History MissingEpisode / VideoGames

** ''Ultima X: Odyssey'': It was canceled just four months after EA shut down Origin.

* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' has [[https://lostmediawiki.com/Minecraft_(partially_found_previous_versions_of_sandbox_game;_2009-present) a number of older versions of the game that are missing]], especially during the Classic and Indev development cycles. This was because at the time, ''Minecraft'' was relatively obscure (especially compared to the CashCowFranchise it is today), so there were fewer players available to back them up. Furthermore, updates were released at a ''very'' rapid pace, often multiple times in one day, making it even harder to back all of them up. There are also versions that have been released onto the Minecraft Launcher, but are recompiled from their original source code and thus do not exist in their original forms.

** There was a ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' port for the very unpopular Tiger Electronics [=Game.com=] console that was never released due to Konami being unhappy with the market performance of the platform (although some of its resources, code and level design found its way into ''VideoGame/MetalGearGhostBabel'').

* Yet another "lost video game": While it's unknown exactly why the [=PS2=] ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' video game ''[[VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresDefendersOfTheUniverse Defenders of the Universe]]'' by Creator/{{Treasure}} was never released despite being practically completed and getting all the way to having an ESRB rating, box art and retail listings, it is known that the publisher, Conspiracy Entertainment, had major financial troubles at the time that led to them terminating many of their other planned products. The company said that "business complications" were the reason the game was delayed from it's the planned Spring 2002 release date numerous times all the way up to 2004 before it was eventually declared cancelled by the game's director. It was not until seven years later from when it was originally supposed to release that a ROM of the game was eventually leaked, and can be played on a [=PS2=] emulator or burned onto a disc and played on a modded [=PS2=] or [=PS3=]. Another project, ''VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresBustersBadDream'', was released the same year as ''Defenders of the Universe'' was suppose to come out, but only in Europe (North America did not acknowledge that game's existence until ''three years later'', and it was released in very limited numbers there).

* Yet another "lost video game": While it's unknown exactly why the [=PS2=] ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' video game ''[[VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresDefendersOfTheUniverse Defenders of the Universe]]'' by Creator/{{Treasure}} was never released despite being practically completed and getting all the way to having an ESRB rating, box art and retail listings, it is known that the publisher, Conspiracy Entertainment, had major financial troubles at the time that led to them terminating many of their other planned products. The company said that "business complications" were the reason the game was delayed from it's the planned Spring 2002 release date numerous times all the way up to 2004 before it was eventually declared cancelled by the game's director. It was not until seven years later from when it was originally supposed to release that a ROM of the game was eventually leaked, and can be played on a [=PS2=] emulator or burned onto a disc and played on a modded [=PS2=] or [=PS3=]. Another project, ''VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresBustersBadDream'', was released the same year as ''Defenders of the Universe'' was suppose to come out, but only in Europe (North America did not acknowledge that game's existence until ''three years later'').

* Yet another "lost video game": While it's unknown exactly why the [=PS2=] ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' video game ''[[VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresDefendersOfTheUniverse Defenders of the Universe]]'' by Creator/{{Treasure}} was never released despite being practically complete and getting all the way to having an ESRB rating, box art and retail listings, it is known that the publisher, Conspiracy Entertainment, had major financial troubles at the time that led to them terminating many of their other planned products. The company said that "business complications" were the reason the game was delayed from it's the planned Spring 2002 release date numerous times all the way up to 2004 before it was eventually declared cancelled by the game's director. It was not until seven years later from when it was originally supposed to release that a ROM of the game was eventually leaked, and can be played on a [=PS2=] emulator or burned onto a disc and played on a modded [=PS2=] or [=PS3=]. Another project, ''VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresBustersBadDream'', was released the same year as ''Defenders of the Universe'' was suppose to come out, but only in Europe (North America did not acknowledge that game's existence until ''three years later'').

* Yet another "lost video game": While it's unknown exactly why the [=PS2=] ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' video game ''[[VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresDefendersOfTheUniverse Defenders of the Universe]]'' by Creator/{{Treasure}} was never released despite being on the very verge of completion and getting all the way to having an ESRB rating, box art and retail listings, it is known that the publisher, Conspiracy Entertainment, had major financial troubles at the time that led to them terminating many of their other planned products. The company said that "business complications" were the reason the game was delayed from it's the planned Spring 2002 release date numerous times all the way up to 2004 before it was eventually declared cancelled by the game's director. It was not until seven years later from when it was originally supposed to release that a ROM of the game was eventually leaked, and can be played on a [=PS2=] emulator or burned onto a disc and played on a modded [=PS2=] or [=PS3=]. Another project, ''VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresBustersBadDream'', was released the same year as ''Defenders of the Universe'' was suppose to come out, but only in Europe (North America did not acknowledge that game's existence until ''three years later'').

* Yet another "lost video game": While it's unknown exactly why the [=PS2=] ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' video game ''[[VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresDefendersOfTheUniverse Defenders of the Universe]]'' by Creator/{{Treasure}} was cancelled despite being on the verge of completion and getting all the way to having an ESRB rating, box art and retail listings, it is known that the publisher, Conspiracy Entertainment, had major financial troubles at the time that led to them terminating many of their other planned products. The company said that "business complications" were the reason the game was delayed from it's the planned Spring 2002 release date numerous times all the way up to 2004 before it was eventually declared cancelled by the game's director. It was not until seven years later from when it was originally supposed to release that a ROM of the game was eventually leaked, and can be played on a [=PS2=] emulator or burned onto a disc and played on a modded [=PS2=] or [=PS3=]. Another project, ''VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresBustersBadDream'', was released the same year as ''Defenders of the Universe'' was suppose to come out, but only in Europe (North America did not acknowledge that game's existence until ''three years later'').

* Yet another "lost video game": While it's unknown exactly why the [=PS2=] ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' video game ''[[VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresDefendersOfTheUniverse Defenders of the Universe]]'' by Creator/{{Treasure}} was cancelled despite being on the verge of completion and getting all the way to having an ESRB rating, box art and retail listings, it is known that the publisher, Conspiracy Entertainment, had major financial troubles that led to them terminating many of their other planned products. The company said that "business complications" were the reason the game was delayed from it's the planned Spring 2002 release date numerous times all the way up to 2004 before it was eventually declared cancelled by the game's director. It was not until seven years later from when it was originally supposed to release that a ROM of the game was eventually leaked, and can be played on a [=PS2=] emulator or burned onto a disc and played on a modded [=PS2=] or [=PS3=]. Another project, ''VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresBustersBadDream'', was released the same year as ''Defenders of the Universe'' was suppose to come out, but only in Europe (North America did not acknowledge that game's existence until ''three years later'').

* Yet another "lost video game": While it's unknown exactly why the [=PS2=] ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' video game ''[[VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresDefendersOfTheUniverse Defenders of the Universe]]'' by Creator/{{Treasure}} was cancelled despite being on the verge of completion and getting all the way to having an ESRB rating, box art and retail listings, it is known that the publisher, Conspiracy Entertainment, had major financial troubles that led to them terminating many of their other planned products. The company said that "business complications" were the reason the game was delayed from it's the planned Spring 2002 release date numerous times all the way up to 2004 before it was eventually declared cancelled by the game's director. It was not until seven years later from when it was originally supposed to release that a ROM of the prototype was eventually leaked, and can be played on a [=PS2=] emulator or burned onto a disc and played on a modded [=PS2=] or [=PS3=]. Another project, ''VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresBustersBadDream'', was released the same year as ''Defenders of the Universe'' was suppose to come out, but only in Europe (North America did not acknowledge that game's existence until ''three years later'').

* Yet another "lost video game": While it's unknown exactly why the [=PS2=] ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' video game ''[[VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresDefendersOfTheUniverse Defenders of the Universe]]'' by Creator/{{Treasure}} was cancelled despite being on the verge of completion and getting all the way to having an ESRB rating, box art and retail listings, it is known that the publisher, Conspiracy Entertainment, had major financial troubles that led them to pushing the planned Spring 2002 release date numerous times all the way up to 2004 before it was eventually declared cancelled, as well as terminating many of their other planned products. The company said that "business complications" were the reason it was delayed. It was not until seven years later from when it was originally supposed to release that a ROM of the prototype was eventually leaked, and can be played on a [=PS2=] emulator or burned onto a disc and played on a modded [=PS2=] or [=PS3=]. Another project, ''VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresBustersBadDream'', was released the same year as ''Defenders of the Universe'' was suppose to come out, but only in Europe (North America did not acknowledge that game's existence until ''three years later'').

* Yet another "lost video game": Despite what many fans believe, the ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' video game ''[[VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresDefendersOfTheUniverse Defenders of the Universe]]'' never got past development stage. Dialogue and graphics were already produced at that time but Creator/{{Treasure}} simply terminated the project because publisher Conspiracy continuously held off the release date from 2001 all the way up to the spring of 2002, had it been finished. According to rumors, Conspiracy had major financial troubles that led them to pushing the release date numerous times, as well as terminating many of their other planned products. The company told Treasure that "business complications" was the reason they had to wait. It was not until eight years later when an image of a prototype version was shown, and still it looked incomplete (even though the ESRB already reviewed the game at the time of termination, possibly citing that the game was ''almost'' complete. The leaked ROM of the prototype being completely playable and able to be finished with every character being unlockable, two different endings and surprisingly few glitches also supports the theory it was very close to completion). A ROM of the prototype was eventually leaked soon after, and can be played on a [=PS2=] emulator or burned onto a disc and played on a modded [=PS2=] or [=PS3=]. Another project, ''Scary Dreams'', was released the same year, but only in Europe (North America did not acknowledge that game's existence until ''three years later'').

* Yet another "lost video game": Despite what many fans believe, the ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' video game ''[[VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresDefendersOfTheUniverse Defenders of the Universe]]'' never got past development stage. Dialogue and graphics were already produced at that time but Creator/{{Treasure}} simply terminated the project because publisher Conspiracy continuously held off the release date from 2001 all the way up to the spring of 2002, had it been finished. According to rumors, Conspiracy had major financial troubles that led them to pushing the release date numerous times, as well as terminating many of their other planned products. The company told Treasure that "business complications" was the reason they had to wait. It was not until eight years later when an image of a prototype version was shown, and still it looked incomplete (even though the ESRB already reviewed the game at the time of termination, possibly citing that the game was ''almost'' complete. The leaked ROM of the prototype being completely playable and able to be finished with every character being unlockable, two different endings and surprisingly few glitches also supports the theory it was almost complete). A ROM of the prototype was eventually leaked soon after, and can be played on a [=PS2=] emulator or burned onto a disc and played on a modded [=PS2=] or [=PS3=]. Another project, ''Scary Dreams'', was released the same year, but only in Europe (North America did not acknowledge that game's existence until ''three years later'').

* Yet another "lost video game": Despite what many fans believe, the ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' video game ''[[VideoGame/TinyToonAdventuresDefendersOfTheUniverse Defenders of the Universe]]'' never got past development stage. Dialogue and graphics were already produced at that time but Creator/{{Treasure}} simply terminated the project because publisher Conspiracy continuously held off the release date from 2001 all the way up to the spring of 2002, had it been finished. According to rumors, Conspiracy had major financial troubles that led them to pushing the release date numerous times, as well as terminating many of their other planned products. The company told Treasure that "business complications" was the reason they had to wait. It was not until eight years later when an image of a prototype version was shown, and still it looked incomplete (even though the ESRB already reviewed the game at the time of termination, possibly citing that the game was ''almost'' complete. The leaked ROM of the prototype being completely playable and able to be finished with every character being unlockable and surprisingly few glitches also supports the theory it was almost complete). A ROM of the prototype was eventually leaked soon after, and can be played on a [=PS2=] emulator or burned onto a disc and played on a modded [=PS2=] or [=PS3=]. Another project, ''Scary Dreams'', was released the same year, but only in Europe (North America did not acknowledge that game's existence until ''three years later'').

* Due to the locked-down, walled garden nature of Qualcomm's BREW platform for CDMA cellphones[[note]]In what appears to be an effective yet draconian DRM scheme, BREW games are encrypted and downloads are tied to the subscriber's account, making it hard if not impossible to rip and pirate even for preservation's sake.[[/note]], practically all games made for it were lost forever, if not still stored on an old LG phone gathering dust in someone's cabinet. One such example is the Verizon VCAST-exclusive release of ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeed Need for Speed Underground 2]]'', whose remaining footage is that of a [[https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/need-for-speed-underground-2-review/1900-6129297/ review]] from Website/{{Gamespot}}; the version made infamous by WebVideo/KuruHS is actually a bootleg GameMod of ''[[Film/TheFastAndTheFurious Fast & Furious: Fugitive]]''. It also doesn't help that, according to Gamespot's review, assets for the Verizon release of ''NFS Underground 2'' are downloaded ''ad hoc'' when the game needs it to save on device storage space (considering that memory for mobile phones is at a premium back then) as opposed to a single monolithic package. In contrast, Java ME fared better on a preservation standpoint, as while piracy was rampant due to the lack of DRM, it had the side effect of also allowing for preservation as JAR files for popular mobile games of the day can still be found on the web and played on a suitable emulator. Also contributing to the problem with BREW is its market share compared to Java ME--BREW is only available for CDMA devices, while Java ME is a lot more popular due to it being a more or less open standard and thus cheaper to implement especially in developing markets. Same goes for UsefulNotes/{{Symbian}}, though pirated games and apps for S60 Third Edition phones onward require a hacked device to run unsigned code, and emulators for those aside from the official Nokia [=SDKs=] are still in very early development.

* When Triplejump did their [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9AZOnxoc6o Worst of 2004 list], they noted one of the games that could have entered, the gladiatorial management game ''[[https://oldpcgaming.net/coliseum/ Coliseum]]'', missed the cut because there is no footage of it online, describing it as "something so rubbish that no one thought of preserving its memory".

** ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' and ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' had a number of free DLC released for the Dreamcast versions, which were excluded from later rereleases and are no longer available to download via official means. Fans managed to preserve most but not all of the DLC. Among the permanently lost content are the Black Market Chao downloads which included rare Chao not available through any other means (although they can still be obtained through hacking) for both games, the first New Year DLC for Japanese Sonic Adventure, and at least one kart race track for the international version of Sonic Adventure.

* This happens ''constantly'' with embedded online games (mostly Flash nowadays, but some older ones used Shockwave). See DefunctOnlineVideoGames for a list of some:

** When [=GarfieldGames=].com shut down, many exclusive flash games disappeared along with it. While some are available on Garfield's official website, others like ''Go Fish!'', the most polished Go Fish! game on the Internet, weren't so lucky.

* The ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'' DLC ''Pinnacle Station'' has been lost to history; the source code has been lost, and the backups obtained from its developer Demiurge are corrupted beyond salvation, meaning that [=PS3=] and ''Legendary Edition'' players who want to enjoy this DLC are out of luck.

* ''VideoGame/StarFox2'' was never released, even though the Japanese version was practically completed. The plot would have continued the story from the previous game, and would have introduced Star Wolf as major antagonists. The game was canceled most likely due to the pending release of the Nintendo 64. Shortly after the game's termination, ''VideoGame/StarFox64'' began development, and rebooted the storyline from scratch. Eventually a ROM was leaked to the internet, and an English FanTranslation was released. However, the ROMs were all earlier builds as Dylan Cuthbert said the leaked ROMs lack the final few months of QA work and were set up in debug mode. The game was finally released, in its completed form, in 2017 via the SNES Classic Mini, and is one of the thing's major selling points. The game was later released on [[UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch Nintendo Switch Online]].

* ''VideoGame/StarFox2'' was never released, even though the Japanese version was practically completed. The plot would have continued the story from the previous game, and would have introduced Star Wolf as major antagonists. The game was canceled most likely due to the pending release of the Nintendo 64. Shortly after the game's termination, ''VideoGame/StarFox64'' began development, and rebooted the storyline from scratch. Eventually the ROM was leaked to the internet, and an English FanTranslation was released. The game was finally released in 2017 via the SNES Classic Mini, and is one of the thing's major selling points. The game was later released on [[UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch Nintendo Switch Online]].

** There was also another BBC game called "The Evolution Game" which would have been fun if it wasn't so brokenly hard. It was similar to "The Big Al game" in principle. You moved one tile at a time to find food or avoid predators, and in theory evolved over time into a human. In practice, it was impossible to make it past the first 3-4 life stages without staving to death or getting killed by a predator, which is probably why it eventually got taken down.

* Yet another "lost video game": Despite what many fans believe, the ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' video game ''Defenders of the Universe'' never got past development stage. Dialogue and graphics were already produced at that time but Creator/{{Treasure}} simply terminated the project because publisher Conspiracy continuously held off the release date from 2001 all the way up to the spring of 2002, had it been finished. According to rumors, Conspiracy had major financial troubles that led them to pushing the release date numerous times, as well as terminating many of their other planned products. The company told Treasure that "business complications" was the reason they had to wait. It was not until eight years later when an image of a prototype version was shown, and still it looked incomplete (even though the ESRB already reviewed the game at the time of termination, possibly citing that the game was ''almost'' complete. The leaked ROM of the prototype being completely playable and able to be finished with every character being unlockable and surprisingly few glitches also supports the theory it was almost complete). A ROM of the prototype was eventually leaked soon after, and can be played on a [=PS2=] emulator or burned onto a disc and played on a modded [=PS2=] or [=PS3=]. Another project, ''Scary Dreams'', was released the same year, but only in Europe (North America did not acknowledge that game's existence until ''three years later'').

** ''VideoGame/TheSimsOnline'' has been lost, but there have been attempts to restore it. The original attempt failed due to EA sending a cease-and-desist letter to the developers, but there are others trying with different engines.

* Deliberate example: There is no ''VideoGame/LeisureSuitLarry 4'', largely because lead designer Al Lowe couldn't figure out how to logically continue the series from the third game on and chose to skip straight to the fifth one. Its nonexistence is a major plot point in the fifth game: at the end of the third, Larry finally found the woman of his dreams; at the start of the fifth, they're separated and neither of them actually knows why, leading to Patti trying to find the missing ''Larry 4'' so she can figure out what the heck happened.

* Back in the mid 90s, Sega had the digital distribution service known as Sega Channel. Players would receive games straight to their Genesis via a TV signal. Unfortunately, no means of storing them was provided, so the games would be lost after the system was shut down. As as result, any Sega Channel-exclusive game versions were never dumped and are now lost forever. Among them is the Sega Channel-exclusive game ''Garfield: The Lost Levels'', the American version of ''Mega Man: The Wily Wars'' and a Genesis port of ''Chessmaster''.

* Educative video game ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sumerian_Game The Sumerian Game]]'' (1966) was the ancestor of simulation game ''VideoGame/{{Hamurabi}}. It was more complex, featuring, in addition to a first step featuring the notorious grain-and-land management featured in ''Hamurabi'' along with additional features such as technological innovations, two other steps, each more complex than the previous, where the player had to allocate workers between agriculture and crafts. In addition, projector slides and audio documentations were developed for the game, since it was meant to be played at school. The source code is lost, apart from projector slides and three printouts of individual game sessions; only the description of how the software computed entered values are available; it was how Ahl coded ''Hamurabi''.

* Educative video game ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sumerian_Game The Sumerian Game]]'' (1966) was the ancestor of simulation game ''VideoGame/{{Hamurabi}}. It was more complex, featuring, in addition to a first step featuring the notorious grain-and-land management featured in ''Hamurabi'' along with additional features such as technological innovations, two other steps, each more complex than the previous, where the player had to allocate workers between agriculture and crafts. In addition, projector slides and audio documentations were developped for the game, since it was meant to be played at school. The source code is lost, apart from projector slides and three printouts of individual game sessions; only the description of how the software computed entered values are available; it was how Ahl coded ''Hamurabi''.

** Some may eventually be released, even if in a different form, such as Final Fantasy II (part of Final Fantasy Origins for the Playstation) and III for the Nintendo DS and Super Mario Bros 2 (released in the US about 7 years later for the Super NES on the Super Mario All-Stars cartridge as "The Lost Levels").