History Main / AcclaimedFlop

* After [=VT4=] renamed itself to [[UsefulNotes/FlemishTVStations VIER]], two shows of their library won the 2014 critical award ''De HA! Van Humo'':

** We will likely never know if Film/TheIrishman was successful or not as Netflix doesn't release their data to the public. But given the massive budget of almost $250 million, even the nicest of estimates put the film at a loss for at least $57 million. This, however, didn't stop the film from being considered one of the best films of 2019 and getting 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.
** Similarly, his next film, Film/KillersOfTheFlowerMoon was also produced by a [[Creator/AppleTVPlus streaming platform]] to generate interest in subscriptions to the service. However, unlike "The Irishman", this film did have a proper theatrical release, in which it grossed $150 million on a $200 million budget, making it a commercial failure. Whether or not the film will do better in streaming, [[VindicatedByVideo remains to be seen]]. Despite this, [[AsYouKnow as you can imagine]], the film received critical acclaim and is considered one of the best films of 2023.

* The Creator/DarrenAronofsky film ''[[Film/Mother2017 mother!]]'' has opened to roundly positive reviews. However, it only made $7.5 million in its opening weekend beneath ''Film/{{It|2017}}'' and ''American Assassin''. It also earned a rare UsefulNotes/CinemaScore of F from audiences, who sought out the latter films instead. The film was not helped by a very abstract and symbolic plot that may have driven potential viewers away − and also the fact that the trailers sold the film as a classic home-invasion thriller, or that Creator/JenniferLawrence had made some controversial statements that hurt her popularity with conservatives.

* In France, ''Film/ARoomInTown'' (1982) was highly acclaimed, but came out at the same time as ''Film/AceOfAces'', a box office juggernaut, and flopped. It got to the point where 23 critics gathered to publish an article in Telerama magazine in which they panned ''Ace of Aces'', accusing it of being "engineered for success" and of "stealing tickets" to ''A Room in Town''. Creator/JeanPaulBelmondo, who was absolutely no stranger to auteur drama films (having gained fame with the UsefulNotes/FrenchNewWave) answered to them that he didn't accuse Film/JamesBond of stealing his movie tickets when ''Stavisky'' underperformed against ''Film/TheManWithTheGoldenGun'' in 1974.

* ''VideoGame/EliteBeatAgents'': Praised by critics for its tight, challenging, and unique gameplay and amazing atmosphere, it even won [=GameSpot=]'s Platform/NintendoDS Game of the Year award in 2006, beating out front-runners like ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'', but failed commercially because it was perhaps just a little too weird for most gamers' tastes (not to mention that said atmosphere let to a ''very'' jarring case of SurpriseDifficulty). This has, unfortunately, effectively quashed any hopes of an official sequel ever being released in the West. Oddly enough, considering the game was a CulturalTranslation of the Japan-only [[UsefulNotes/ImportGaming import favorite]] ''VideoGame/OsuTatakaeOuendan'', ''EBA'' was itself [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff a big import success in Japan]].

* The ''VideoGame/RhythmHeaven'' franchise has always been a critical favorite for its tight gameplay and quirky charm; the games are also strong sellers in Japan, due to the name recognition of series creator Tsunku♂ and successful advertising campaigns with Japanese celebrities. ''Rhythm Heaven'' for the Nintendo DS sold well overseas thanks to the success of the Touch Generations line and ads featuring Music/{{Beyonce}}. But ''Rhythm Heaven Fever'' and ''Rhythm Heaven Megamix'' flopped outside of Japan, despite being for the money-printing Wii and 3DS, respectively. ''Fever''[='=]s underwhelming performance is attributed to its marketing and reduced price, which made it look like a UsefulNotes/{{shovelware}} minigame collection on a system that was already flooded with them. Some parts of the game became [[MemeticMutation memetic]], but memes do not sell a game. ''Megamix'', meanwhile, suffered from a NoBudget localization and InvisibleAdvertising--it was quietly released in North America as an eShop exclusive--aside from having the same image problems as ''Fever''.
* ''VideoGame/Shantae2002'' sold poorly due to being one of the last games released on the Platform/GameBoyColor, coming out a year after Platform/GameBoyAdvance had come out, but was well-received by both critics and players. The developers would eventually garner the funds needed to make a sequel, ''VideoGame/ShantaeRiskysRevenge'', but it also suffered a similar fate due to being a Platform/DSiWare exclusive, a platform best known for stripped-down versions of full-retail releases and UsefulNotes/{{shovelware}}, and releasing at the end of system's life as well. It wouldn't be until the third game, ''[[VideoGame/ShantaeAndThePiratesCurse Pirate's Curse]]'', that the series found greater financial success. The prior two games would also see greater sales thanks to a bevy of rereleases on several platforms.

[[/folder]]

%%A

* ''VideoGame/AMindForeverVoyaging'': This is one of Infocom's most ambitious projects and one of the rare ventures into serious storytelling that actually revolves around a plot instead of just gameplay and puzzle solving. It was critically acclaimed for its sociopolitical commentary and worldbuilding. However, it was just not as popular as the more humor based, often MoonLogic[[note]]This was before moon logic and [[SolveTheSoupCans Soup Can]] puzzles had fallen out of favor with game players[[/note]] puzzle games such as ''Planetfall'', ''Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy'', and the ''Zork'' games. The game's liberal and anti-Reagan stance also alienated some gamers.

%%B

%%C

%%D

%%E

%%I

%%J

%%K

%%L

%%M

%%N

%%O

%%P

%%R

%%S

%%T

%%V

%%Y

%%Z

%% Unsorted
* ''VideoGame/{{Gladius}}'' was universally praised at release; it was even called the best Xbox game nobody played.
* Due to very poor marketing, ''VideoGame/ColdFear'' was largely unheard of by gamers, and most who did hear about it were very quick to dismiss it as a rip off of ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4''. However, those who played it ''loved it'', and many say it's as good or better than ''[=RE4=]''.
* ''VideoGame/MoonBaseCommander'' received fairly positive reviews, but flopped terribly upon its release and won IGN's "Best Game No-One Played" award in 2002. It has somewhat of a small following, if not simply for the fact that it was made by Creator/HumongousEntertainment.
* ''VideoGame/FreeSpace 2'', to the point where it was a GenreKiller -- because if a game that well-received still couldn't sell the genre, what could?
* ''VideoGame/RaymanOrigins'' and its sequel ''VideoGame/RaymanLegends'' were universally praised, but while the games were profitable, they didn't meet publisher Ubisoft's sales expectations, probably due to the fact that ExecutiveMeddling resulted in them releasing at the same time as more heavily marketed and high profile releases: ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' and ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'', respectively.
* ''VideoGame/TheLastExpress'' received high praise for its writing, character development, and intricate-yet-flexible storyline, but the game only sold 100,000 copies, 1 million short of breaking even. This was mostly due to [[Creator/BroderbundSoftware Brøderbund]] not marketing the game at all, part of which was probably because Brøderbund's entire marketing staff had quit a month before the game's release.
* Up until the [[SleeperHit surprisingly great sales]] of the thirteenth game in the ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' series, ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Awakening]]'' for the [[Platform/Nintendo3DS 3DS]], ''every single game'' in the series of TurnBasedStrategy games since the series' debut all the way back in [[LongRunners 1990]] was an acclaimed flop. Despite the praise the games received, none of them ever managed to crack even a million sales. Out of all the pre-''Awakening'' games, the most blatant example was ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThracia776''. The game was released in 1999... at the very end of the [[Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem Super Famicom's]] life, meaning that it sold terribly -- it was the worst-selling game to date in fact. Reviews on the other hand praised the game highly with all-around good scores.
* ''VideoGame/GoneHome'' [[ZigZaggingTrope went back and forth]] on this after release. The game was a massive critical darling and enjoyed an early burst of strong sales when positive reviews came out, but once the heavy CriticalDissonance surrounding the game set in it rapidly vanished from charts and seemed destined to have mediocre lifetime sales. However, this appears to not have come to pass as it picked up momentum again during multiple rounds of Steam sales (the game's short runtime and relatively high price was one of the major factors fuelling the backlash).
* ''VideoGame/PokkenTournament'' was a hit among its target demographics of older ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' fans and fighting game players, but had one major issue: its initial 2015 release in Japanese arcades was very unprofitable. Skilled players could net an hour of play from a single token, meaning that arcade owners didn't see the value of keeping the machines around. The 2016 Wii U version made up the difference and became a top seller, helped by an UpdatedRerelease on the Platform/NintendoSwitch in 2017.
* ''VideoGame/PocketCardJockey'' is a horse-racing solitaire game from Game Freak, the creators of ''Pokémon''. It combines the two into a surprisingly deep package with near-endless replayability. It hit it off very well with many critics and fans, but garnered little attention due to poor advertising from Nintendo, being weird, and being released during a news drought for Game Freak's own ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'', causing irritated ''Pokémon'' fans to bash the game [[ComplainingAboutShowsYouDontWatch despite having never played it]].
* ''VideoGame/TadpoleTreble'' is an indie rhythm platformer about the musical misadventures of a young tadpole. After being Kickstarted with $34,250, it released in 2016 after 4 years of development, and scored a 90 on Metacritic. Yet it only has a little over 200 reviews on Steam, half of those being posted within the first week of release. Note that Steam is the main place to get ''Tadpole Treble'' for the PC -- even the low-bass toad sung so! Unfortunately, a lot of people simply don't want to play a rhythm game starring a tadpole.
* ''VideoGame/Titanfall2'' received near-unanimous critical acclaim, a warm reception from the series' fanbase after a coldly received beta, and a multiplatform launch after [[VideoGame/{{Titanfall}} the first game's]] Xbox console exclusivity. Despite this, it ultimately [[http://www.pcgamer.com/ea-share-price-dips-in-response-to-analyst-predicting-substantially-disappointing-titanfall-2-sales/ sold only a little over half of the sales of the first game.]] Many believe that publisher EA's decision to launch the game only a week after their own highly hyped multiplayer shooter, ''VideoGame/Battlefield1'', in a gambit to launch two shooters against Activison's next ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'', only ended up causing the bigger ''Battlefield 1'' to dwarf the game's presence. That said, the game [[ColbertBump saw a player count increase]] following the release of the spin-off Battle Royale game ''VideoGame/ApexLegends''.
* ''VideoGame/{{Blur}}'' was a game that received high marks for approaching VehicularCombat kart racing games with a DarkerAndEdgier feeling and more skill-based style of gameplay. Unfortunately, it sold poorly thanks to a combination of factors, including an ad campaign that took aim at ''VideoGame/MarioKart'' but only made itself look immature, as well as being released within the same week as rival games ''VideoGame/ModNationRacers'' and ''VideoGame/SplitSecond2010''. Its low sales ended with Creator/BizarreCreations being shut down: many of its employees migrated to ''[[VideoGame/{{Forza}} Forza Horizon]]'' developer Creator/PlaygroundGames, while lead designer Gareth Wilson went to work on ''[[VideoGame/SegaSuperstars Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Transformed]]'' with Sumo Digital.
* The ''VideoGame/RhythmHeaven'' franchise has always been a critical favorite for its tight gameplay and quirky charm; the games are also strong sellers in Japan, due to the name recognition of series creator Tsunku♂ and successful advertising campaigns with Japanese celebrities. ''Rhythm Heaven'' for the Nintendo DS sold well overseas thanks to the success of the Touch Generations line and ads featuring Music/{{Beyonce}}. But ''Rhythm Heaven Fever'' and ''Rhythm Heaven Megamix'' flopped outside of Japan, despite being for the money-printing Wii and 3DS, respectively. ''Fever''[='=]s underwhelming performance is attributed to its marketing and reduced price, which made it look like a UsefulNotes/{{shovelware}} minigame collection on a system that was already flooded with them. Some parts of the game became [[MemeticMutation memetic]], but memes do not sell a game. ''Megamix'', meanwhile, suffered from a NoBudget localization and InvisibleAdvertising--it was quietly released in North America as an eShop exclusive--aside from having the same image problems as ''Fever''.
* ''VideoGame/AceCombatZeroTheBelkanWar'' is fondly remembered by fans as one of the most memorable titles in the ''VideoGame/AceCombat'' series, on par with the best-selling ''VideoGame/AceCombat04ShatteredSkies''. However, being released at the very end of the Platform/PlayStation2 life cycle and with the Platform/PlayStation3 already replacing it, impacted the game's sales negatively, making it the lowest-selling title of the [=PS2=] installments at under 1 million copies sold (in fact, under a third of ''[=AC04=]''[='s=]).
* Creator/TelltaleGames[='=] unique brand of storytelling put several episodic games that were, for the most part, praised for their stories and characters -- such as ''VideoGame/TheWolfAmongUs'' and ''VideoGame/BatmanTheTelltaleSeries'' -- but aside from the ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDeadSeasonOne'' and ''VideoGame/MinecraftStoryMode'', they failed to sell well, contributing to the company being shut down in September 2018.
* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestX'' was well-received, but it has become the lowest selling ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' game in Japan by a wide margin, taking three years to sell a million copies in a series normally so popular that its release days are practically national holidays. What also didn't help the game was that due to its implied failure in Japan, it never was considered for localization, and [[ExecutiveMeddling was even saddled with an IP block and later had its offline trial removed.]]
* ''VideoGame/DrMuto'' got generally favorable reception and is generally considered to be a fun platformer. Yet despite being on the three top sixth-generation consoles, the game failed to sell well due to Creator/MidwayGames not doing much in terms of promotion. Not long after the game was released, Midway shut down its developer Midway Games West, formerly Creator/{{Atari}}'s arcade division, effectively putting the coffin in the ground for the original Atari.
* Though ''VideoGame/WarioWareDIY'' received very good reviews and developed [[CultClassic a solid cult following]] among aspiring game designers, it was a commercial failure: in Japan, its sales were the lowest the series saw up to that point by a significant margin, and it did even worse in western countries, becoming a perennial bargain-bin filler. This is usually blamed on it being an AudienceAlienatingPremise. The complexity of the editor and small number of prebuilt games made it difficult to appeal to the series' usual pick-up-and-play audience, while the otherwise limited mechanics (games are only a few seconds in length, and they can only register simple touch screen inputs) put off those expecting a more in-depth experience.
* ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo'' series producer Mizuki Hosoyamada was given the keys to the franchise after 2005's ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyoFever2'' fell well short of the expectations Sega had for its sales, according to an interview for ''[[VideoGame/PuyoPuyo2 Sega Ages Puyo Puyo Tsu]]''. Most who have played ''Fever 2'' hold it in good regard for being greatly improved in numerous aspects compared to the original ''Fever'' - in particular, it's got a larger story mode and its writing and worldbuilding are done better.
* Creator/TakeTwoInteractive had two in 2012: ''VideoGame/MaxPayne3'', which after a strong start in spite of [[VideoGame/DiabloIII very stiff competition]], had slow sales, but eventually broke out to be an undisputed financial success; and ''VideoGame/SpecOpsTheLine'', that was lauded for its dark plot and innovative narrative that downright offered [[DeconstructionGame a deconstructive look at shooter games]], something that certainly was [[AudienceAlienatingPremise a hard sell for regular gamers]] (it hurts that the message of the game is "stop playing", which fans sometimes mention when talking about the game [[TooBleakStoppedCaring given how bleak it gets]]), while ignoring its intended audience in [[NeverTrustATrailer the advertising (which looked like a normal military shooter to trick people into thinking it was)]] due to hoping word of mouth would kick in. It didn't until far later than they hoped.
* ''VideoGame/Hitman2016'' was a critical smash, a hit with loyal ''Franchise/{{Hitman}}'' fans, [[WinBackTheCrowd a very welcome bounceback]] following Creator/IOInteractive's divisive ''VideoGame/HitmanAbsolution''... and it apparently performed so poorly that IOI was dropped by Creator/SquareEnix and was left almost completely broke. Much blame was pinned on the game's highly-touted [[EpisodicGame episodic model]] confusing and alienating potential buyers, so when IOI was able to [[NetworkToTheRescue strike up a partnership with Warner Bros.]] to independently develop and publish their next planned "season" in the form of ''VideoGame/Hitman2'' (and then later ''VideoGame/Hitman3''), they completely ditched the format, and in continuing to make critically-beloved games, they've since received proper financial returns that fully saved them from near-bankruptcy. In case of ''Hitman 3'', which is self-published, they ''made back its development costs in just a week!''
* Steam's refund policy that allows players to refund games if they have less than 2 hours of playtime leads to some indie games meeting this fate. One such game is ''Summer of '58'', a horror game from Russian developer Emika Games. While the game generally received favorable reviews, because of its short runtime many people refunded the game ''after finishing it'', even some who left positive reviews! As a result, Emika made little money from the game, if any, throwing a wrench into their future development plans.
* ''VideoGame/AlanWake'' was warmly regarded by critics and audiences, but it had the misfortune of being released on the same week in 2010 as ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'', completely eclipsing it in attention and sales. ''Alan Wake'' would ''eventually'' become a moderate success through word of mouth and gradual CultClassic status, but its initial underperformance (especially relative to [[TroubledProduction its notoriously extended development]]) was enough for Creator/{{Microsoft}} (Creator/RemedyEntertainment's publisher at the time) to can the plans for a sequel in favor of newer projects. It took until 2021 -- after their much more lucrative titles ''VideoGame/QuantumBreak'' and ''VideoGame/{{Control}}'' (the latter being a [[StealthSequel stealth]]-{{Crossover}} with the ''Alan Wake'' universe) as well as Remedy securing the IP rights from Microsoft -- for ''VideoGame/AlanWakeII'' to finally be announced for (and ultimately released in) 2023.
* ''All-Pro Football [=2K8=]'' was Creator/TakeTwoInteractive's final attempt at making an American football game, after the NFL gave their exclusive license to EA. The game was widely praised for its realistic engine, team customization, and playing as retired NFL legends, but the game sold rather poorly. Modders have kept the game and its servers alive, and ''[=2K8=]'' is now considered one of the greatest football games of all time.
* ''VideoGame/LiveALive'' received praise for its ambitious scope, dramatic story, and innovative gameplay, but only sold 270,000 copies during its lifetime (which some attribute to it being a young, unproven title coming out amid a flood of better-known series), and it never left Japan--though an English FanTranslation exists. However, it remained enough of a cult hit that it was eventually RemadeForTheExport in 2022 for the Platform/NintendoSwitch.
* ''VideoGame/ShogoMobileArmorDivision'' generally received warm, if not glowing, reviews when it was released. Despite this and a fair amount of marketing promotion, the game sold poorly and became a StillbornFranchise.
* ''VideoGame/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2021'' got mostly positive reviews from both critics and general audiences, somewhat surprisingly considering the [[TaintedByThePreview very lukewarm reception to the marketing]], as well as the critical and commercial failure of the studio's previous superhero game, ''VideoGame/MarvelsAvengers''. However, Creator/SquareEnix declared the game another commercial failure in February of 2022, and the failure of both games likely played a big role in them selling off Eidos-Montréal and all their other Western studios in May.

* Creator/AlLowe noted that, due to rampant piracy, strategy guides for ''VideoGame/LeisureSuitLarry1InTheLandOfTheLoungeLizards'' outsold the actual game twenty times over.
* Most people into {{Visual Novel}}s can tell you about Creator/KotaroUchikoshi's wildly acclaimed ''VisualNovel/ZeroEscape'' trilogy. Far fewer can do the same about his previous work, the ''VisualNovel/{{Infinity}}'' series, which receives the same level of acclaim from the extremely low number of people who ''know'' about it.
* ''VideoGame/SleepingDogs2012'' was met with lukewarm sales, taking a year to reach one million after extreme discounts, but it was a hit among critics. Most who hadn't played it saw it as ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' set in Hong Kong. However, sales weren't so bad for Creator/SquareEnix to rule out a potential sequel.

* ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}'' had no advertising, and was released for the Platform/PlayStation2 right when [[Platform/PlayStation3 its successor]] hit the market, both factors causing it (and ''VideoGame/GodHand'') to sell so badly that they led to the dissolution of its original development team. The game is considered one of the best that the [=PS2=] had to offer. The game eventually found its audience with a successful port to the Platform/{{Wii}}, resulting in [[VideoGame/{{Okamiden}} a sequel]] and the HD remaster treatment.
* Creator/PlatinumGames:
** ''VideoGame/{{MadWorld}}'' was loved by critics, but had terrible sales. It heavily pushed itself as being a violent, M-rated game exclusive to Platform/{{Wii}}, a console that owed its success to being accessible to casual and family audiences. The dissonance put it on people's radars, with MoralGuardians raising a stink about it, but none of that "bad" press translated to substantial sales.
** ''VideoGame/{{Vanquish}}''. Critics loved it, but the game itself slipped right under the radar. [[InvisibleAdvertising The game sneaked onto store shelves without any promotion or fanfare]], so hardly anyone knew about it until it was released for PSN's games on-demand in 2013.
** ''VideoGame/TheWonderful101'' also had this problem: reviews were generally positive, but it sold poorly in Japan and even worse in the rest of the world. Nintendo published the game, but [[InvisibleAdvertising only marketed it online]], and being exclusive to the failing Platform/{{Wii U}} didn't help. Platinum would later launch a Website/{{Kickstarter}} in order to self-publish the game on the Nintendo Switch, [=PlayStation=] 4, and PC, but that remaster sold ''even worse'' at retail, due to the same lack of advertising and most fans securing their copies through the Kickstarter campaign.
** ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'' was praised for its originality, style, and excellent gameplay, but sold below Sega and Platinum's expectations. The former passed on funding and publishing a sequel as a result, but Creator/{{Nintendo}} [[NetworkToTheRescue swooped in to do so themselves]]. ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta 2}}'' gathered multiple perfect scores, but sold even fewer copies thanks to, again, being a Platform/{{Wii U}} exclusive. However, Nintendo was satisfied regardless and stuck by the series, porting both games to the Platform/NintendoSwitch (where it sold far better), funding [[VideoGame/Bayonetta3 a third game]], and then funding production of [[VideoGame/BayonettaOriginsCerezaAndTheLostDemon a spin-off title]] before that third game even released.
* Several of Tim Schafer's games:
** ''VideoGame/GrimFandango'' was extremely well-received critically, even managing to win several awards despite having some pretty stiff competition in 1998.[[note]]This includes ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'', ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', ''VideoGame/HalfLife'', and ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime''.[[/note]] However, the game [[CriticalDissonance didn't sell well]], becoming the first Creator/LucasArts game to lose money, and marking the company's shift away from the genre. It later received an UpdatedRerelease on modern consoles, including a PC version, and became VindicatedByHistory.
** ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' was critically acclaimed when it was first released in 2005, but very few gamers bought it. However, it was beloved enough to get a port to PC/Mac/Linux. Then Double Fine's deal with the publisher Majesco expired, and the studio was able to publish a slightly UpdatedRerelease of the game through digital platforms such as Platform/{{Steam}}. This allowed it to become VindicatedByCable: according to Double Fine's own sales numbers, ''Psychonauts'' sold just shy of 1.7 million copies as of 2016, and about 1.2 million of these sales happened after the expiration of the publishing deal. Its re-releases turned enough of a profit to partially fund the sequel, ''VideoGame/Psychonauts2''.
** ''VideoGame/BrutalLegend'' got great reviews but poor sales. The game's advertising, which portrayed it as a straight-up third-person action game when it makes a GenreShift to a RealTimeStrategy after the first few hours, also hurt.
* ''VideoGame/KyaDarkLineage'' got some pretty good reviews, but for most people, not that many knew about it. For those who got it, it's a shame it's widely unknown. Doesn't help either that it ended on a cliffhanger.
* ''VideoGame/KlonoaDoorToPhantomile'' for the Platform/PlayStation received glowing reviews from critics but bombed at retail for being mistaken as a kiddy. The game would go on to become a cult classic, fetching over $60 on eBay at its peak. Same went for its EvenBetterSequel ''VideoGame/Klonoa2LunateasVeil''. History repeated itself with the Wii remake, which Namco hoped would sell greatly and regain interest in the franchise, especially since most Wii owners like cutesy games, but the remake sold poorly too, and the planned ''Klonoa 2'' remake wouldn't materialize until the ''Klonoa Reverie Collection'' 14 years later.

* ''VideoGame/SuikodenII'', the EvenBetterSequel to the first ''Suikoden'', was also a bomb, but certainly not for lack of quality; it is considered by many who have played it to be one of the best [=RPGs=] ever. Rather, it came at the worst possible time: the week before one of gaming history's most anticipated sequels, ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'', not to mention the Platform/SegaDreamcast launch. After ''Final Fantasy VII'' had stylistically redefined the genre with its big-budget, cinematic [=3D=] visuals just two years earlier, ''Suikoden II'' keeping the isometric [=2D=] graphics of its predecessor caused it to look extremely outdated by comparison, as practically every other major RPG was making the VideoGame3DLeap. The game did become a CultClassic within the next couple of years and would fetch massive sums on [=eBay=]. The game was finally re-released in December 2014 on PSN, after years of fan requests.
* ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile'' was an initial stateside flop due to it being a late-era [=PlayStation=] release, receiving a meager marketing push from Enix, and just being too unique for its own good. It did gain a following, and similar to ''Suikoden II'' above, become valuable on the aftermarket, but thankfully it received a port on the Platform/PlayStationPortable and two follow-ups.
* ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'' made very little money, despite being named one of the greatest role-playing games of all time by multiple review organizations. After being re-released by Website/GOGDotCom, it [[VindicatedByCable took the top position]] in their bestselling list and doesn't tend to stray far from it.
* ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'' sold far less than ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' and any of Creator/BioWare's later original [=IPs=], despite some heavy praise from reviews.
* ''VideoGame/Shantae2002'' sold poorly due to being one of the last games released on the Platform/GameBoyColor, coming out a year after Platform/GameBoyAdvance had come out, but was well-received by both critics and players. The developers would eventually garner the funds needed to make a sequel, ''VideoGame/ShantaeRiskysRevenge'', but it also suffered a similar fate due to being a Platform/DSiWare exclusive, a platform best known for stripped-down versions of full-retail releases and UsefulNotes/{{shovelware}}, and releasing at the end of system's life as well. It wouldn't be until the third game, ''[[VideoGame/ShantaeAndThePiratesCurse Pirate's Curse]]'', that the series found greater financial success. The prior two games would also see greater sales thanks to a bevy of rereleases on several platforms.
* ''VideoGame/TheNeverhood'' was (and still is) widely regarded as a fun and intriguing game with a [[StopMotion unique animation style]], with many people only really complaining about the [[MoonLogicPuzzle difficult puzzles.]] However, it was released around the time adventure games were going out of style.
* ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay'' didn't sell as well as hoped, due to its [[AnimationAgeGhetto "M-rated cutesy platformer"]] schtick , Nintendo [[InvisibleAdvertising only advertising it at late nights and in adult magazines]], some retailers refusing to carry the title, and being one of the very last releases on the Platform/Nintendo64. Despite all these factors, it received critical acclaim and a cult following regardless, and would receive both a remake in ''Conker: Live & Reloaded'' and a port in the ''Rare Replay'' compilation.
* ''VideoGame/LittleKingsStory'' for the Wii received critical acclaim, many reviewers considering it to be on the same level of quality as some of Nintendo's first-party titles, yet nearly nobody bought it. The kiddy presentation hurt, despite the game being quite dark in places. The developers seem to have realized this, because the remake for Platform/PlayStationVita uses a typical RPG/anime art style.
* ''VideoGame/{{BattleZone|1998}}'' (the 1998 FPS/RTS version) was loved by videogame magazine critics, but failed to make an impression in the marketplace. The sequel, ''Battlezone II: Combat Commander'', likewise failed to sell, though it was received less warmly partly because its SceneryPorn was the cause of [[ObviousBeta poor performance]] and partly because the gameplay was slowed down in favor of more [[GenreShift RTS elements]].
* ''Cornerstone'', Creator/{{Infocom}}'s attempt to enter the business-software market, generally got good reviews, but sold very poorly, in part because of a general economic-downturn at the time of release.
* The ''VideoGame/PanzerDragoon'' series, especially its RPG outing, ''Panzer Dragoon Saga''. Being released on the doomed-from-creation Platform/SegaSaturn (which has proven nigh-impossible to emulate) sent it straight into obscurity, despite being considered a tour de force of 3D gameplay and storytelling at the time.
* ''VideoGame/BurningRangers'', another Saturn exclusive. It was released when the console was nearing its end in America and Europe. While it was a success in Japan, it was a commercial failure in other countries. American or European copies usually go close to $1,000 on eBay, while Japanese copies can be found for about $40-50 as of 2022.

* ''VideoGame/TotalAnnihilationKingdoms'' is considered as one of the best RTS games next to its predecessor ''VideoGame/TotalAnnihilation'', even though it didn't sell much.
* ''VideoGame/{{Gladius}}'' was universally praised at release; it was even called the best Xbox game nobody played.
* ''VideoGame/{{Shenmue}}''. While the first one sold okay, the sequel didn't. This is mainly because Creator/{{Sega}} released it as an Xbox exclusive outside of Japan and Europe since video game developers ended production on Dreamcast games in America at this time. Most Xbox owners only cared about shooters and sports games, and ''Shenmue 2'' was neither of those, thus the sequel suffered from horrible sales, and it ended on an unresolved cliffhanger that was never resolved due to Yu Suzuki leaving Sega, and Sega not having enough of a budget to make a third game due to losing so much money on both games. Suzuki had to rely on Kickstarter to get the third game off the ground.
* Most of Creator/{{Suda51}}'s non-licensed games have dedicated followings and are admired for their audacity. However, only one of his games, ''VideoGame/LollipopChainsaw'', was profitable and sold over 1 million units. A mix of AudienceAlienatingPremise and quirkiness make his games seem unapproachable to many in both the West and Suda's own native Japan. ''VideoGame/{{Killer7}}'' was the first game from Suda to be exported overseas, but it sold poorly due to its unorthodox gameplay and story. ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'' was adored by critics, but lacked in sales - 40,000 in Japan, and 208,000 in America. Preceding ''VideoGame/{{Madworld}}'', it was an M-rated Wii exclusive and came under fire from MoralGuardians. Despite lackluster sales, it ended up getting a sizable cult following and a [[VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes2DesperateStruggle sequel]] and was later ported to the [=PS3=] in hopes that it would sell better there (it didn't).
* ''VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe'' was part of the "Capcom Five" of intended Platform/NintendoGameCube exclusives -- alongside ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'', which was a runaway hit even if it sold more on the Platform/PlayStation2; the aforementioned ''VideoGame/{{Killer7}}''; ''VideoGame/PN03'', which got mediocre reception; and the ultimately canceled ''Dead Phoenix''. Widely praised for its stylish cel-shaded look and creative beat-'em-up gameplay, it ultimately moved less than 500,000 copies worldwide, even when it got ported to the [=PS2=] with the added bonus of being able to play as [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry Dante]]. The director still said that, while ''Viewtiful Joe'' sold less than expected, the low budget made it moderately successful, enough to get sequels and for Joe himself to enter ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom''.
* While on Capcom and [=GameCube=] exclusivity, the remake of ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil1'' was, and still is, widely praised as one of the best games in the series and one of the greatest SurvivalHorror games of all time, and its prequel ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil0'' was [[ContestedSequel more divisive among fans]] yet still got good reviews, but both games underperformed due to their exclusivity to the struggling [=GameCube=]. Together, their commercial disappointments led Capcom to take the series in a more action-heavy direction with ''[=RE4=]''. Only with an UpdatedRerelease for the remake in 2015 and for ''[=RE0=]'' in 2016 did both games get the attention they deserved.
* ''VideoGame/EliteBeatAgents'': Praised by critics for its tight, challenging, and unique gameplay and amazing atmosphere, it even won [=GameSpot=]'s Platform/NintendoDS Game of the Year award in 2006, beating out front-runners like ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'', but failed commercially because it was perhaps just a little too weird for most gamers' tastes (not to mention that said atmosphere let to a ''very'' jarring case of SurpriseDifficulty). This has, unfortunately, effectively quashed any hopes of an official sequel ever being released in the West. Oddly enough, considering the game was a CulturalTranslation of the Japan-only [[UsefulNotes/ImportGaming import favorite]] ''VideoGame/OsuTatakaeOuendan'', ''EBA'' was itself [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff a big import success in Japan]].
* ''VideoGame/EnslavedOdysseyToTheWest'' received positive reviews, but sold poorly.
* ''VideoGame/{{Perimeter}}''. While the game had pretty good reviews, it flopped spectacularly... and yet for some reason, both an ExpansionPack and a sequel were created.
* Due to very poor marketing, ''VideoGame/ColdFear'' was largely unheard of by gamers, and most who did hear about it were very quick to dismiss it as a rip off of ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4''. However, those who played it ''loved it'', and many say it's as good or better than ''[=RE4=]''.
* ''VideoGame/MoonBaseCommander'' received fairly positive reviews, but flopped terribly upon its release and won IGN's "Best Game No-One Played" award in 2002. It has somewhat of a small following, if not simply for the fact that it was made by Creator/HumongousEntertainment.
* ''VideoGame/FreeSpace 2'', to the point where it was a GenreKiller -- because if a game that well-received still couldn't sell the genre, what could?
* ''VideoGame/RaymanOrigins'' and its sequel ''VideoGame/RaymanLegends'' were universally praised, but while the games were profitable, they didn't meet publisher Ubisoft's sales expectations, probably due to the fact that ExecutiveMeddling resulted in them releasing at the same time as more heavily marketed and high profile releases: ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' and ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'', respectively.
* ''VideoGame/TheLastExpress'' received high praise for its writing, character development, and intricate-yet-flexible storyline, but the game only sold 100,000 copies, 1 million short of breaking even. This was mostly due to [[Creator/BroderbundSoftware Brøderbund]] not marketing the game at all, part of which was probably because Brøderbund's entire marketing staff had quit a month before the game's release.
* Up until the [[SleeperHit surprisingly great sales]] of the thirteenth game in the ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' series, ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Awakening]]'' for the [[Platform/Nintendo3DS 3DS]], ''every single game'' in the series of TurnBasedStrategy games since the series' debut all the way back in [[LongRunners 1990]] was an acclaimed flop. Despite the praise the games received, none of them ever managed to crack even a million sales. Out of all the pre-''Awakening'' games, the most blatant example was ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThracia776''. The game was released in 1999... at the very end of the [[Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem Super Famicom's]] life, meaning that it sold terribly -- it was the worst-selling game to date in fact. Reviews on the other hand praised the game highly with all-around good scores.
* While one would expect a {{crossover}} between the wildly successful ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' and ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' franchises to be a smash, ''VideoGame/TokyoMirageSessionsFE'' ended up performing well below expectations, even considering the overall failure of the Platform/WiiU. This can mostly be attributed to an UncertainAudience: ''Shin Megami Tensei'' fans expecting an UrbanFantasy and ''Fire Emblem'' fans expecting a HeroicFantasy were put off by a story that was neither, instead leaning into an aesthetic inspired by MagicalGirl and IdolSinger anime. The inherently Japanese setting and lack of dubbing also failed to attract a casual audience overseas. Critics and curious players found a surprisingly in-depth story and combat system, but not even an UpdatedRerelease on the Platform/NintendoSwitch could breathe a second life into the game's sales, with the combined sales of both versions thought to not surpass 500,000 copies.
* The ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series is sometimes said to be one of Creator/{{Nintendo}}'s "Big Three" alongside ''[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]]'' and ''[[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Zelda]]'', due to having similar high critical acclaim and influence as a TropeCodifier (in ''Metroid''[='=]s case, for the {{Metroidvania}} genre) in the gaming industry. However, despite being one of the company's longest-running franchises, it is also one of its weakest, with only a third of the games in the series surpassing one million copies sold. The installment that got hit the most with this was ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes'', [[http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/01/14/prime-outperforms-echoes whose launch sales got dwarfed by its predecessor]] thanks to, among other reasons, being released the same month as ''VideoGame/{{Halo 2}}''. That said, most of the games aren't outright flops and, at the very least, make back their budget.
* ''VideoGame/DJHero'' was unsurprisingly unsuccessful, due to coming out at the worst possible time: the "plastic controller RhythmGame" fad was on the way out, but the early [[TheNewTens New Tens]] resurgence of electronic music hadn't arrived yet. Coupled with the game's difficulty curve and costing twice the price of a standard retail game due to the turntable controller, nobody was shocked when the game's sales weren't up to snuff. Despite this, the game was well-received by the people who did play it, praising the unique remixes the game incorporated and how original it was in the stagnating genre.
* ''VideoGame/SpyroSeasonOfIce'', ''VideoGame/Spyro2SeasonOfFlame'', and ''VideoGame/SpyroAttackOfTheRhynocs'' were praised by critics, but sold poorly due to being Nintendo-exclusive titles from a formerly Sony-exclusive series, and being released around the time of the abysmal ''VideoGame/SpyroEnterTheDragonfly'', which scared many away from the other games.

* ''VideoGame/ZackAndWikiQuestForBarbarosTreasure'' was beloved by critics and fans alike for playing to the strengths of the Wii's motion controls and clever (and ''[[NintendoHard hard]]'') puzzles. However, between poor marketing and the AnimationAgeGhetto, it tanked.
* ''VideoGame/GoneHome'' [[ZigZaggingTrope went back and forth]] on this after release. The game was a massive critical darling and enjoyed an early burst of strong sales when positive reviews came out, but once the heavy CriticalDissonance surrounding the game set in it rapidly vanished from charts and seemed destined to have mediocre lifetime sales. However, this appears to not have come to pass as it picked up momentum again during multiple rounds of Steam sales (the game's short runtime and relatively high price was one of the major factors fuelling the backlash).
* ''VideoGame/AzraelsTear'', a 3D adventure game with some action, had interesting characters and a good story that made you do some serious thinking, not just because of the puzzles, but also because it's increasingly apparent the ImmortalityInducer that everyone is after has some very bad side effects, and not all of the characters are what they seem. It also had pretty good music. The critics liked it, too. But its graphics engine was a bit on the slow side, and it had the great misfortune of being released ''the very same week'' as ''{{VideoGame/Quake}}'', which was much anticipated, had fantastic graphics performance, and was quite addictive.
* The ''Franchise/YokaiWatch'' franchise may be the fastest contemporary example in Japan of how easily [[CashCowFranchise monumental successes]] can lead to terrible failures, especially when expanding internationally. The most apparent reasons for its lack of success overseas are ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'''s tight grasp on the {{mons}} genre outside of Japan and that non-Japanese players [[AudienceAlienatingPremise wouldn't know or relate to the concept]] of {{youkai}}.
** Despite near-universal praise from critics and those who played it, as well as a substantial marketing push from Nintendo's American and European branches (as part of their general partnership with Creator/Level5 at the time), the original ''VideoGame/YokaiWatch'' game saw middling sales in North America, [[AmericansHateTingle in stark contrast]] to Japan. Thankfully, though, the game [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff did much better in Europe]].
** The same fate would befall ''VideoGame/YokaiWatch2''. Not only did the game had to contend with the ''Pokémon'' series receiving an astronomic boost in popularity globally thanks to ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'', but it also released on the same day as the far more high-profile ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'' .
** ''VideoGame/YokaiWatch3'' earned the highest review scores for the series in the US from both critics and audiences alike. It also sold only 4,000 copies [[https://medium.com/shinkansen-retrogaming/why-did-yo-kai-watch-failed-in-north-america-628360e29c8d at best]] in the US, not helped by the games being released at the tail end of the 3DS's lifecycle. This caused it to have a much smaller print run than the first two games, making it hard to find outside the 3DS eShop or [[CrackIsCheaper paying absurd online resale prices]]. The game's poor reception is one of the factors (along with the disappointing overseas performance of ''VideoGame/TheSnackWorld'' and the impact of the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic) that caused Level-5 to withdraw from the US market for three years.
** Despite launching at number 1 in Japan, and receiving critical praise for the graphics, gameplay, and story, ''VideoGame/YokaiWatch4'' on the Platform/NintendoSwitch had the worst domestic sales in the series, only selling 200,000 copies. It was also released mere months before ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'', which would sell eight times that in Japan alone, and nearly 30 times that in the rest of the world. The game received an UpdatedRerelease for the [=PlayStation=] 4 that ultimately shared the same fate.
* ''VideoGame/PokkenTournament'' was a hit among its target demographics of older ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' fans and fighting game players, but had one major issue: its initial 2015 release in Japanese arcades was very unprofitable. Skilled players could net an hour of play from a single token, meaning that arcade owners didn't see the value of keeping the machines around. The 2016 Wii U version made up the difference and became a top seller, helped by an UpdatedRerelease on the Platform/NintendoSwitch in 2017.
* ''VideoGame/PocketCardJockey'' is a horse-racing solitaire game from Game Freak, the creators of ''Pokémon''. It combines the two into a surprisingly deep package with near-endless replayability. It hit it off very well with many critics and fans, but garnered little attention due to poor advertising from Nintendo, being weird, and being released during a news drought for Game Freak's own ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'', causing irritated ''Pokémon'' fans to bash the game [[ComplainingAboutShowsYouDontWatch despite having never played it]].
* ''VideoGame/TadpoleTreble'' is an indie rhythm platformer about the musical misadventures of a young tadpole. After being Kickstarted with $34,250, it released in 2016 after 4 years of development, and scored a 90 on Metacritic. Yet it only has a little over 200 reviews on Steam, half of those being posted within the first week of release. Note that Steam is the main place to get ''Tadpole Treble'' for the PC -- even the low-bass toad sung so! Unfortunately, a lot of people simply don't want to play a rhythm game starring a tadpole.
* ''VideoGame/OddworldStrangersWrath'' was acclaimed for its unique take on the FirstPersonShooter and story, and was considered the best ''Oddworld'' game in the series since ''Abe's Exoddus''. However, the game sold incredibly poorly due to InvisibleAdvertising and was even a CreatorKiller for a while until Oddworld Inhabitants bounced back in the 2010s. Since then, it's sold much better in its HD remaster on digital platforms.

* ''VideoGame/Titanfall2'' received near-unanimous critical acclaim, a warm reception from the series' fanbase after a coldly received beta, and a multiplatform launch after [[VideoGame/{{Titanfall}} the first game's]] Xbox console exclusivity. Despite this, it ultimately [[http://www.pcgamer.com/ea-share-price-dips-in-response-to-analyst-predicting-substantially-disappointing-titanfall-2-sales/ sold only a little over half of the sales of the first game.]] Many believe that publisher EA's decision to launch the game only a week after their own highly hyped multiplayer shooter, ''VideoGame/Battlefield1'', in a gambit to launch two shooters against Activison's next ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'', only ended up causing the bigger ''Battlefield 1'' to dwarf the game's presence. That said, the game [[ColbertBump saw a player count increase]] following the release of the spin-off Battle Royale game ''VideoGame/ApexLegends''.
* ''VideoGame/{{Blur}}'' was a game that received high marks for approaching VehicularCombat kart racing games with a DarkerAndEdgier feeling and more skill-based style of gameplay. Unfortunately, it sold poorly thanks to a combination of factors, including an ad campaign that took aim at ''VideoGame/MarioKart'' but only made itself look immature, as well as being released within the same week as rival games ''VideoGame/ModNationRacers'' and ''VideoGame/SplitSecond2010''. Its low sales ended with Creator/BizarreCreations being shut down: many of its employees migrated to ''[[VideoGame/{{Forza}} Forza Horizon]]'' developer Creator/PlaygroundGames, while lead designer Gareth Wilson went to work on ''[[VideoGame/SegaSuperstars Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Transformed]]'' with Sumo Digital.
* The ''VideoGame/RhythmHeaven'' franchise has always been a critical favorite for its tight gameplay and quirky charm; the games are also strong sellers in Japan, due to the name recognition of series creator Tsunku♂ and successful advertising campaigns with Japanese celebrities. ''Rhythm Heaven'' for the Nintendo DS sold well overseas thanks to the success of the Touch Generations line and ads featuring Music/{{Beyonce}}. But ''Rhythm Heaven Fever'' and ''Rhythm Heaven Megamix'' flopped outside of Japan, despite being for the money-printing Wii and 3DS, respectively. ''Fever''[='=]s underwhelming performance is attributed to its marketing and reduced price, which made it look like a UsefulNotes/{{shovelware}} minigame collection on a system that was already flooded with them. Some parts of the game became [[MemeticMutation memetic]], but memes do not sell a game. ''Megamix'', meanwhile, suffered from a NoBudget localization and InvisibleAdvertising--it was quietly released in North America as an eShop exclusive--aside from having the same image problems as ''Fever''.
* ''VideoGame/AceCombatZeroTheBelkanWar'' is fondly remembered by fans as one of the most memorable titles in the ''VideoGame/AceCombat'' series, on par with the best-selling ''VideoGame/AceCombat04ShatteredSkies''. However, being released at the very end of the Platform/PlayStation2 life cycle and with the Platform/PlayStation3 already replacing it, impacted the game's sales negatively, making it the lowest-selling title of the [=PS2=] installments at under 1 million copies sold (in fact, under a third of ''[=AC04=]''[='s=]).
* Creator/TelltaleGames[='=] unique brand of storytelling put several episodic games that were, for the most part, praised for their stories and characters -- such as ''VideoGame/TheWolfAmongUs'' and ''VideoGame/BatmanTheTelltaleSeries'' -- but aside from the ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDeadSeasonOne'' and ''VideoGame/MinecraftStoryMode'', they failed to sell well, contributing to the company being shut down in September 2018.
* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestX'' was well-received, but it has become the lowest selling ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' game in Japan by a wide margin, taking three years to sell a million copies in a series normally so popular that its release days are practically national holidays. What also didn't help the game was that due to its implied failure in Japan, it never was considered for localization, and [[ExecutiveMeddling was even saddled with an IP block and later had its offline trial removed.]]
* ''VideoGame/DrMuto'' got generally favorable reception and is generally considered to be a fun platformer. Yet despite being on the three top sixth-generation consoles, the game failed to sell well due to Creator/MidwayGames not doing much in terms of promotion. Not long after the game was released, Midway shut down its developer Midway Games West, formerly Creator/{{Atari}}'s arcade division, effectively putting the coffin in the ground for the original Atari.
* Not even ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' is immune to having a flop every now and then:
** Despite abundant marketing, strong reviews, and the established credibility of Mario as Nintendo's mascot, ''VideoGame/PaperMario64'' saw its sales severely impeded by a combination of its late release date (at the start of the 2000s, when the Platform/NintendoGameCube was just around the corner) and [[ToughActToFollow the large shadow cast over it by]] ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG''. The greater success of [[VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor its sequel]] brought the first ''Paper Mario'' into [[VindicatedByHistory belated cult classic status]], and until the Virtual Console re-released it digitally, secondhand copies of ''Paper Mario'' remained at their original selling price of US$50 or higher.
** While ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory'' is the highest seller of any ''Mario'' RPG, with 4.5 milion copies, its Platform/Nintendo3DS remake, ''Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey'', is the second-worst selling ''Mario'' game of all-time despite generally pulling in the same critical praise as the original game, with sales on par with games for the Virtual Boy, and even though its sales for the West are unknown, it only sold 340.000 copies in Japan, an even worse total than the previous remake, which also had low sales itself, with about a half milion copies sold and terrible sales in Japan. The abysmal sales had a knock-on effect on Creator/AlphaDream, who [[CreatorKiller filed for bankruptcy]] nine months after the game's release due to the poor sales of it and some of its other 3DS games falling to offset the massive amount of debt the studio was accruing, with below average sales and increasing costs of production. The game's failure in particular can be attributed to it releasing way too late into the lifespan of the Nintendo 3DS (two years after the Platform/NintendoSwitch was released), in addition to the original DS version already being playable on the handheld due to backwards compatibility, giving little incentive to pay extra for the remake's marginal improvements.
* Though ''VideoGame/WarioWareDIY'' received very good reviews and developed [[CultClassic a solid cult following]] among aspiring game designers, it was a commercial failure: in Japan, its sales were the lowest the series saw up to that point by a significant margin, and it did even worse in western countries, becoming a perennial bargain-bin filler. This is usually blamed on it being an AudienceAlienatingPremise. The complexity of the editor and small number of prebuilt games made it difficult to appeal to the series' usual pick-up-and-play audience, while the otherwise limited mechanics (games are only a few seconds in length, and they can only register simple touch screen inputs) put off those expecting a more in-depth experience.
* ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo'' series producer Mizuki Hosoyamada was given the keys to the franchise after 2005's ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyoFever2'' fell well short of the expectations Sega had for its sales, according to an interview for ''[[VideoGame/PuyoPuyo2 Sega Ages Puyo Puyo Tsu]]''. Most who have played ''Fever 2'' hold it in good regard for being greatly improved in numerous aspects compared to the original ''Fever'' - in particular, it's got a larger story mode and its writing and worldbuilding are done better.
* Creator/TakeTwoInteractive had two in 2012: ''VideoGame/MaxPayne3'', which after a strong start in spite of [[VideoGame/DiabloIII very stiff competition]], had slow sales, but eventually broke out to be an undisputed financial success; and ''VideoGame/SpecOpsTheLine'', that was lauded for its dark plot and innovative narrative that downright offered [[DeconstructionGame a deconstructive look at shooter games]], something that certainly was [[AudienceAlienatingPremise a hard sell for regular gamers]] (it hurts that the message of the game is "stop playing", which fans sometimes mention when talking about the game [[TooBleakStoppedCaring given how bleak it gets]]), while ignoring its intended audience in [[NeverTrustATrailer the advertising (which looked like a normal military shooter to trick people into thinking it was)]] due to hoping word of mouth would kick in. It didn't until far later than they hoped.

* The works of Creator/{{Tsukumizu}}, ''Manga/GirlsLastTour'' and ''Manga/ShimejiSimulation'', are considered modern classics of the 2010s and are widley praised from both critics and auidences alike, but have never been the biggest successes financially, with the former's anime adaptation in 2017 under-performing below expectations and shelving any thought of it's unadapted volumes becoming animated, though its sister series seems to be performing better.

* ''WesternAnimation/TronUprising'' was well received by critics and Tron fans alike, in particular, for its beautiful blend 2D and CGI animation (even winning an Emmy for it). And unlike most examples here, it was even given a [[AdoredByTheNetwork proper timeslot]] on Disney XD. Despite all of this, the show simply failed to attract general audiences as it did poorly on ratings. So much so, that its final epiosdes were [[ScrewedByTheNetwork moved to a midnight timeslot on Mondays]]. While technically never cancelled, only one season of Tron: Uprising has been made since 2013.

* ''Film/MissionImpossibleDeadReckoningPartOne'' (2023) opened to a highly positive reception from both critics and fans (though not as positive as its [[Film/MissionImpossibleFallout predecessor]]). Despite this, the film had the second-worst opening weekend in the series' history, and the fact that it was released a week before the "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbenheimer Barbenheimer]]" phenomenon killed any chance it had of taking the lead in subsequent weeks. Though the film fared better overseas, it still lost around $30 million when all was taken into consideration.

** "Film/{{Silence}}" was a decades-long passion project of his. After being released in 2016, it was critically acclaimed and made it into several top ten lists of film of the year. Unfortunately, the film was a BoxOfficeBomb, grossing less than half of its $50 million production budget. This commercial failure could be attributed due to a lack of interest in the subject matter and too many adult dramas that year.

** Similarly, his next film, Film/KillersOfTheFlowerMoon was also produced by a [[Creator/AppleTVPlus streaming platform]] to generate interest in subscriptions to the service. However, unlike "The Irishman", this film did have a proper theatrical release, in which it grossed $150 million on a $200 million budget, making it a commercial failure. Whether or not the film will do better in streaming, [[VindicatedByVideo remains to be seen]]. Despite this, [[AsYouKnow as you can imagine]], the film recieved critical acclaim and is considered one of the best films of 2023.

* ''Film/BlueBeetle2023'' was also highly affected by the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon, despite managing to beat box-office juggernaut ''Film/Barbie2023'' in its opening weekend[[note]] Albeit, Barbie was in its fourth week by then[[/note]], it was surpassed again by it the following week and due to stiff competition from ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesMutantMayhem'' (coincidentally, that film also recieved positive reviews but barely managed to make a profit), it made only $126 million on a $104 million budget. Making it the lowest-grossing film of the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse. Unfortunate, as the film was well received by the people who saw it, especially when compared to other releases of the DCEU. Its failure at the box-office can be attributed to the film's marketing failing to distinguish it from other superhero movies, the string of DC's failures[[note]]''Film/BlackAdam2022'', ''Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods'' and ''Film/TheFlash2023''[[/note]], the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike which prevented the cast from promoting the film and [[FireflyEffect waning interest in the DCEU]], with most audiences looking forward to the new Creator/JamesGunn-led DCU or "DC Universe". That said, both the character and actor portraying him remained after the reboot.

* ''Series/MobCity'' was [[Creator/FrankDarabont Frank Darabont's]] next TV show after his [[TroubledProduction contentious]] stint as showrunner for the first two seasons of ''Series/TheWalkingDead''. It aired six episodes and despite recieving positive reviews for being a beautiful (if somewhat familiar) love letter to the FilmNoir's of the past, it did poorly on ratings and was not picked up for a second season (likely due to the fact that it had to compete with [[Series/BoardwalkEmpire another TV show that was also about gangsters of the past]]).

* ''Comicbook/TheTick'' had a [[WesternAnimation/TheTick somewhat successful Saturday morning cartoon]] at FOX that inspired the network to attempt [[Series/TheTick2001 a live-action series]] that aired in the early 2000s; critics loved it, but audiences didn't respond as well and it got canceled after the eighth episode of nine aired. Unfortunately, history would repeat itself when Creator/AmazonPrime decided to reboot [[Series/TheTick2016 The Tick again]]. Once again, the show was positively recieved but was cancelled after only two seasons likely due to low viewership which made it unprofitable, with Amazon declining to renew it for a third season. Subsequent attempts by both fans and Series' creator Ben Edlund to find the show a new home have also failed.

* Music/{{Blur}}'s ''Modern Life is Rubbish'' recieved far more positive reviews than their debut album, ''Leisure'', and was essentially the TropeMaker for the {{Britpop}} movement. However, it underperformed commercially, peaking at #15 on the UK Album Charts (compared to Leisure's #7) and reportedly only selling around 40,000 copies in the UK upon release, and was a total flop in America. However, they were able to bounce back with the enormously successful ''Music/{{Parklife}}'', which got even better reviews and had the sales to back it up.

* ''WesternAnimation/TronUprising'' was well recieved by critics and Tron fans alike, in particular, for its beautiful blend 2D and CGI animation (even winning an Emmy for it). And unlike most examples here, it was even given a [[AdoredByTheNetwork proper timeslot]] on Disney XD. Despite all of this, the show simply failed to attract general audiences as it did poorly on ratings. So much so, that its final epiosdes were [[ScrewedByTheNetwork moved to a midnight timeslot on Mondays]]. While technically never cancelled, only one season of Tron: Uprising has been made since 2013.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Robotomy}}'' was well-loved by fans, but Creator/CartoonNetwork couldn't justify the production costs due to ''all of their overseas channels refusing to air it''. The channel decided to barely market it as a result, as they wouldn't be able to recoup costs even if it was a success.

* ''Film/BlueBeetle2023'' was also highly affected by the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon, despite managing to beat box-office juggernaut ''Film/Barbie2023'' in its opening weekend[[note]] Albeit, Barbie was in its fourth week by then[[/note]], it was surpassed again by it the following week and made only $126 million on a $104 million budget. Making it the lowest-grossing film of the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse. Another stiff competitor was ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesMutantMayhem'' (coincidentally, that film also recieved positive reviews but barely managed to make a profit). Unfortunate, as the film was well received by the people who saw it, especially when compared to other releases of the DCEU. Its failure at the box-office can be attributed to the film's marketing failing to distinguish it from other superhero movies, the string of DC's failures[[note]]''Film/BlackAdam2022'', ''Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods'' and ''Film/TheFlash2023''[[/note]], the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike which prevented the cast from promoting the film and [[FireflyEffect waning interest in the DCEU]], with most audiences looking forward to the new Creator/JamesGunn-led DCU or "DC Universe". That said, both the character and actor portraying him remained after the reboot.

* ''Film/BlueBeetle2023'' was also highly affected by the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon, despite managing to beat box-office juggernaut ''Film/Barbie2023'' in its opening weekend[[note]] Albeit, Barbie was in its fourth week by then[[/note]], it was surpassed again by it the following week and made only $126 million on a $104 million budget. Making it the lowest-grossing film of the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse. Another stiff competitor was ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesMutantMayhem'' (coincidentally, that film also recieved positive reviews but barely managed to make a profit). Unfortunate, as the film was well received by the people who saw it, especially when compared to other releases of the DCEU. Its failure at the box-office can be attributed to the film's marketing failing to distinguish it from other superhero movies, the string of DC's failures[[note]]''Film/BlackAdam2022'', ''Film/ShazamFuryOfTheGods'' and ''Film/TheFlash2023''[[/note]], the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike which prevented the cast from promoting the film and [[FireflyEffect waning interest in the DCEU]], with most audiences looking forward to the new Creator/JamesGunn-led DCU or "DC Universe". That said, both the character and actor portraying him shall remain after the reboot.

* ''VideoGame/KlonoaDoorToPhantomile'' for the Platform/PlayStation received glowing reviews from critics but bombed at retail for being mistaken as a kiddy. The game would go on to become a cult classic, fetching over $60 on eBay at its peak. Same went for its EvenBetterSequel ''VideoGame/Klonoa2LunateasVeil''. History repeated itself with the Wii remake, which Namco hoped would sell greatly and regain interest in the franchise, especially since most Wii owners like cutesy games, but the remake sold poorly too, and the planned ''Klonoa 2'' Wii remake was canceled.

* ''Manga/BigWindup'' is largely thought to have killed interest in the sports genre of anime until the 2010s revived it. Despite its thriving fanbase, the English home video release sold extremely poorly, and thus the second season went unlicensed until much later.

* The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X failed to meet sales expectations despite being very popular in automotive media such as video games and television shows, and the company Mitsubishi Motors had to [[FranchiseKiller discontinue both the regular Lancer and its Evolution line]] due to MisaimedMarketing.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Frankenweenie}}'' has been acclaimed by critics and was a strong contender to win Best Animated Feature at the Oscars (it got the strongest reviews of that year's five contenders), but opened to a disappointing $11 million despite positive reception and a huge marketing campaign. The financial disappointment owes to several factors: an AudienceAlienatingPremise, the fact that [[MisaimedMarketing it's not nearly as kid-friendly as its marketing suggested]] and the fact that it opened only ''a week'' after the more accessible {{Dueling Movie|s}} ''WesternAnimation/HotelTransylvania''.

** ''VideoGame/BrutalLegend'' got great reviews but poor sales. The MisaimedMarketing, which portrayed it as a straight-up third-person action game when it makes a GenreShift to a RealTimeStrategy after the first few hours, also hurt.