The video game industry is unpredictable, turbulent, and prone to quick changes. Unfortunately, once famous franchises were just one bad game away from being buried in the past. On the other hand, there's a lot of independent entertainment software that became massive hits overnight. Considering all that, it's not unusual to see some of the most famous video games getting discontinued and left in the abandonware domain. This top ten list contains some of the most jarring examples of forgotten video game franchises.

10. Twisted Metal

Vehicular combat games were all the craze during the 1990s, and Twisted Metal was the most prominent example. Here, you could choose your fighter from a roster of weird vehicles. Then you'd go to world-famous cities to combat your adversaries to death. Except for a wide array of vehicles and weapons, the selling point was a remarkable amount of destruction you could inflict on the areas you fought in. 

However, after the PlayStation 1 era, these games went into a sharp decline. While there were occasional attempts to bring the franchise back, new generations found vehicle combat games limiting, sealing their fate in the wake of sandbox games. 

9. Bloody Roar

The concept of human-beast hybrids fighting each other was quite popular during the 1990s. That idea was an initial spark of many successful franchises, like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. However, this fighting game is way edgier than the adventures of the benevolent ninja reptiles. Bloody Roar followed a group of mutants fighting against the company, which performed genetic experiments. Cue inhuman violence. 

Despite lasting for two generations, Bloody Roar stopped at the fourth installment. We're not sure why the sudden cancellation of further sequels was, but we are confident that many people would be glad to see this franchise back.

8. Turok

Turok games were neither the best-looking nor the funniest, and they didn't have the best multiplayer experience. Nevertheless, the concept of hunting dinosaurs with the help of modern and futuristic weaponry wasn't something to be ignored. This game originated on Nintendo 64 and became one of the greatest hits for the console. 

The game's popularity granted it several sequels, but save for the reboot of the first two games in 2015, there was no news about new Turok games since 2008. This is a shame because we think a multiplayer co-op game in which you're trying to survive among dinosaurs would be a great hit.  

7. Suikoden

Suikoden games became pretty famous because of the players' ability to lead and manage tens, even hundreds of characters. Add that to the story based on Chinese mythology and some bitter undertones in the storytelling and dialogues. Consequently, you'll get the winning formula for the Japanese role-playing game. 

The Suikoden series peaked on PlayStation 2 with the third installment. Still, the subsequent two sequels did not live up to the expectations. Since then, no one has mentioned any sequel or reboot. Do we think Suikoden games would be successful if they appeared on modern platforms? Well, as the remaster is coming, we'll get that answer.

6. Syphon Filter

Syphon Filter games were one of the pillars of the foundation for the third-person stealth genre. The other two series are Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell. All three are currently on ice, with the titular one being the longest gone, ever since 2008. Anyway, Syphon Filter is the name of the fictional virus that could be programmed to attack certain groups of people. Therefore, our main characters need to fight the terrorist organizations which want to use it in their evil ways. 

A combination of stealth action, an exciting story, and a charming protagonist made this game a big deal. As the PlayStation exclusive, Syphon Filter got three sequels for PlayStation 1 and four more for other Sony consoles. We would like to see the return of stealth games led by another Syphon Filter sequel. 

 5. No One Lives Forever

Take the best from the spy movies and TV shows during the 1960s, mix it with stealth, outrageous weaponry, spy tech, and add the outrageous villain and suave chique lady as the protagonist. It sounds like a receipt for instant success, right? Unfortunately, it's not. 

The fate of the No One Lives Forever franchise is one of the most obvious examples of injustice in the gaming world. The first game got everything right, from graphics and gameplay to atmosphere and humor. Nevertheless, this title was only moderately successful, which earned it just a single sequel before the franchise went on ice for good. What is worse is that you can't even buy this game legally due to the dispute about copyright infringement between developers and distributors. 

4. Legacy Of Kain/Soul Reaver

Remember the time when vampires were scary? Yeah, we barely do too. One of the flag bearers of the scary vampire trope was the Legacy of Kain game franchise. The series's titular character is one of the most remarkably written ever, whose malice and cunning mesmerized a whole generation of gamers. Kain's legacy continued with the Soul Reaver series, helmed by his son Raziel, a disfigured and mutilated vampire-mutant with the power to travel between material and spectral realms. 

After the last game in the Soul Reaver series, Defiance, there were numerous rumors about reinstating the Legacy of Kain games. The closest we came to another Legacy of Kain game was Dead Sun, sadly canceled in 2018. However, in 2021 there were some rumors about a Soul Reaver games remaster.     

3. Knights Of The Old Republic

For many people, this game is one of the finest pieces of interactive software and the best thing LucasArts ever did. Others say this is simply the best western role-playing game ever. Due to these strong opinions, it's tough to remain unbiased about the Knights of the Old Republic. The story takes us 4000 years before the events in Star Wars movies. It follows a mysterious individual searching for Darth Revan, a mighty Sith Lord. 

Despite being highly praised by both critics and gamers, the Knights of the Old Republic spawned only one direct sequel, while the third game has been canceled. As the consolation prize, The Old Republic series is an MMO game set in the same universe.     

2. Castlevania

Castlevania is the oldest and the most numerous franchise in this list, spanning over 35 years and having more than 30 games under the belt. Castlevania's influence on the gaming world is hard to describe because the first one featured so many elements that all later games accepted and standardized. However, the original story about the Belmont family wandering around Dracula's castle remains insurmountable. 

It was 2008 when the last mainline Castlevania game was published. From then on, we saw various spin-offs, side stories, and even a fighting game we don't want to talk about. This is not the only franchise Konami treated poorly, but it's the most important for sure. Furthermore, we can't even buy some of these games.   

1. Prince of Persia

Prince of Persia is another classic that reached several generations of gamers. Starting as a reasonably straightforward action-adventure, this one turned into an epic story about a defiant prince trying to find a way to cheat his fate. The selling point of these games is the acrobatic abilities of its protagonist. The introduction of Sands of Time amplified the surreal parkour abilities of our courageous prince. Therefore, our protagonist could slow down or rewind the time to our great delight. 

After two trilogies, there were a couple attempts to revive the franchise in 2008 and 2010. Unfortunately, gamers already found another franchise with parkour, Assassins' Creed, and Prince of Persia, and his adventures faded into obscurity. One thing is sure, out of all gaming franchises, this is the one we would like the most to return.

Video game history is full of forgotten franchises, and some of them are among the most famous of all time. While we can't bring them back, we should remind ourselves why they deserve another chance. Hopefully, that'll become the truth for some of them.

What is your favorite forgotten game series on our top ten list? What are some of the other franchises that need sequels?