The times of comparatively brief growth cycles for big-budget AAA video games seems like a distant reminiscence, as it is not unusual for titles to spend a few years in growth. Lately, a five-year manufacturing cycle is not unusual in any respect, and a few video games take the higher a part of a decade to be launched. Such prolonged waits aren’t intrinsically dangerous, as video games like Crimson Desert and Doom 2016 had been definitely worth the wait.
However proper now? Quite a few studios have been toiling away on their respective initiatives, protecting out of the highlight and providing little to no updates alongside the best way. A few of them have undergone drastic overhauls behind the scenes, and others had been introduced approach too early with slick teaser trailers that had been designed to excite followers andrecruit folks to the challenge. There is a good probability that you just may need forgotten about most of the video games under, however when you’re trying to refresh your reminiscence, you may take a look at our record under of the largest video games nonetheless trapped in growth hell.
Past Good & Evil 2
- First introduced: 2008
We’re quick approaching the 20-year mark since Past Good & Evil 2 was first introduced, and within the years since,, it has turn into the sport business’s Sasquatch–a creature of legend that we’re sure exists, however we now have no actual proof to show it. The sport was re-announced, this time as an open-world prequel, in 2017, however we have solely gotten occasional updates since then, and mainly nothing of substance over the past a number of years.
So what is the present state of this long-in-development challenge? Following the structural overhaul at Ubisoft, a number of video games had been outright canceled, however Past Good & Evil 2 has managed to outlive that cull. Ubisoft artistic director Fawzi Mesmar confirmed work continues to be continuing on it, and as of late final 12 months, Ubisoft was truly hiring for it.
The Wolf Amongst Us 2
- First introduced: 2017
Within the years since The Wolf Amongst Us 2 was introduced, the marketplace for narrative-adventure video games has modified considerably. Telltale Integrated as we knew it folded in 2018 and was then relaunched as Telltale Video games after LCG Leisure acquired a number of key Telltale belongings. The Wolf Amongst Us 2 was re-announced on the 2019 version of The Sport Awards, and since then, there have been sporadic updates on it. In late 2024, Telltale addressed rumors that the sport was vulnerable to being shelved resulting from monetary difficulties and inner stress, following vital layoffs in September 2023 that affected a lot of the workforce engaged on it.
State of Decay 3
- First introduced: 2020
One in every of a number of Xbox initiatives that has been effervescent away for what seems like an eternity, State of Decay 3 continues to be in growth. One of many more moderen updates for the zombie-survival recreation got here in January 2026, when Head of Xbox Sport Studios Craig Duncan commented on its present state. “I’ve performed a number of visits to that studio within the final six to eight months,” Duncan mentioned. “I’ve sat and performed the sport with the workforce a bunch of instances. It is approaching rather well. We’re very excited in regards to the franchise and its potential. So I’ll definitely see much more of it within the coming 12 months.”
With a busy 2026 forward of it that features video games like Forza Horizon 6, Fable, Kiln, and Halo; Marketing campaign Developed, State of Decay 3 is probably going being saved in reserve for 2027, however the excellent news is that we is perhaps getting a brand new take a look at it quickly. Undead Labs just lately revealed that it will be holding playtests for State of Decay 3 all year long.
BioShock 4
- First introduced: 2019
The following BioShock recreation has been in growth for a lengthytime, but it surely does not appear like it is at risk of being canceled but. Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick addressed the prolonged growth cycle in November 2025, promising that it could finally come out. These feedback got here within the wake of BioShock 4 reportedly present process an overhaul and layoffs at developer Cloud Chamber that led to the departure of studio head Kelley Gilmore, with former Diablo boss Rod Fergusson taking up.
Star Wars: Eclipse
- First introduced: 2021
Star Wars: Eclipse was introduced an extended, very long time in the past, and since then, it has been nothing however radio silence from developer Quantic Dream. In 2025, Quantic Dream mentioned the sport was nonetheless on observe, however current studies counsel that its future is perhaps unsure. The way forward for the sport may hinge on the studio’s upcoming free-to-play multiplayer title Spellcasters Chronicles, and progress has reportedly been sluggish on Eclipse. “Ought to Spellcasters fail commercially, NetEase is anticipated to reevaluate its dedication to the studio and will decide to discontinue additional funding,” a supply mentioned to Insider Gaming just lately.
It is also price noting that story parts for the sport could have been deliberately leaked again in 2022, reportedly as a strategy to gauge curiosity within the title.
Star Wars: Knights of the Previous Republic Remake
- First introduced: 2021
The Star Wars: Knights of the Previous Republic remake has had a rocky growth path ever because it was first introduced. Again in 2025, it was claimed that developer Aspyr had been faraway from the challenge and that Mad Head Video games–the studio presently engaged on Hellraiser: Revival–was put in cost. That very same report additionally claimed {that a} remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Previous Republic 2 had been put in carbonite, however Saber’s chief artistic officer Tim Willits just lately supplied a quick replace on it. “Sure, it’s nonetheless in growth. That is all I can say,” Willits mentioned.
Past that, there hasn’t been a peep or perhaps a leak of the sport, because it stays extra well-hidden than a Sith lord in the course of the Excessive Republic period.
Marvel’s Iron Man
- First introduced: 2022
EA as soon as had a number of Marvel video games in growth, however final 12 months noticed one in every of them canceled. The Black Panther challenge got here to a screeching halt following the closure of its developer, Cliffhanger Video games, however what of EA Motive’s Iron Man recreation? Following EA’s announcement that it was promoting itself for $55 billion to varied traders and going personal, many individuals had been questioning if Iron Man and the thriller Marvel challenge had been in jeopardy, however up to now, there hasn’t been a peep from EA on their standing.
The newest replace for the sport got here in April 2025, as a job itemizing revealed a couple of extra particulars on the challenge. The itemizing referred to as for a level-design skilled with expertise in single-player action-RPG video games, and the challenge has reportedly made additional growth strides since then. Aside from a teaser picture for the sport, not a single screenshot or teaser trailer for Iron Man has been launched but.
Marvel’s Blade
- First introduced: 2023
One in every of a number of Marvel video games that had been introduced within the early 2020s, Marvel’s Blade was revealed with a flashy trailer in 2023. Since then, developer Arkane has saved quiet on the challenge, releasing the occasional screenshot that highlights how Blade must tackle a military of Vampires which have invaded Paris. In December 2025, Arkane Lyon’s co-creative director mentioned that the sport continues to be in growth and that the studio has excessive requirements that it needs to achieve for this launch. Contemplating that Xbox’s new management has pushed ahead with a gamer-centric course, there’s nonetheless hope that Blade may lastly see the sunshine of day.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra
- First introduced: 2021
With a photorealistic presentation, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra seems prefer it’ll push present console and PC gaming {hardware} to the bleeding edge of what is doable. Set throughout World Battle II in Nazi-occupied Paris, the sport has been hit with a number of delays because it was first introduced, and its present launch window means that it will not be out for fairly a while.
“Our purpose is to ship unforgettable, premium video games that honor the characters and worlds we’re lucky to work with. Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra is an formidable challenge, and we’re dedicated to making sure it meets the extent of high quality that our workforce, gamers, and followers anticipate,” Skydance Media mentioned in 2025. “To completely understand our imaginative and prescient for Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, we have made the choice to shift our launch window past early 2026.”
Ark 2
- First introduced: 2020
We do not know when Ark 2 will likely be out precisely, however we do know that it is making the clever option to keep away from being caught within the GTA 6 blast zone. Developer Studio Wildcard initially introduced the sequel all the best way again in 2020, and the brand new launch date window for the sport is a nebulous 2028. Ark 2 was initially scheduled to launch in 2023, however a number of delays noticed Wildcard undertake a low profile because it continued to work on the challenge. The sport blends the survival-crafting and dinosaur-taming motion of the unique with souls-like fight, and Vin Diesel is concerned within the challenge as its president of artistic convergence.
Splinter Cell remake
- First introduced: 2021
5 years have handed for the reason that Splinter Cell remake was first introduced, and since then, there have been some huge organizational modifications at Ubisoft. In January 2026, the corporate formally revealed the way it had restructured into a number of completely different Inventive Homes targeted on sure franchises, with the Splinter Cell remake falling below Inventive Home 2 and developer Ubisoft Toronto, a division targeted on aggressive and cooperative shooter experiences that additionally led growth on Splinter Cell Blacklist again in 2013. Worryingly, round 40 builders had been laid off from the studio just lately, however Ubisoft says that Splinter Cell hasn’t been canceled.
“The Toronto studio continues growth on the Splinter Cell recreation and serves as a co-development accomplice on Rainbow Six, together with supporting extra co-development initiatives,” Ubisoft mentioned.
Little Satan Inside
- First introduced: 2015
An action-adventure recreation that was efficiently crowdfunded on Kickstarter over a decade in the past, Little Satan Inside has been MIA for a number of years now. Throughout the October 2021 PlayStation State of Play, a launch date of 2022 was teased, however that launch window got here and went. Just lately, developer Neostream supplied an apology to backers, explaining in a 2024 replace that the workforce had undergone quite a few modifications through the years and that the studio continues to be aiming to complete Little Satan Inside. There isn’t any launch date but, however the studio did say on the time that it had “began discussions” relating to publishing.
Gang of Dragon
First introduced: 2022
Issues are wanting dire for Nagoshi Studio and its debut recreation, Gang of Dragon. Yakuza and Like A Dragon veteran Toshihiro Nagoshi’s studio has been engaged on the sport for a number of years now, however a current report advised that the way forward for each the sport and the studio is in danger following NetEase’s choice to tug its funding. In keeping with Bloomberg, the sport nonetheless wants round $44 million in funding to be accomplished, and a take care of NetEase to cowl the price of the sport belongings already created has but to be finalized.
The report additionally added that “NetEase is just open to negotiations if the studio will pay its approach out,” and that will probably be compelled to pay “the corresponding prices if it needs to maintain the belongings or model.”
Mission Awakening
- First introduced: 2016
No matter occurred to Mission Awakening? Initially introduced in 2016 as a “high-end console recreation” in 2016 by Japanese studio Cygames, particulars on the challenge have slowly trickled out over the past decade. Following a brief gameplay teaser seen behind closed doorways at E3 2018, the sport has been described as an open-world action-RPG set in a world of excessive fantasy and targeted on fight, with some multiplayer parts thrown in for good measure.
Past that, a quick glimpse of Mission Awakening was proven at a Cygames Tech Convention session in 2021, and it is nonetheless listed as an in-development challenge in line with monetary paperwork from Cygames’ father or mother firm, CyberAgent.
Plan 8
First introduced: 2019
Yet one more long-in-development recreation, Plan 8 was first revealed as an formidable MMO shooter from Pearl Abyss. Improvement has continued through the years, however Plan 8’s sci-fi world of exosuits and mechanized threats has taken a backseat to different video games, like that humble open-world action-RPG you may need heard about recently, referred to as Crimson Desert.
Dokev
- First introduced: 2019
Talking of Pearl Abyss video games, Dokev was additionally one of many video games introduced in the course of the G-Star 2019 convention in Busan, South Korea. Dokev was pitched as a collective MMORPG with colourful vibes, and with the discharge of Crimson Desert, Pearl Abyss has extra builders out there to work on the challenge. The studio estimates that “it’ll take about two to 3 years” for Dokev to lastly see the sunshine of day.
FairGame$
- First introduced: 2023
Sony’s grand plan to launch a number of live-service video games has hit a number of highway bumps through the years. The corporate says it is nonetheless dedicated to live-service video games regardless of current stumbles, however Fairgame$ was conspicuously absent from its Company Report for 2025. In manufacturing at Sony’s Haven Studios, the developer has misplaced key personnel like studio boss Jade Raymond and recreation director Daniel Drapeau through the years. As of September 2025, FairGame$ was mentioned to be popping out in Spring 2026.
Mass Impact 5
- First introduced: 2020
5 years after a brand new Mass Impact recreation was first introduced, BioWare continues to be staying mum on the challenge. The newest replace got here throughout 2025’s N7 day–November 7–with government producer Michael Gamble commenting that the subsequent entry within the Mass Impact collection stays in growth. Gamble did not straight deal with current rumors about BioWare probably being shut down or offered off as a part of EA’s $55 billion sale to an investor consortium led by Saudi Arabia.
“We now have a variety of universe to cowl, numerous options to construct, and plenty of romances to determine. We’re excited by what we’re constructing, and we promise you: After we’re prepared, it’s going to be a variety of enjoyable to indicate,” Gamble mentioned.
Murderer’s Creed: Codename Hexe
- First revealed: 2022
4 years on, Murderer’s Creed: Codename Hexe stays a thriller. Nothing in regards to the recreation’s setting or characters has been formally revealed, and the challenge just lately misplaced its artistic director, Ubisoft veteran Clint Hocking. Described as “a really completely different” kind of Murderer’s Creed, the sport is reportedly targeted on witchcraft and can permit gamers to own a cat. In a 2026 replace, Ubisoft mentioned it was nonetheless dedicated to the challenge, and it teased followers with a “distinctive, darker, narrative-driven Murderer’s Creed expertise,” set throughout a pivotal second in historical past.
The Elder Scrolls 6
- First introduced: 2018
The Elder Scrolls 6 has turn into one thing of a meme at this level, as Bethesda is not in a rush to pump out a brand new chapter in its fantasy action-RPG collection. Bethesda’s Todd Howard just lately mentioned that the corporate is concentrated on its present video games and updates for them, and he jokingly mentioned that followers ought to overlook about that 2018 reveal solely. Beforehand, Howard questioned if Bethesda ought to have introduced The Elder Scrolls 6 so early, however he did tease that it may return to the traditional roots of older Bethesda video games.
