The 10 Worst Video Games of the 2020s (So Far), Ranked

Image via Daedalic Entertainment Published Sep 13, 2026, 6:59 AM EDT Writing from the Chicagoland area in Illinois, Robert is an avid movie watcher and will take just about any excuse to find time to go to his local movie theaters. Robert graduated from Bradley University with degrees in Journalism and Game Design with a minor in Film Studies. Robert tries his best to keep up with all the latest movie releases, from those released in theaters to those released on streaming. While he doesn't always keep up with the latest TV shows, he makes it a goal to watch nearly every major new release possible. He has been honing his craft and following any and all movie news all his life, leading up to now, where he has a vast knowledge of film and film history. He also logs every movie that he watches on his Letterboxd page, and has hosted a weekly online movie night with his closest friends for over 6 years. Sign in to your Collider account Video games in the modern age have, for the most part, been of an exceptionally high quality, with many groundbreaking titles and exceptional works of art being released that have continued to cement their status as the defining artistic medium of the modern era. However, for games like Elden Ring and Baldur's Gate 3 to stand out as some of the best games of recent memory, there intrinsically have to be recent releases that are of the complete opposite quality. From massive budget disasters that had high hopes of being the next big phenomenon to cheaply made cash-grabs that never had any real aspirations, there is a massive variety in the notable failures that have impacted the video game industry in the 2020s. What's especially interesting is that, by this point in the industry, the barrier to entry for creating games is lower than ever, and we understand much more about what makes a great game. This makes the failures of these games even more egregious and painful, especially when compared to many of the great games released this decade. 10 'Marvel's Avengers' (2020) It cannot be overstated just how much of a cultural dominance Marvel superheroes had in the late 2010s, with the success of movies like Avengers: Endgame and games like Marvel's Spider-Man paving the way for the massive potential and excitement of a modern Avengers video game. However, while there was initially a lot of excitement surrounding Marvel's Avengers, it soon became apparent that this Crystal Dynamics game was far from what fans were expecting. While many gamers were simply hoping for some classic Avengers action to play through with friends, the real detrimental aspect of the game was its decision to be a live-service game, attempting to have a constant string of content akin to something like Destiny. It makes the core gameplay incredibly grindy and repetitive, as well as the game itself severely lacking in content at launch and being riddled with technical issues. It had the potential to be one of the very best superhero video games, but ended up shutting down and being delisted from stores 3 years after its release. 9 'Skull and Bones' (2024) Skull and Bones is the perfect example of how even a massive budget and all of the resources in the world simply aren't enough to make a game a massive smash hit, as it actually has to connect with gamers and offer them something that is as fun to play as it is impressive to look at. Ubisoft's pirate ship warfare game was in development for over a decade, following the success of naval battles in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, and was being touted as being so large-scale in production that it was the first quadruple-A game. It also tried implementing a live-service model, with in-game purchases and battle passes on top of its already steep $70 price tag, making gamers initially hesitant to try it out. By the time it actually released, the game really didn't do much to wow gamers or justify its massive cost, as the pirate action felt outdone by both Black Flag and especially Sea of Thieves. Now, the game's only lasting legacy is that it may just be the failure that causes Ubisoft to go out of business. 8 'Balan Wonderworld' (2021) The prospect of a new platformer video game directed by Yuji Naka, the legendary co-creator of the Sonic the Hedgehog and Nights into Dreams series, had many gamers extremely excited for the possibilities. However, Balan Wonderworld not only failed to live up to expectations, but also managed to be one of the most generic and painfully uninteresting 3D platformers ever released. It's a barrage of bright colors with no substance, with extremely limiting gameplay and level design that made it one of the biggest disappointments of the decade. The inherent charm and passion that made Naka's other platformers so timeless is completely absent in Balan Wonderworld, with it instead feeling like a nonsensical hodgepodge of previous concepts with no real cohesive vision. Instead of taking input from the massive evolution and growth of 3D platformers in the decades since Naka's previous games, Balan Wonderworld is stuck in the past and hard-focused on outwardly annoying gameplay decisions. 7 'Skull Island: Rise of Kong' (2023) Cheaply made licensed games have always been one of the easiest punching bags in the video game industry, as ever since the early days there have been poorly made games entirely relying on the name-brand recognition of the IP they're adapting to a playable format. While there aren't nearly as many licensed games being released in the modern age of gaming, Skull Island: Rise of Kong is one of the few egregiously terrible tie-in games from this decade. It's an extremely simple concept, as the player plays the titular Kong as he travels around Skull Island and fights various monsters with basic 3D brawler gameplay. The game absolutely falls apart due to its complete lack of polish, as it's riddled with bugs, graphical issues, and some extremely repetitive gameplay. Especially when there have been great tie-in games that have utilized King Kong in the past, like Peter Jackson's King Kong, it makes this game that much more of an embarrassment. 6 'Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition' (2021) Remasters and remakes of previously celebrated games with a new coat of paint are one of the most pervasive trends of the modern era of gaming, with just about every prominently successful game of the past having been brought back to the modern era. For the most part, these remasters don't stray too far from the quality of the original game, yet on rare occasions, a game like Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition happens. Considered the worst video game remake of all time, The Definitive Edition is an absolute disgrace to one of the most important trilogies in gaming history. From upscaled graphics that fail to recapture the intended tone and style of the original games to massive technical problems that made the games unplayable at times, it's an absolute embarrassment that failed to live up to the previous high quality of Rockstar Games. No other video game remake comes close to this level of bastardization of a classic, making for what is technically the worst game (or version of a game) in the Grand Theft Auto franchise. Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality Quiz Which MCU Hero Are You? Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory? 🕷️Spider-Man 😈Daredevil 🤖Iron Man 💀Punisher ⚡Thor 🛡️Cap FIND YOUR HERO → 01 What drives you to do what's right? Choose the answer that feels most like you. AWith great power comes great responsibility — I protect those who can't protect themselves. BMy faith and my conscience — I believe justice must be served, even in the dark. CLegacy and ego, honestly — but I've learned that others depend on me now. DThe system failed. Someone has to make sure the guilty actually pay. EDuty to the innocent and honour to my name — I was born to protect realms. FThe values I was raised with — freedom, decency, and never backing down from a bully. NEXT QUESTION → 02 It's 2 AM. Where are you? Your answer says more about you than you'd think. ASwinging between skyscrapers, keeping an eye on the neighbourhood. BRunning rooftops in Hell's Kitchen, listening for trouble. CIn my lab, upgrading my suit with a cold cup of coffee nearby. DStaking out a target I've been tracking for three weeks. ESomewhere between the stars, or at a feast that got out of hand. FOn a morning run — I was up at 4, actually. Couldn't sleep. NEXT QUESTION → 03 How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice? Every hero has a method. What's yours? AWeb them up and leave them for the police — again. BBuild an airtight case and dismantle their entire operation from the inside. CDeploy a containment system I designed specifically for them. Tech wins. DMake sure they don't escape a third time. Permanently. EChallenge them to single combat. Honour demands a decisive end. FRally allies, adapt the plan, and bring them in — by the book, even if it's hard. NEXT QUESTION → 04 How do you feel about keeping a secret identity? The mask — or the lack of one — says everything. AEssential — my loved ones would be in danger if anyone found out who I am. BCritical — the mask protects my mission as much as my face. COverrated — I announced myself to the world and I'd do it again. DI'm a ghost. The less people know about me, the better. EMy name is known across the Nine Realms. There's no hiding it. FI don't hide — but I understand why some need to. Transparency builds trust. NEXT QUESTION → 05 You've lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that? Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it. AWith guilt that never fully goes away — it pushes me to do better, every single day. BI channel it into purpose — their memory is the reason I keep fighting. CI buried myself in work for years. I'm only recently learning to face it. DIt transformed me completely. I'm not the same person I was before. EWith warrior's grief — I honour them by fighting with everything I have. FI keep moving forward. Stopping means letting the loss win. NEXT QUESTION → 06 What's your role when working with a team? Who you are under pressure is who you actually are. AThe enthusiastic wildcard who somehow makes it work — and keeps the mood up. BThe strategist who works best alone but shows up when it matters most. CThe one who funds it, equips it, and occasionally takes over the whole operation. DI don't do teams. I'm more effective operating solo, on my terms. EThe heavy hitter — I crash in, draw fire, and turn the tide of battle. FThe leader — I earn trust, build the plan, and make sure no one gets left behind. NEXT QUESTION → 07 Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge? The answer defines what kind of hero you really are. AClearly — I don't kill, and I wrestle with that line constantly. BI try to hold the line, but I've come terrifyingly close to crossing it. CPractically — I do what's necessary to protect people, including hard calls. DI crossed that line long ago. What I do is justice — the system just won't admit it. EIn battle, victory is justice. Mercy is earned — not automatic. FFirmly. The moment we abandon our principles, we become what we fight against. NEXT QUESTION → 08 When you're not saving the world, what does life look like? The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story. ATrying to juggle school, a part-time job, and not failing my friends. BWorking as a lawyer by day, fighting for justice in court and on the streets. CRunning a global company, attending galas, and pretending I'm sleeping enough. DQuiet. Isolated. Surviving with a clear mission and no distractions. ENavigating a bizarre and fascinating mortal world — coffee is extraordinary. FAdapting to a world decades ahead of everything I knew. Quietly, stubbornly. NEXT QUESTION → 09 What keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you're honest about what you're actually afraid of. AThe people I couldn't save — and the ones I might not reach in time tomorrow. BWhether the monster I fight every night is starting to live inside me too. CThe threats I can see coming and whether my tech is actually good enough. DNothing. Silence is the only peace I get. I've made my choices. EWhether I'm truly worthy — of the hammer, of the throne, of the people I protect. FA world where no one stands up anymore. Where good people do nothing. NEXT QUESTION → 10 The battle is lost. You're outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do? This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully. ACrack a joke to buy a second, then find the one web shot that changes everything. BBlock out everything except the sound of the next threat — and keep going. CActivate the emergency protocol I built for exactly this scenario. Always have a plan. DI don't accept that it's lost. I keep fighting until I physically cannot anymore. ECall the lightning. All of it. The storm answers to me. FPick up the shield. Stand up. Because as long as I can stand, it's not over. REVEAL MY HERO → Your Hero Has Been Identified Your MCU Hero Is…Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed. 🕷️ Spider-ManYou carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing. You do the right thing not because it's easy, but because no one else will. You understand that responsibility isn't a burden you choose — it's one that finds you. Whether it's a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up. Peter Parker's lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn't a slogan to you. It's the code you live by, even when it costs you everything. 😈 DaredevilYou fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free. You use every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks. You've looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy. Matt Murdock's duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own. Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you. 🤖 Iron ManBrilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem. You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic. You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility. Tony Stark's arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too. You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you're willing to give everything. Because in the end, you're Iron Man. 💀 The PunisherYou've been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What's left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief. You don't ask for forgiveness, and you don't expect gratitude. You see a corrupt, broken world and you've decided to do something about it, consequences be damned. Frank Castle's war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours. Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute. ⚡ ThorPowerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry. You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth. You're larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on. Thor's story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector. You bring the storm when it's needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much. 🛡️ Captain AmericaYou believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will. You don't bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard. Steve Rogers didn't become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you. Your strength isn't in your fists; it's in your refusal to compromise what's right, no matter the cost. In a world full of people taking the easy road, you're the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ 5 'Fast & Furious: Crossroads' (2020) The Fast and the Furious feels like the type of film franchise that would be a perfect fit for a video game adaptation, tapping into the signature explosive car action that made the movies such blockbuster successes. However, Fast & Furious Crossroads is about as uninteresting as an action racing game could get, doing very little to entice players in its bare-bones story mode, which can be beaten in a single afternoon. It doesn't help that the game sports some awkward visuals that transform these iconic actors into weird, unsightly caricatures. It shouldn't be that hard to make a racing game that is fun to play, but when the driving controls feel stiff and unintuitive, then there genuinely is no reason to experience this game, even if you're a fan of the blockbuster franchise it derives from. The game proved to be such a failure that it ended up being delisted from digital storefronts less than 2 years after it was released, putting the game in limbo and only accessible by reselling physical copies. 4 'Concord' (2024) With massive multiplayer shooters like Overwatch and Fortnite dominating the gaming world and continuing to draw in new players year after year, many other developers have attempted to create their own must-play multiplayer experience that will draw in players for years to come. However, without a true identity and strengths to set itself apart from the competition, you get a case like Concord, which wasted its $400 million development cost only to be shut down two weeks after its launch. The game was incredibly generic in its gameplay and story, had no interesting character designs to draw players to its world, and had absolutely nothing to offer that wasn't being done 100 times better in other hero shooters like Overwatch. It undeniably stands as the biggest failure in PlayStation history and an important lesson on how high budgets alone do not guarantee success in the multiplayer gaming space. 3 'Babylon's Fall' (2022) Yet another attempted live-service game that completely faltered on launch and was shut down less than a year after its release, Babylon's Fall is a painful fall from grace for one of the best action game developers of the 21st century, PlatinumGames. While Platinum had previously found great success in creating stylish, high-energy single-player action games, trying to simplify and commercialize their style for a massive multiplayer RPG only served to water down their strengths as a dev team. Babylon's Fall certainly had the look and feel of an engaging RPG world worth exploring, but hidden beneath the surface of intrigue was that there was no real depth or interest in its gameplay. For the few gamers who did sit through the game, they were treated to an exceptionally annoying progression system and a deeply unsatisfying structure that even the best action combat couldn't save. 2 'Diablo Immortal' (2022) The mobile game market is a different beast entirely in terms of the ethical nature of gaming as a whole, as with how many predatory mobile games exist out there, it could have been easy to fill this entire list with terrible mobile games. However, if one single game were to exemplify all of the worst aspects of mobile gaming in the modern age, it would be Diablo Immortal's complete bastardization of a classic franchise for a system built on microtransactions. While previous Diablo games had players exploring dungeons and collecting loot, Diablo Immortal simplifies all of this to create a basic, bare-bones experience that requires the player to fork over a bunch of real-life money in order to truly succeed in this MMO RPG. What's even sadder is that this approach absolutely worked wonders, as the game is easily the most successful game in the Diablo franchise, profits-wise, and is an icon for the worst aspects of gaming in the 2020s. 1 'The Lord of the Rings: Gollum' (2023) On a note that is much less sad and all-encompassing about the state of the industry, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is your classic absolute disaster of a licensed game that was so poorly conceived and even more poorly made that it ends up being one of the worst games ever made. Playing as Gollum, as you sneak around Mordor and make moral decisions that slightly affect the story, just isn't fun to play, even if it did actually work without completely glitching out and becoming unplayable. The visuals are exceptionally terrible and only serve to turn the entire game into an unintentional joke, as the extreme number of bugs constantly get in the way of the player making any sort of progress. It's a game whose complete lack of quality is apparent from the very first seconds of playing it and only manages to get worse the longer that one plays it. Among all of the terrible games released in this decade so far, it's hard to imagine another game managing to be as poorly made and exceptionally bad as The Lord of the Rings: Gollum.