, uninspiring maps, and a poorly executed story, Concord was a cautionary tale of missed opportunities, therefore making this list of disappointing games.

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4) Star Wars Outlaws

The moment to the face the invaders (Image via Ubisoft)

• Release date: August 30, 2024

Star Wars Outlaws is another Ubisoft title that failed to meet fan expectations. The game was met with poor reception, leading J.P. Morgan to downgrade projected sales by two million units, even causing Ubisoft’s stock to drop.

In Star Wars Outlaws, players could explore various planets as Kay Vess (they can also play as a non-Jedi character). However, the lackluster marketing and underwhelming sales hurt the game's reception even before its official release.

With negative reviews piling up, Star Wars Outlaws joins the ranks of disappointing games in 2024.

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5) Foamstars

Foamstars (Image via Square Enix)

• Release date: February 6, 2024

Launched to minimal fanfare, Foamstars quickly became one of 2024’s most underwhelming releases. Despite being offered for free to PS+ subscribers, the game’s player count plummeted by a staggering 95% just two months after its launch.

Featuring four-on-four battles where players use foam to alter the terrain around them, Foamstars failed to capture player interest, especially with competition from other popular multiplayer games like Helldivers 2.

The lack of a solid player base and poor reception makes Foamstars one of the year's most disappointing games.

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6) Dustborn

Altenate USA in Dustborn (Image via Spotlight by Quantic Dream)

• Release date: August 20, 2024

Red Thread Games' Dustborn is set in a fictional USA in 2030. However, this futuristic approach ultimately couldn’t save the title from bad reviews. With a peak of only 83 concurrent players on Steam, it was clear the game struggled to find an audience.

The concept of using voices and language as combat mechanics was intriguing, but the execution fell flat. The addition of Guitar Hero-style rhythm minigames didn’t help either, leaving Dustborn to fizzle out and become one of 2024’s biggest letdowns.

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7) Senua's Saga: Hellblade II

Fear awaits in Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 (Image via Xbox Game Studios)

• Release date: May 21, 2024

The long-awaited sequel to the acclaimed Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was a major disappointment for many players. While the first game broke new ground in its portrayal of mental health and immersive storytelling, Hellblade II failed to recapture that magic. The puzzles, which were one of the most intriguing aspects of the original title, didn’t quite stick in the sequel.

The once-groundbreaking concept of hearing voices in Senua’s head felt tired, and the short seven-to-eight hour playtime didn’t help its cause, especially in terms of sales (37th in overall sales in May 2024, according to Mat Piscatella, video game advisor at Circana).