History GenreKiller / VideoGames

* Gamespy, a consolidated master server hub for online gaming, was killed by UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} (where the master server hub is often internally called Steamworks), which not only required just a single client for both running the game and connecting it to multiplayer instead of multiple game- and purpose-specific clients, but also integrated several other features that had become standard on [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames then-current consoles]] like an online store, player profiles and friends lists, and achievements. Notably, most games which used Gamespy that were sold through Steam and still widely played were updated after Gamespy's demise in 2014 - even if they hadn't received updates in over a decade by then - just to move their multiplayer servers over to work through Steam so people could keep playing them.

* In addition to its effects on any continuance of its RTS predecessors, ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' destroyed the modern market for [=MMORPG=]s. The success and long-lasting nature of the game meant that almost every MMO that came out after directly aimed to be a "[=WoW=] Killer" - many [[FollowTheLeader trying to copy it outright]], at that, and not making enough attempt to differentiate itself from ''[=WoW=]'' (there's only so many times you can do a fantasy setting with a war between humans and orcs before it becomes stale) - and, not understanding the kind of commitment needed to match a game that's lasted that long ([=MMOs=] thrive on community and volume of content, both of which favor the older and more entrenched game) and generated that much money, [[{{Irony}} ended up destroying itself in the process]]. Very few [=MMOs=], especially subscription-based ones, have managed to last in this era, with many either closing down only a few years later, or existing in dumbed-down and/or [[AllegedlyFreeGame free-to-play]] states to attract a small audience and make some of their losses back. The only game to truly last as a rival to ''World of Warcraft'' is ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', which itself had a host of problems at the beginning due to forced attempts at competing with ''[=WoW=]'' causing its release to be rushed, and has only stayed as strong as it has due to a combination of its name-brand recognition letting it last long enough to begin extensive work on fixing its problems, rather than immediately cutting its losses and running.

* Gamespy, a consolidated master server hub for online gaming, was killed by UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} (where the master server hub is often internally called Steamworks), which not only required just a single client for both running the game and connecting it to multiplayer instead of multiple game- and purpose-specific clients, but also integrated several other features like an online store, player profiles, and achievements. Notably, most games sold through Steam that were still widely played and receiving even the bare minimum of support by the time of Gamespy's demise in 2014 were updated - even if they hadn't received updates in over a decade by then - just to move its multiplayer servers over to work through Steam.

* The unfortunate retail failure of ''VideoGame/UnrealTournamentIII'', backed up by many freeware first-person shooters, has led to the end of commercially released fast-paced deathmatch-centric shooters as the ''VideoGame/{{Unreal}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}'' series, in place of team-based and/or "tactical" shooters like ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty''/''VideoGame/ModernWarfare'', the ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield}}'' series, and ''VideoGame/Left4Dead''. ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' is one of the few "Quake-like" games released in recent years, and while it is still being supported and heavily-played, it was actually first released in 2007; most everything else in its vein that has come out since ''[=UT3=]'' has been free-to-play (''[=TF2=]'' three years after its initial release, ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament4'', ''VideoGame/QuakeChampions'') or an update on a classic game (''Quake Live''), alongside the rare [[GenreThrowback nostalgic throwback]] (''VideoGame/{{Strafe}}'', ''VideoGame/{{Dusk}}''). Not too surprisingly, publisher Creator/MidwayGames, who had been marred with financial trouble for years and had hoped ''Unreal Tournament III'' would revitalize their fortunes, [[CreatorKiller declared bankruptcy just a year-and-a-half later]]. The aforementioned ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament4'' could have restarted the genre, but then Epic Games made a little game called ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'' and Tourney 4 was left in the dust.

* Gamespy, a consolidated master server hub for online gaming, was killed by Steam (where the master server hub is often internally called Steamworks) which, not only it just require a single client instead of multiple game-specific client, but also introduces online store integrated into player's profiles, and include achievements too.

** It could also be said for true tactical shooters in the vein of the older ''VideoGame/RainbowSix'' and ''VideoGame/GhostRecon'' games, the ones with planning and stealth as major elements where the slightest muckup led to the death of your squad, due to the line being blurred between the aforementioned team-based shooters and the "true" tactical ones taking on more actionized elements. Attempts to bring the genre back have had limited success at best, with only an actual ''Rainbow Six'' game in the vein of its predecessors, ''[[VideoGame/RainbowSixSiege Siege]]'', being particularly well-received (and even it had a rocky start); other attempts marketed as being in the spirit of those games, like ''VideoGame/TakedownRedSabre'', have met with near-universal negative reactions, mostly due to bad gameplay and [[ObviousBeta little polish]].

* The failure of ''[[VideoGame/PanelDePon Planet Puzzle League]]'' not only [[FranchiseKiller killed its own series]], it took the entire concept of {{puzzle game}}s on mainstream consoles down with it. Ever since it came out in 2007, most puzzle games outside of mobile releases have been smaller-budget downloadable or indie titles, with the few holdouts being [[LongRunners long-running]], widely recognized juggernauts that can sell on name power alone, such as ''VideoGame/{{Tetris}}'' or ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo''. Even ''Dr. Mario'' and ''Yoshi's Cookie'', which are connected to [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros a hugely popular and spinoff-genic series]] and would have no trouble selling based on that alone, have gone largely silent since ''Planet'''s release, with only a few downloadable ''Dr. Mario'' titles being put out every now and then (and usually with minimal promotion). Nintendo attempted to give it another go in 2018 with ''VideoGame/SushiStrikerTheWayOfSushido'', but it released to critical indifference and poor sales, ultimately failing to revitalize mainstream interest in original, high-budget console puzzlers.

* The UsefulNotes/{{Kinect}} is widely seen as having killed motion controls for mainstream use, thanks to the glut of shovelware, technical issues, and games that barely worked plaguing the peripheral from its debut onward. At the time of the UsefulNotes/NintendoWii's launch, motion controls were seen as the future, and both Sony and Microsoft moved to quickly copy the idea with the Kinect and the [=PlayStation=] Move. Afterward, however, as people became aware of the technology's limitations and all three consoles' motion control peripherals became infamous for large amounts of shovelware, the phrase became something of a curseword, with both Nintendo and Sony heavily downplaying motion-control capabilities in the eighth generation (both of them kept a motion sensor within their respective controllers, but Nintendo instead focused more on an evolution of the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS' touchscreen for the UsefulNotes/WiiU, while Sony essentially {{abandon|Ware}}ed the [=PlayStation=] Move in the upgrade to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4). It may have even contributed to the Wii U's failure, as "Wii" was still associated with the concept Microsoft botched badly enough to discredit. The final nail in the coffin was Microsoft - whose fanbase had overall been the loudest in trashing motion controls - seeing their place at the top from the seventh generation very quickly slip after releasing an initial version of the UsefulNotes/XboxOne that couldn't be bought without a Kinect, resulting in the console being more expensive than the [=PS4=] despite being slightly less powerful (and displaying a very take-it-or-leave-it attitude towards consumers' criticism of this), and then seeing their fortunes immediately reverse upon deciding to release a cheaper version of the console without the Kinect only ''six months'' later. That said, motion controls seem to have found a niche with virtual-reality games, which is the only place where they're still considered the way to play, enough so that Sony has started acknowledging the [=PlayStation=] Move peripherals again solely for use as PSVR controllers. Nintendo meanwhile has still kept motion controls for their subsequent consoles (UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS, [=WiiU=], and especially the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch), albeit heavily downplayed (the [=WiiU=] and Switch controllers have a more traditional layout, and several games on either console do not require use of motion controls, with the only major titles primarily using motion controls being ''VideoGame/{{ARMS}}'', ''VideoGame/MarioTennis Aces'', party games such as ''VideoGame/OneTwoSwitch'' and ''Super VideoGame/MarioParty'', and ''VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndLetsGoEevee'', a GaidenGame intended as a holdover for Generation 8 and [[GatewaySeries a gateway to the core series]] for ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'' players) and not advancing any further than what the Wii introduced.

* After the roaring success of ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' in 1996, the platformer genre tried hard to [[FollowTheLeader play follow-up]] and suddenly almost every platformer coming out had to be a collect-a-thon. Despite the trend resulting in some classics like ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'' and ''VideoGame/SpyroTheDragon'', the genre quickly wore out its welcome on one simple fact--all of the imitators only copied the [[GottaCatchEmAll collection aspects]] of ''Mario 64'' as opposed to the expressiveness of Mario's versatile moveset, which could be utilized whenever the player wanted, but more importantly were never truly required to complete puzzles. But the straw that broke the camel's back is generally considered to be Rare's ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', which took the collect-a-thon formula and cranked it UpToEleven with not only 200 Golden Bananas to collect, but hours upon hours of backtracking to collect more items, including five separate sets of 100 regular bananas for each of the playable characters, and separate sets of coins to purchase ''ridiculously''-specific moves often only usable for a single puzzle. Despite being a smash hit in sales and very well-received overall, it managed to turn most people off of the already oversaturated genre. Many of the subgenre's pioneers proceeded to abandon it: the ''Spyro'' series eventually abandoned the collect-a-thon format in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfSpyro'' and ''VideoGame/{{Skylanders}}'' revivals. ''[[VideoGame/JakAndDaxterThePrecursorLegacy Jak & Daxter]]'' started off in this formula, but [[GenreShift quickly turned]] into a third person shooter/platformer with little to no collecting from ''VideoGame/JakIIRenegade'' and on. And finally, the ''[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]]'' series gradually phased out the exploration in favor of more linear designs and fully embraced the formula of the 2D games with ''[[VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand 3D Land]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld 3D World]]''. To date, the only holdouts of the Collect-A-Thon are ''VideoGame/YookaLaylee'' and ''VideoGame/AHatInTime'', which are both deliberate homages to those kind of platformers. Eventually, ''VideoGame/SuperMarioOdyssey'' had Mario revisit the exploration of ''64'' to wide acclaim and sales, while also taking steps to modernize the experience with several new gimmicks and quality-of-life features to make it more compelling. Only time will tell if other 3D platformers will follow its example.
* The Anthropomorphic MascotWithAttitude platformers that sprang up in the wake of ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' started petering out after ''VideoGame/{{Bubsy}}'' and the ''VideoGame/{{Battletoads}}'' dipped their toes into [[AnimatedAdaptation the world of multimedia franchising]] and [[WesternAnimation/{{Bubsy}} saw incredibly]] [[WesternAnimation/{{Battletoads}} disastrous results]]. When Bubsy subsequently crashed into the PolygonCeiling with the infamous ''Bubsy 3D'', the resulting backlash more or less exterminated every radical mascot that was not the {{Trope Namer|s}} himself.
* ''VideoGame/FreeSpace 2'' destroyed the space shooter genre born of ''VideoGame/{{Elite}}'' and popularized by ''VideoGame/WingCommander''. It was not the fault of the game itself, which most critics consider the height of the genre and for which fans are ''still'' putting out new content both graphical and gameplay,[[note]]A common joke among fans of the game is that the reason it killed the genre was because it was so good that there was no point in making any further games: perfection had been achieved.[[/note]] but rather, how poorly it performed ''commercially'': its initial sales were so bad that the genre was assumed dead and further development was halted, which most attributed to Interplay's ([[InvisibleAdvertising lack of]]) marketing. Attempts were still made to revive the genre, such as 2000's ''VideoGame/TachyonTheFringe'' having Creator/BruceCampbell for its main character and gameplay additions like lateral thrusters, which was also featured in 2001's ''VideoGame/IndependenceWar2'', as well as games considered staples of the genre like ''VideoGame/{{Freelancer}}'', the ''[[VideoGame/{{X}} X-Series]]'', or ''VideoGame/{{Oolite}}'' (in and of itself a FanRemake of ''Elite''), but for a long while the genre was never able to reach the levels of popularity it had seen while ''Elite'' or ''Wing Commander'' were still going strong.\\
\\
Thankfully, the advent of Kickstarter and other crowdfunding websites has seemingly restarted the genre, with games like Chris Roberts' ''VideoGame/StarCitizen'', ''VideoGame/EliteDangerous'', and other games like ''VideoGame/StrikeSuitZero'' leading the charge.
* The unfortunate retail failure of ''VideoGame/UnrealTournamentIII'', backed up by many freeware first-person shooters, has led to the end of commercially released fast-paced deathmatch-centric shooters as the ''VideoGame/{{Unreal}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}'' series, in place of team-based and/or "tactical" shooters like ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty''/''VideoGame/ModernWarfare'', the ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield}}'' series, and ''VideoGame/Left4Dead''. ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' is one of the few "Quake-like" games released in recent years, and while it is still being supported and heavily-played, it was actually first released in 2007; most everything else in its vein that has come out since ''[=UT3=]'' has been free-to-play (''[=TF2=]'' three years after its initial release, ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament4'') or an update on a classic game (''Quake Live''), alongside the rare [[GenreThrowback nostalgic throwback]] (''VideoGame/{{Strafe}}'', ''VideoGame/{{Dusk}}''). Not too surprisingly, publisher Creator/MidwayGames, who had been marred with financial trouble for years and had hoped ''Unreal Tournament III'' would revitalize their fortunes, [[CreatorKiller declared bankruptcy just a year-and-a-half later]].

* The execrable UsefulNotes/WorldWarII FPS ''Hour of Victory'' seems to have killed off WWII shooters, with the only noticeably successful ones since ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyWorldAtWar'' coming out nearly a full decade afterward, like ''VideoGame/DayOfInfamy'' and the free-to-play ''VideoGame/HeroesAndGenerals''. However, it should be noted that the market had been absolutely saturated with WWII shooters for about a decade by then and the major franchises had shifted to a modern setting (''World at War'' was itself the final WWII-based ''Call of Duty'' game at the time, made mostly as a fall-back because Activision [[ItWillNeverCatchOn was convinced the modern-day jump wouldn't stick]], and ending up only really noticed because of [[VideoGame/CallOfDutyZombies Nazi Zombies]]). Also, most of the damage was focused on games that follow the historical battles of the war; AlternateHistory-type games with plots that haven't been seen (or, for that matter, read about in your history class) a million times before, like ''VideoGame/SniperElite'' and ''VideoGame/{{Wolfenstein}}'', have still been going strong (the former helping itself by [[VideoGame/ZombieArmyTrilogy jumping on the zombies bandwagon]]).
* ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'' can itself also be linked to the death of WWII shooters and the shift to modern/near-future settings, due to the extreme popularity of the ''VideoGame/ModernWarfare'' sub-series - nearly every shooter released since ''Call of Duty 4'' has been, in effect, [[FollowTheLeader a Call of Duty 4 clone.]] And now even the ''Modern Warfare'' style MMS[[note]]Modern Military Shooter, although in some cases (namely, those where the Russians aren't the bad guys again) one might be tempted to call it Muslim Murder Simulator[[/note]] craze seem to be dying down and moving towards 'near future'/sci-fi territory with ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyAdvancedWarfare'' and ''VideoGame/{{Titanfall}}''. Arguably, the combination of ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonor Warfighter'''s failure, rising sentiment against the US military's involvement in the Middle East, {{deconstruction game}}s such as ''VideoGame/SpecOpsTheLine'', and a backlash from gamers towards obviously-derivative modern day shooters, has led to this shift in subject. [[HereWeGoAgain And now the near-future movement of games are gaining some serious backlash]] with ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyInfiniteWarfare'', leading to the [[VideoGame/CallOfDutyWWII entry]] after that [[RevisitingTheRoots returning to World War II.]]

** Creator/TelltaleGames reinvigorated the genre with episodic decision-and-story-focused adventure games like ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'' and ''VideoGame/TheWolfAmongUs'', though at the cost of decreased production on traditional moon-logic style adventure games like ''Sam and Max''.

* The failure of ''[[VideoGame/PanelDePon Planet Puzzle League]]'' not only [[FranchiseKiller killed its own series]], it took the entire concept of {{puzzle game}}s on mainstream consoles down with it. Ever since it came out in 2007, most puzzle games outside of mobile releases have been smaller-budget downloadable or indie titles, with the few holdouts being [[LongRunners long-running]], widely recognized juggernauts that can sell on name power alone, such as ''VideoGame/{{Tetris}}'' or ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo''. Even ''Dr. Mario'' and ''Yoshi's Cookie'', which are connected to [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros a hugely popular and spinoff-genic series]] and would have no trouble selling based on that alone, have gone largely silent since ''Planet'''s release, with only a few downloadable ''Dr. Mario'' titles being put out every now and then (and usually with minimal promotion).

* The failure of ''[[VideoGame/PanelDePon Planet Puzzle League]]'' not only [[FranchiseKiller killed its own series]], it took the entire genre of {{puzzle game}}s down with it. Ever since it came out in 2007, most puzzle games have been smaller-budget downloadable or indie titles, with the few holdouts being [[LongRunners long-running]], widely recognized juggernauts that can sell on name power alone, such as ''VideoGame/{{Tetris}}'' or ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo''. Even ''Dr. Mario'' and ''Yoshi's Cookie'', which are connected to [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros a hugely popular and spinoff-genic series]] and would have no trouble selling based on that alone, have gone largely silent since ''Planet'''s release, with only a few downloadable ''Dr. Mario'' titles being put out every now and then (and usually with minimal promotion).

* In addition to its effects on any continuance of its RTS predecessors, ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' destroyed the modern market for [=MMORPG=]s. The success and long-lasting nature of the game meant that almost every MMO that came out after directly aimed to be a "[=WoW=] Killer" - many [[FollowTheLeader trying to copy it outright]], at that, and not making enough attempt to differentiate itself from ''[=WoW=]'' (there's only so many times you can do a fantasy setting with a war between humans and orcs before it becomes stale) - and, not understanding the kind of commitment needed to match a game that's lasted that long ([=MMOs=] thrive on community and volume of content, both of which favor the older and more entrenched game) and generated that much money, [[{{Irony}} ended up destroying itself in the process]]. Very few [=MMOs=], especially subscription-based ones, have managed to last in this era, with many either closing down only a few years later, or existing in dumbed-down and/or [[AllegedlyFreeGame free-to-play]] states to attract a small audience and make some of their losses back. The only game to truly last as a rival to ''World of Warcraft'' is ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', which itself had a host of problems at the beginning due to forced attempts at competing with ''[=WoW=]'' causing its release to be rushed, and has only stayed as strong as it has due to a combination of its name-brand recognition letting it last long enough to begin extensive work on fixing its problems, rather than immediately cutting its losses and running.

** Further nailing the coffin's lid is the fact that ''Dark Souls'' was always a WidgetSeries, appealing to a small but vocal niche but lacking wide-spread appeal. The game's imitators happened to come out at the time that ''Dark Souls'' was receiving more attention -- and thus scrutiny, with gamers and reviewers becoming more aware of the FakeDifficulty elements of the genre. ''Dark Souls'' fans themselves, given how mastering the game revolves heavily around [[GuideDangIt stats and mechanics the game gives little or no information about]], often had indifference towards other imitators and TheyChangedItNowItSucks reactions to the sequels.

* After the roaring success of ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' in 1996, the platformer genre tried hard to [[FollowTheLeader play follow-up]] and suddenly almost every platformer coming out had to be a collect-a-thon. Despite the trend resulting in some classics like ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'' and ''VideoGame/SpyroTheDragon'', the genre quickly wore out its welcome on one simple fact--all of the imitators [[ShallowParody only copied the collection aspects]] of ''Mario 64'' as opposed to the expressiveness of Mario's versatile moveset, which could be utilized whenever the player wanted, but more importantly were never truly required to complete puzzles. But the straw that broke the camel's back is generally considered to be Rare's ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', which took the collect-a-thon formula and cranked it UpToEleven with not only 200 Golden Bananas to collect, but hours upon hours of backtracking to collect more items, including five separate sets of 100 regular bananas for each of the playable characters, and separate sets of coins to purchase ''ridiculously''-specific moves often only usable for a single puzzle. Despite being a smash hit in sales and very well-received overall, it managed to turn most people off of the already oversaturated genre. Many of the subgenre's pioneers proceeded to abandon it: the ''Spyro'' series eventually abandoned the collect-a-thon format in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfSpyro'' and ''VideoGame/{{Skylanders}}'' revivals. ''[[VideoGame/JakAndDaxterThePrecursorLegacy Jak & Daxter]]'' started off in this formula, but [[GenreShift quickly turned]] into a third person shooter/platformer with little to no collecting from ''VideoGame/JakIIRenegade'' and on. And finally, the ''[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]]'' series gradually phased out the exploration in favor of more linear designs and fully embraced the formula of the 2D games with ''[[VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand 3D Land]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld 3D World]]''. To date, the only holdouts of the Collect-A-Thon are ''VideoGame/YookaLaylee'' and ''VideoGame/AHatInTime'', which are both deliberate homages to those kind of platformers. Eventually, ''VideoGame/SuperMarioOdyssey'' had Mario revisit the exploration of ''64'' to wide acclaim and sales, while also taking steps to modernize the experience with several new gimmicks and quality-of-life features to make it more compelling. Only time will tell if other 3D platformers will follow its example.

* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' created what many consider a genre in and of itself called "Souls-like", that focused around challenging enemies with a slightly more sluggish control system designed to provide players with a challenging but rewarding setting filled with mystery and intrigue that required the player to piece together the lore and interpret it. Unfortunately, the "Souls-like" genre effectively killed itself because many games that tried to appeal to the "Souls-like" gameplay and setting [[ShallowParody failed to understand what made fans like the game]], resulting in many game properties coming out that tried to FollowTheLeader, and failing to leave a mark; whereas the ''Souls'' games are hard but fair [[WeakButSkilled if you know what you're doing]] and with plots that are dark but still interesting, most of its attempted competition simply comes off as [[FakeDifficulty unfairly difficult]] and [[DarknessInducedAudienceApathy hopelessly bleak for no real reason]]. Even the ''Dark Souls'' series itself suffered this, with its two sequels being more polarizing and the second game being put through a TroubledProduction as a result of trying to outdo the first game. This was also coupled with ''Souls'' creator Hidetaka Miyazaki being open about his desire to abandon the ''Souls'' formula and do something new, a promise he fulfilled with ''VideoGame/SekiroShadowsDieTwice''. Not counting ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' (itself also made by From), the only major game to succeed using this gameplay style was ''VideoGame/{{Nioh}}'', which did so by basically reinventing the style into another setting all its own.

** When Creator/{{Nintendo}} debuted the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem in 1985, they bundled it with a light gun and [[VideoGame/RoboticOperatingBuddy battery-operated robot peripheral that only worked (poorly) with two games]] primarily to disguise the fact that it actually was a ''video game'' console. [[CrazyEnoughToWork It worked]].

** In the UK, meanwhile, it didn't even make as much impact as two years. Brits started using 8-bit microcomputers as the main way of playing home videogames in 1982, which would last until the late 80s/early 90s when consoles started taking off (with the Megadrive and SNES). This may also be related to why [[AmericansHateTingle Nintendo consoles tend not to sell especially well in the UK]] even if it's one of their more popular systems elsewhere such as the NES, UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}, or UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch; there wasn't the same market vacuum for them to fill as there was in the United States.
* After the roaring success of ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' in 1996, the platformer genre tried hard to [[FollowTheLeader play follow-up]] and suddenly almost every platformer coming out had to be a collect-a-thon. Despite the trend resulting in some classics like ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'' and ''VideoGame/SpyroTheDragon'', the genre quickly wore out its welcome on one simple fact--all of the imitators [[ShallowParody only copied the collection aspects]] of ''Mario 64'' as opposed to the expressiveness of Mario's versatile moveset, which could be utilized whenever the player wanted, but more importantly were never truly required to complete puzzles. But the straw that broke the camel's back is generally considered to be Rare's ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', which took the collect-a-thon formula and cranked it UpToEleven with not only 200 Golden Bananas to collect, but hours upon hours of backtracking to collect more items, including five separate sets of 100 regular bananas for each of the playable characters, and separate sets of coins to purchase ''ridiculously''-specific moves often only usable for a single puzzle. Despite being a smash hit in sales, it managed to turn most people off of the already oversaturated genre. Many of the subgenre's pioneers proceeded to abandon it: the ''Spyro'' series eventually abandoned the collect-a-thon format in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfSpyro'' and ''VideoGame/{{Skylanders}}'' revivals. ''[[VideoGame/JakAndDaxterThePrecursorLegacy Jak & Daxter]]'' started off in this formula, but [[GenreShift quickly turned]] into a third person shooter/platformer with little to no collecting from ''VideoGame/JakIIRenegade'' and on. And finally, the ''[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]]'' series gradually phased out the exploration in favor of more linear designs and fully embraced the formula of the 2D games with ''[[VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand 3D Land]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld 3D World]]''. To date, the only holdouts of the Collect-A-Thon are ''VideoGame/YookaLaylee'' and ''VideoGame/AHatInTime'', which are both deliberate homages to those kind of platformers. Eventually, ''VideoGame/SuperMarioOdyssey'' had Mario revisit the exploration of ''64'' to wide acclaim and sales, while also taking steps to modernize the experience with several new gimmicks and quality-of-life features to make it more compelling. Only time will tell if other 3D platformers will follow its example.
* The Anthropomorphic MascotWithAttitude platformers that sprang up in the wake of ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' started petering out after ''VideoGame/{{Bubsy}}'' and the ''VideoGame/{{Battletoads}}'' dipped their toes into [[AnimatedAdaptation the world of multimedia franchising]] and [[WesternAnimation/{{Bubsy}} saw incredibly]] [[WesternAnimation/{{Battletoads}} disastrous results]]. When Bubsy subsequently crashed into the PolygonCeiling, the resulting backlash more or less exterminated every radical mascot that was not the {{Trope Namer|s}}.

** Averted with ''VideoGame/YokaiWatch'', which has quickly become a massive competitor to the Pokémon games, both of them leading weekly sales charts for months after they come out and has created a comparably large multimedia and merchandising empire -- [[AmericansHateTingle in Japan]]. Outside of Japan, however, this is closer to a straight example where, while managing to avoid accusations and the resulting stigma of being a ''Pokémon'' ripoff, ''Yo-Kai Watch'' has failed to gain any popularity above a CultClassic.

* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' created what many consider a genre in and of itself called "Souls-like", that focused around challenging enemies with a slightly more sluggish control system designed to provide players with a challenging but rewarding setting filled with mystery and intrigue that required the player to piece together the lore and interpret it. Unfortunately, the "Souls-like" genre effectively killed itself because many games that tried to appeal to the "Souls-like" gameplay and setting [[ShallowParody failed to understand what made fans like the game]], resulting in many game properties coming out that tried to FollowTheLeader, and failing to leave a mark; whereas the ''Souls'' games are hard but fair [[WeakButSkilled if you know what you're doing]] and with plenty of intrigue about its plot, most of its attempted competition simply comes off as [[FakeDifficulty unfairly difficult]] and [[DarknessInducedAudienceApathy hopelessly bleak for no real reason]]. Even the ''Dark Souls'' series itself suffered this, with its two sequels being more polarizing and the second game being put through a TroubledProduction as a result of trying to outdo the first game. This was also coupled with ''Souls'' creator Hidetaka Miyazaki being open about his desire to abandon the ''Souls'' formula and do something new, a promise he fulfilled with ''VideoGame/SekiroShadowsDieTwice''. Not counting ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' (itself also made by From), the only major game to succeed using this gameplay style was ''VideoGame/{{Nioh}}'', which did so by basically reinventing the style into another setting all its own.

* In addition to its effects on any continuance of its RTS predecessors, ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' destroyed the modern market for [=MMORPG=]s. The success and long-lasting nature of the game meant that almost every MMO that came out after directly aimed to be a "[=WoW=] Killer", and, not understanding the kind of commitment needed to match a game that's lasted that long and generated so much money, [[{{Irony}} ended up destroying itself in the process]]. Very few [=MMOs=], especially subscription-based ones, have managed to last in this era, with many either closing down only a few years later, or existing in dumbed-down states to attract a small audience and to make some of their losses back. The only game to truly last as a rival to ''World of Warcraft'' is ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', which itself had a host of problems at the beginning due to forced attempts at competing with ''[=WoW=]'' causing its release to be rushed, and has only stayed as strong as it has due to a combination of its name-brand recognition letting it last long enough to begin extensive work on fixing its problems, rather than immediately cutting its losses and running. This is in no small part due to the FollowTheLeader design many [=MMOs=] attempted after [=WoW=]'s massive success, with all too many titles competing too closely to World of Warcraft without enough to differentiate themselves, and the simple fact that [=MMOs=] thrive on community and volume of content, both of which favor the older and more entrenched game.

** The more immediate hit was the release of Relic's ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}: VideoGame/DawnOfWar'' and ''VideoGame/CompanyOfHeroes'', which popularized RTS games with less focus on strategy and long-term resource management and more on micro-management and unit survival (typically referred to as a "Real Time Tactics" game). This directly led to EA [[ExecutiveMeddling meddling in]] the development of ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer''. Namely, they first mandated the creation of a GaidenGame aimed at Asian markets and internet cafes in particular, in the RTT mold, then partway through said game's development, decided to make it the GrandFinale for the [[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberium first and most iconic universe]] of ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'', one of the progenitors of the classic base-building RTS rebranding the game ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianTwilight'', despite it being a Real Time Tactics game instead of a Real Time Strategy game. When this inevitably flopped, EA [[FranchiseKiller pulled the rug out from under the entire franchise's feet]], claiming there was [[NeverMyFault a "lack of interest in RTS games"]], thus removing one of the two main series from the competition. Meanwhile, Blizzard had left their own followup RTS after the well-recieved ''[[VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos]]'' sit on the backburner for over a decade, instead chasing [[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft its own much more successful MMO spinoff]]. With effectively no big-name triple-A titles and publicity, the entire genre sunk into relative obscurity, shrinking its market.
** The other hit took longer for its effects to be noticeable, but did more permanent damage - and, ironically, it was the release of one of the most preeminent games in the genre, ''[[VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos]]'', which came with a robust map editor that lead to the invention of the MultiplayerOnlineBattleArena. While early MOBA-like concepts appeared in the ''VideoGame/StarCraft'' custom map, "Aeon of Strife," ''Warcraft''[='=]s addition of RPGElements like hero XP and items codified the fledgling genre. ''VideoGame/DefenseOfTheAncients'' became so popular that it spawned an entire new genre emphasizing micromanaging and tactics. As a result, the traditional RTS largely evaporated; in TheNewTens, with the end of both of the traditional RTS genre's progenitors (''Command & Conquer'' only seeing one failed attempt at a new game after the aforementioned ''[=C&C4=]'', ''Warcraft'' having long since shifted focus to [[MorePopularSpinoff the more popular and lucrative]] ''World of Warcraft'') and the rise of ''VideoGame/Dota2'' (which was the most popular game on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} for close to five years before [[VideoGame/PlayerunknownsBattlegrounds a completely different game]] overtook it), the only traditional RTS releases of note have been [[UpdatedRerelease HD remakes]] of ''[=StarCraft=]'' and the first two ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpires'' games (the second of which has found itself capable of adapting and even thriving in the genre's new micromanagement direction), {{retraux}} games in the style of classic 90s ''C&C'' games, and the three parts of ''VideoGame/StarCraftII''.
* The day that ''VideoGame/RiseOfTheRobots'' was released is often cited as the moment when British gaming journalism died out. It was difficult before due to the massive oversaturation of video game magazines, which meant that they were all about hyping up the public for whatever game that would hit the store shelves, even if it was pretty bad. When a game that was so horrible, led by the major gaming studio Time Warner Interactive, hit the store shelves, all British magazines that could make a review the day it came out were giving it high scores (Computer and Video Games rated it even as high as 92%) to be able to review the game before any other magazine across the country could get their hands on it, resulting in the game selling massive amounts of copies due to critics being unable to say anything even remotely negative about the game as that would mean that they would receive their review copies at a later date (Amiga Power, who gave the game a 5%, only got the game days after its release, and didn't get a review out until the January '95 issue two months later). After most readers realized that most magazines they were reading were saying that they should buy horrible products, you can expect that most readers stopped caring about what they had to say, resulting in the demise of many of them.

* The UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 and its Cell Processor marked the end of the road for video game consoles with highly customized and bespoke hardware. Sony spent hundreds of millions of dollars to develop the chip, eating through a good chunk of the sizable profits from the first two [=PlayStations=], only to have the [=PS3=] bomb upon release thanks to its custom hardware giving it a high price and making it difficult for developers to maximize the console's performance. While Sony managed to turn the [=PS3=] around thanks to price drops, better marketing, and high quality exclusive games, they learned their lesson with the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, which uses a highly standard x86 CPU and AMD GPU, put together with a "streamlined PC architecture". The UsefulNotes/XboxOne used a similar design, and after the UsefulNotes/WiiU, which had a similarly bespoke processor to the [=PS3=], bombed, Nintendo released the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, which is powered by an off-the-shelf nVidia Tegra chip built around similar technology to smartphones, and the console, despite being underpowered relative to its peers, managed to ''finally'' bring an end to big-name third-party companies avoiding Nintendo consoles.

** Further nailing the coffin's lid is the fact that ''Dark Souls'' was always a WidgetSeries, appealing to a small but vocal niche but lacking wide-spread appeal. The game's imitators happened to come out at the time that ''Dark Souls'' was receiving more attention—and thus scrutiny, with gamers and reviewers becoming more aware of the FakeDifficulty elements of the genre. ''Dark Souls'' fans themselves, given how mastering the game revolves heavily around [[GuideDangIt stats and mechanics the game gives little or no information about]], often had indifference towards other imitators and TheyChangedItNowItSucks reactions to the sequels.
* In addition to its effects on any continuance of its RTS predecessors, ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' destroyed the modern market for [=MMORPG=]s. The success and long-lasting nature of the game meant that almost every MMO that came out after directly aimed to be a "[=WoW=] Killer", and, not understanding the kind of commitment needed to match a game that's lasted that long and generated so much money, [[{{Irony}} ended up destroying itself in the process]]. Very few [=MMOs=], especially subscription-based ones, have managed to last in this era, with many either closing down only a few years later, or existing in dumbed-down states to attract a small audience and to make some of their losses back. The only game to truly last as a rival to ''World of Warcraft'' is ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', which itself had a host of problems at the beginning due to forced attempts at competing with ''[=WoW=]'' causing its release to be rushed, and has only stayed as strong as it has due to a combination of its name-brand recognition letting it last long enough to begin extensive work on fixing its problems, rather than immediately cutting its losses and running. This is in no small part due to the FollowTheLeader design many [=MMOs=] attempted after [=WoW=]'s massive success, with all too many titles competing too closely to World of Warcraft without enough to differentiate themselves, and simple fact that [=MMOs=] thrive on community and volume of content, both of which favor the older and more entrenched game.

* The UsefulNotes/{{Kinect}} is widely seen as having killed motion controls for mainstream use, thanks to the glut of shovelware, technical issues, and games that barely worked plaguing the peripheral from its debut onward. At the time of the UsefulNotes/NintendoWii's launch, motion controls were seen as the future, and both Sony and Microsoft moved to quickly copy the idea with the Kinect and the [=PlayStation=] Move. Afterward, however, as people became aware of the technology's limitations and all three consoles' motion control peripherals became infamous for large amounts of shovelware, the phrase became something of a curseword, with both Nintendo and Sony heavily downplaying motion-control capabilities in the eighth generation (both of them kept a motion sensor within their respective controllers, but Nintendo instead focused more on an evolution of the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS' touchscreen for the UsefulNotes/WiiU, while Sony essentially {{abandon|Ware}}ed the [=PlayStation=] Move in the upgrade to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4). It may have even contributed to the Wii U's failure, as "Wii" was still associated with the concept Microsoft botched badly enough to discredit. The final nail in the coffin was Microsoft - whose fanbase had overall been the loudest in trashing motion controls - seeing their place at the top from the seventh generation very quickly slip after releasing an initial version of the UsefulNotes/XboxOne that couldn't be bought without a Kinect, resulting in the console being more expensive than the PS4 despite being slightly less powerful (and displaying a very take-it-or-leave-it attitude towards consumers' criticism of this), and then seeing their fortunes immediately reverse upon deciding to release a cheaper version of the console without the Kinect only ''six months'' later. That said, motion controls seem to have found a niche with virtual-reality games, which is the only place where they're still considered the way to play, enough so that Sony has started acknowledging the [=PlayStation=] Move peripherals again solely for use as PSVR controllers. Nintendo meanwhile has still kept motion controls for their subsequent consoles (UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS, [=WiiU=], and especially the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch), albeit heavily downplayed (the [=WiiU=] and Switch controllers have a more traditional layout, and several games on either console do not require use of motion controls, with the only major titles primarily using motion controls being ''VideoGame/{{ARMS}}'', ''VideoGame/MarioTennis Aces'', party games such as ''VideoGame/OneTwoSwitch'' and ''Super VideoGame/MarioParty'', and ''VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndLetsGoEevee'', a GaidenGame intended as a holdover for Generation 8 and [[GatewaySeries a gateway to the core series]] for ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'' players) and not advancing any further than what the Wii introduced.

* In addition to its effects on any continuance of its RTS predecessors, ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' destroyed the modern market for [=MMORPG=]s. The success and long-lasting nature of the game meant that almost every MMO that came out after directly aimed to be a "[=WoW=] Killer", and, not understanding the kind of commitment needed to match a game that's lasted that long and generated so much money, [[{{Irony}} ended up destroying itself in the process]]. Very few [=MMOs=], especially subscription-based ones, have managed to last in this era, with many either closing down only a few years later, or existing in dumbed-down states to attract a small audience and to make some of their losses back. The only game to truly last as a rival to ''World of Warcraft'' is ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', which itself had a host of problems at the beginning due to forced attempts at competing with ''[=WoW=]'' causing its release to be rushed, and has only stayed as strong as it has due to a combination of its name-brand recognition letting it last long enough to begin extensive work on fixing its problems, rather than immediately cutting its losses and running. This is in no small part due to the FollowTheLeader design many MMOs attempted after [=WoW=]'s massive success, with all too many titles competing too closely to World of Warcraft without enough to differentiate themselves, and simple fact that MMOs thrive on community and volume of content, both of which favor the older and more entrenched game.

** Further nailing the coffin's lid is the fact that ''Dark Souls'' was always a WidgetSeries, appealing to a small but vocal niche but lacking wide-spread appeal. The game's imitators happened to come out at the time that ''Dark Souls'' was receiving more attention—and thus scrutiny, with gamers and reviewers becoming more aware of the FakeDifficulty elements of the genre. ''Dark Souls'' fans themselves had little interest beyond the first, given how mastering the game revolves heavily around [[GuideDangIt stats and mechanics the game gives little or no information about]], leading to indifference towards other imitators and TheyChangedItNowItSucks reactions to the sequels.

* The UsefulNotes/{{Kinect}} is widely seen as having killed motion controls for mainstream use, thanks to the glut of shovelware, technical issues, and games that barely worked plaguing the peripheral from its debut onward. At the time of the UsefulNotes/NintendoWii's launch, motion controls were seen as the future, and both Sony and Microsoft moved to quickly copy the idea with the Kinect and the [=PlayStation=] Move. Afterward, however, as people became aware of the technology's limitations and all three consoles' motion control peripherals became infamous for large amounts of shovelware, the phrase became something of a curseword, with both Nintendo and Sony heavily downplaying motion-control capabilities in the eighth generation (both of them kept a motion sensor within their respective controllers, but Nintendo instead focused more on an evolution of the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS' touchscreen for the UsefulNotes/WiiU, while Sony essentially {{abandon|Ware}}ed the [=PlayStation=] Move in the upgrade to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4). It may have even contributed to the Wii U's failure, as "Wii" was still associated with the concept Microsoft botched badly enough to discredit. The final nail in the coffin was Microsoft - whose fanbase had overall been the loudest in trashing motion controls - seeing their place at the top from the seventh generation very quickly slip after releasing an initial version of the UsefulNotes/XboxOne that couldn't be bought without a Kinect, resulting in the console being more expensive than the PS4 despite being slightly less powerful (and displaying a very take-it-or-leave-it attitude towards consumers' criticism of this), and then seeing their fortunes immediately reverse upon deciding to release a cheaper version of the console without the Kinect only ''six months'' later. That said, motion controls seem to have found a niche with virtual-reality games, which is the only place where they're still considered the way to play, enough so that Sony has started acknowledging the [=PlayStation=] Move peripherals again solely for use as PSVR controllers. Nintendo meanwhile has still kept motion controls for their subsequent consoles (UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS, [=WiiU=], and especially the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch), albeit heavily downplayed (the [=WiiU=] and Switch controllers have a more traditional layout, and several games on either console do not require use of motion controls, with the only major titles primarily using motion controls being ''VideoGame/{{ARMS}}'', ''VideoGame/MarioTennis Aces'', party games such as ''VideoGame/OneTwoSwitch'' and ''Super VideoGame/MarioParty'', and ''VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndLetsGoEevee'', a GaidenGame intended as a holdover for Generation 8) and not advancing any further than what the Wii introduced.

* The UsefulNotes/{{Kinect}} is widely seen as having killed motion controls for mainstream use, thanks to the glut of shovelware, technical issues, and games that barely worked plaguing the peripheral from its debut onward. At the time of the UsefulNotes/NintendoWii's launch, motion controls were seen as the future, and both Sony and Microsoft moved to quickly copy the idea with the Kinect and the [=PlayStation=] Move. Afterward, however, as people became aware of the technology's limitations and all three consoles' motion control peripherals became infamous for large amounts of shovelware, the phrase became something of a curseword, with both Nintendo and Sony heavily downplaying motion-control capabilities in the eighth generation (both of them kept a motion sensor within their respective controllers, but Nintendo instead focused more on an evolution of the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS' touchscreen for the UsefulNotes/WiiU, while Sony essentially {{abandon|Ware}}ed the [=PlayStation=] Move in the upgrade to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4). The nail in the coffin was Microsoft - whose fanbase had overall been the loudest in trashing motion controls - seeing their place at the top from the seventh generation very quickly slip after releasing an initial version of the UsefulNotes/XboxOne that came with Kinect built-in (and displaying a very take-it-or-leave-it attitude towards consumers' criticism of this), and then seeing their fortunes immediately reverse upon deciding to release a slightly cheaper version of the console without the Kinect only ''six months'' later. That said, motion controls seem to have found a niche with virtual-reality games, which is the only place where they're still considered the way to play, enough so that Sony has started acknowledging the [=PlayStation=] Move peripherals again solely for use as PSVR controllers. Nintendo meanwhile has still kept motion controls for their subsequent consoles (UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS, [=WiiU=], and especially the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch), albeit heavily downplayed (the [=WiiU=] and Switch controllers have a more traditional layout, and several games on either console do not require use of motion controls) and not advancing any further than what the Wii introduced.

** The other hit took longer for its effects to be noticeable, but did more permanent damage - and, ironically, it was the release of one of the most preeminent games in the genre, ''[[VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos]]'', which came with a robust map editor that lead to the invention of the MultiplayerOnlineBattleArena. While early MOBA-like concepts appeared in the ''VideoGame/StarCraft'' custom map, "Aeon of Strife," ''Warcraft''[='=]s addition of RPGElements like hero XP and items codified the fledgling genre. ''VideoGame/DefenseOfTheAncients'' became so popular that it spawned an entire new genre emphasizing micromanaging and tactics. As a result, the traditional RTS largely evaporated; in TheNewTens, with the end of both of the traditional RTS genre's progenitors (''Command & Conquer'' only seeing one failed attempt at a new game after the aforementioned ''[=C&C4=]'', ''Warcraft'' having long since shifted focus to [[MorePopularSpinoff the more popular and lucrative]] ''World of Warcraft'') and the rise of ''VideoGame/Dota2'' (which was the most popular game on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} for close to five years before [[VideoGame/PlayerunknownsBattlegrounds a completely different game]] overtook it), the only traditional RTS releases of note have been [[UpdatedRerelease HD remakes]] of ''[=StarCraft=]'' and the first two ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpires'' games, {{retraux}} games in the style of classic 90s ''C&C'' games, and the three parts of ''VideoGame/StarCraftII''.

-->[[Webcomic/PennyArcade "You know what? Fuck off. Everyone's always bringing up that fucking robot."]]
** In the UK, meanwhile, it didn't even make as much impact as two years. Brits started using eight bit microcomputers as the main way of playing home videogames in 1982, which would last until the late 80s/early 90s when consoles started taking off (with the Megadrive and SNES). This may also be related to why [[AmericansHateTingle Nintendo consoles tend not to sell especially well in the UK]] even if it's one of their more popular systems elsewhere such as the NES, UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}, or UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch; there wasn't the same market vacuum for them to fill as there was in the United States.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'', for various reasons, has dominated the {{Mon}} genre so strongly it has made it very difficult for any other works in the genre to achieve mainstream popularity or sometimes even get made at all. Some, such as ''Franchise/{{Digimon}},'' are even assumed to be ''copying Pokémon'' by ''[[InsaneTrollLogic the mere name]]'' due to the public's lack of awareness that it's a genre that existed before ''Pokémon,'' not something pioneered by it.

** The more immediate hit was the release of Relic's ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}: VideoGame/DawnOfWar'' and ''VideoGame/CompanyOfHeroes'', which popularized RTS games with less focus on strategy and long-term resource management and more on micro-management and unit survival (typically referred to as a "Real Time Tactics" game). This directly led to EA [[ExecutiveMeddling meddling in]] the development of [[VideoGame/CommandAndConquer]]. Namely, they first mandated the creation of a GaidenGame aimed at Asian markets and internet cafes in particular, in the RTT mold, then partway through said game's development, decided to make it the GrandFinale for the [[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberium first and most iconic universe]] of ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'', one of the progenitors of the classic base-building RTS rebranding the game ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianTwilight'', despite it being a Real Time Tactics game instead of a Real Time Strategy game. When this inevitably flopped, EA [[FranchiseKiller pulled the rug out from under the entire franchise's feet]], claiming there was [[NeverMyFault a "lack of interest in RTS games"]], thus removing one of the two main series from the competition. Meanwhile, Blizzard had left their own followup RTS after the well-recieved ''[[VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos]]'' sit on the backburner for over a decade, instead chasing [[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft its own much more successful MMO spinoff]]. With effectively no big-name triple-A titles and publicity, the entire genre sunk into relative obscurity, shrinking its market.

* In addition to its effects on any continuance of its RTS predecessors, ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' destroyed the modern market for [=MMORPG=]s. The success and long-lasting nature of the game meant that almost every MMO that came out after directly aimed to be a "[=WoW=] Killer", and, not understanding the kind of commitment needed to match a game that's lasted that long and generated so much money, [[{{Irony}} ended up destroying itself in the process]]. Very few [=MMOs=], especially subscription-based ones, have managed to last in this era, with many either closing down only a few years later, or existing in dumbed-down states to attract a small audience and to make some of their losses back. The only game to truly last as a rival to ''World of Warcraft'' is ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', which itself had a host of problems at the beginning due to forced attempts at competing with ''[=WoW=]'' causing its release to be rushed, and has only stayed as strong as it has due to a combination of its name-brand recognition letting it last long enough to begin extensive work on fixing its problems, rather than immediately cutting its losses and running.

** The more immediate hit was the release of Relic's ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}: VideoGame/DawnOfWar'' and ''VideoGame/CompanyOfHeroes'', which popularized RTS games with less focus on strategy and long-term resource management and more on micro-management and unit survival (typically referred to as a "Real Time Tactics" game). This directly led to EA [[ExecutiveMeddling meddling in]] the development of ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianTwilight'' - what was to be GrandFinale for the [[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberium first and most iconic universe]] of ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'', one of the progenitors of the classic base-building RTS - by forcing it to be a real-time tactics game rather than a real-time strategy one. When this inevitably flopped, EA [[FranchiseKiller pulled the rug out from under the entire franchise's feet]], claiming there was [[NeverMyFault a "lack of interest in RTS games"]], thus removing one of the two main series from the competition. Meanwhile, Blizzard had left their own followup RTS sit on the backburner for over a decade, instead chasing [[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft its own much more successful MMO spinoff]]. With effectively no big-name triple-A titles and publicity, the entire genre sunk into relative obscurity, shrinking its market.
** The other hit took longer for its effects to be noticeable, but did more permanent damage - and, ironically, it was the release of one of the most preeminent games in the genre, ''VideoGame/WarCraft III'', which came with a robust map editor that lead to the invention of the MultiplayerOnlineBattleArena. While early MOBA-like concepts appeared in the ''VideoGame/StarCraft'' custom map, "Aeon of Strife," ''Warcraft''[='=]s addition of RPGElements like hero XP and items codified the fledgling genre. ''VideoGame/DefenseOfTheAncients'' became so popular that it spawned an entire new genre emphasizing micromanaging and tactics. As a result, the traditional RTS largely evaporated; in TheNewTens, with the end of both of the traditional RTS genre's progenitors (''Command & Conquer'' only seeing one failed attempt at a new game after the aforementioned ''[=C&C4=]'', ''Warcraft'' having long since shifted focus to [[MorePopularSpinoff the more popular and lucrative]] ''World of Warcraft'') and the rise of ''VideoGame/Dota2'' (which was the most popular game on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} for close to five years before [[VideoGame/PlayerunknownsBattlegrounds a completely different game]] overtook it), the only traditional RTS releases of note have been [[UpdatedRerelease HD remakes]] of ''[=StarCraft=]'' and the first two ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpires'' games, {{retraux}} games in the style of classic 90s ''C&C'' games, and the three parts of ''VideoGame/StarCraftII''.

* The day that ''VideoGame/RiseOfTheRobots'' was released is often cited as the moment when British gaming journalism died out. It was difficult before due to the massive oversaturation of video game magazines, which meant that they were all about hyping up the public for whatever game that would hit the store shelves, even if it was pretty bad. When a game that was DarthWiki/SoBadItsHorrible, led by the major gaming studio Time Warner Interactive, hit the store shelves, all British magazines that could make a review the day it came out were giving it high scores (Computer and Video Games rated it even as high as 92%) to be able to review the game before any other magazine across the country could get their hands on it, resulting in the game selling massive amounts of copies due to critics being unable to say anything even remotely negative about the game as that would mean that they would receive their review copies at a later date (Amiga Power, who gave the game a 5%, only got the game days after its release, and didn't get a review out until the January '95 issue two months later). After most readers realized that most magazines they were reading were saying that they should buy horrible products, you can expect that most readers stopped caring about what they had to say, resulting in the demise of many of them.