5 Video Games Announced Years Ago That Remain in Development Hell

Sometimes, game announcements come a little too early. In recent years, many games have been delayed, leaving fans disappointed as they wait longer than expected. But 2025 has seen a few long-awaited games come back to life. Highly anticipated magical life sim Witchbrook showed signs of life at the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, with a supposed Winter 2025 release window. And then Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 emerged from development hell with an actual release date, for real this time. But even with these games finally seeing the light of day, some huge games are still waiting on a confirmed release.

These days, it feels like developers are eager to show off their exciting new projects. But sometimes, those games run into unexpected hurdles, which can leave the game in so-called “development hell.” This term has been attached to many projects over the years when they see long periods of uncertainty, changes to the core team, or just plain old technical challenges. And these five games still seem to be stuck in limbo, despite being highly anticipated by fans.

5. Fable

The newest installment in the Fable franchise was originally revealed in 2020, as a new start that will essentially revamp the series. After years of waiting, the game initially targeted a 2025 launch window when it appeared at an Xbox Games Showcase earlier this year. Since then, however, the game has been delayed to a still-vague 2026 release.

The game comes from Xbox Game Studios, which has seen its share of challenges in recent years. Though we have seen some compelling cinematic trailers, actual gameplay from Fable has yet to be revealed. This suggests that the delay could speak to deeper issues with development. For now, the word is that Fable will arrive in 2026, but recent rumors suggest that the new release window may already be in question.

4. Bioshock 4

The fourth installment in the BioShock series, BioShock 4, was announced back in 2019. Since then, updates from the team have been pretty infrequent. Earlier this year, the game’s status in development hell was essentially confirmed, as the game reportedly failed an internal review at 2K Games. The narrative was apparently a key issue, suggesting the story will largely need to be rewritten.

Since then, the core team has undergone some serious restructuring. Cloud Chamber recently experienced mass layoffs, shortly after a new head of development stepped in. Even with Rod Fergusson at the helm of BioShock, the game has been internally delayed yet again. This suggests there’s much more work to be done here, if the game will ever see the light of day.

3. Marvel’s Wolverine

We don’t know for sure if Marvel’s Wolverine is actually struggling in development hell, or if Insomniac is just taking its time. However, since the game’s initial reveal in 2021, we’ve seen and heard next to nothing about it. Aside from a cryptic teaser trailer, no footage from the game has been revealed. And despite rumors, Insomniac has yet to confirm when the game might release, or share really any new details about its next big Marvel title.

Although Insomniac has shared it is still working on the game, many fans are concerned. Several other big, single-player superhero games have been canceled in 2025, including the Wonder Woman game. This leaves the future of games like Marvel’s Wolverine a bit uncertain, and without any confirmed info from the developer, it’s unclear if this one will ever come to fruition.

2. Elder Scrolls 6

Elder Scrolls 6 was first confirmed way back in 2018 with a quick teaser trailer. Since then, we have seen several more Skyrim special editions and even Oblivion Remastered. But news about the next installment in the Elder Scrolls franchise has been hard to come by, leaving many to worry that Bethesda has been struggling to bring the next game to fruition.

Clearly, work on Elder Scrolls 6 is still ongoing. No confirmed release window is in sight, and Bethesda recently hired a new writer, which could suggest it’s still working on the game’s story. Regardless, despite years of rumors, we still know next to nothing about the next game. It is still in the works, as far as we know, but when and if it arrives remains an open question for Elder Scrolls fans eager fr our next adventure in Tamriel.

1. Beyond Good and Evil 2

Ubisoft’s Beyond Good and Evil 2 has been in development for so long, many gamers believe it’s been all but cancelled. The follow-up to 2003’s Beyond Good and Evil was first revealed back in 2008. Since then, the game has limped along in relative silence. Ubisoft did confirm that the game is still in “active development” just last year. Even so, with 17 years in the works, it’s clear that the game has met with some stumbles along the way.

Throughout this extensive development period, Beyond Good and Evil 2 has undergone a series of challenges and changes. The game has reportedly been reworked several times, with the team struggling to find the right direction for the prequel. But despite those challenges, the game has yet to be formally canceled, and Ubisoft is supposedly still working on it. But at this point, many fans suspect this record-holder for the longest time in development will never truly arrive. That makes it the reigning champion for time spent in video game development hell.