Updates That Ruined Games

Fans of gaming know that updates are a common practice. Developers use them to fix bugs, improve the experience, and add new content to an existing game. Some updates have been known to save games, like Cyberpunk 2077. With the way modern gaming has evolved, the game players receive on day one of release is often drastically changed following community feedback. In the event of games like Assassin’s Creed Unity, which was riddled with bugs upon release, a title can be saved by patches and updates. Unity now stands tall as the game it always should have been.

But for every success story when it comes to updates, there is always the chance that some updates can have a negative impact. Some updates receive a negative reaction from players, or introduce new issues into the game. In a lot of scenarios, developers listen to feedback and revert these decisions. However, the stain left by a negative update can permanently impact the reputation of a game.

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6

Runescape

The Evolution Of Combat Update Was A Bust

Systems

Runescape became a massively popular game in the early 2000s. Developed by Jagex, Runescape is an MMORPG set in the world of Gielinor, in which players decide their own destiny by completing quests.

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When Runescape introduced the Evolution of Combat update, it was presented as the next step for Runescape players, with a whole new combat system in place. Although this improvement was seen as a huge change, some players weren’t happy with the update as they had grown to love the existing combat system. Fortunately, Jagex introduced Old School Runescape, bringing back the old combat system and giving players the option to choose between the new edition and old school editions. That being said, with the developers releasing Old School Runescape, many feel that the Evolution of Combat update ruined the original game.

5

Destiny 2

When Bungie released the Forsaken DLC for Destiny 2, players were greeted by a host of new content, but also a new update that received a huge amount of backlash from the community. This was because of the “Sunsetting” feature, which meant that weapons and armor could only be infused to a certain level. This meant that players who wanted to master new end game content would have to find or purchase new weapons, causing considerable frustration for players who wanted to tackle the new content with their existing weapons.

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Fortunately, Bungie listened to the community. In the Final Shape DLC, they removed “Sunsetting,” allowing players to upgrade their older weapons to take on new challenges.

4

Far Cry

The Original Far Cry’s 1.4 Patch Let Enemies Shoot Through Walls

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The original Far Cry was developed by Crytek, introducing players to the Tropical Rain Forest in the South Pacific. The protagonist, Jack Carver, aims to find a journalist taken captive by mercenaries.

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The update in question is patch 1.4. This update introduced an unexpected bug to the game, allowing enemies to see through walls and shoot the player. This broke the game, as players were unable to fire back before already being killed. Fortunately, a new patch was implemented quickly to remove the issue. However, as part of an update, the possibility of being shot by an enemy that the player can’t see definitely ruined the game for a short time.

3

Super Smash Bros. For 3DS And WiiU

The Addition Of Bayonetta Broke The Balancing

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Released

October 3, 2014

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

The Super Smash Bros. franchise is a sandbox fighting game in which players can choose from a collection of characters from different video game franchises and battle against friends and other players online. The game features fun and frantic gameplay with each hero having their own combos to KO opponents by knocking them off the stage.

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When Bayonetta was added to Super Smash Bros. for WiiU, she was far too powerful. Players who used the new character had an unfair advantage, and skilled players could eliminate enemies using one combo. This led to discussions about banning Bayonetta in Super Smash Bros. tournaments. Fortunately, Bayonetta was patched to reduce her effectiveness, but for some players, this update ruined the game.

2

Star Wars Galaxies

The Trials Of Obi-Wan Expansion Led To Players Asking Sony For Refunds

Star Wars Galaxies was an MMORPG set within the ever-popular Star Wars franchise. The game allowed players to create their own characters and take on different jobs with professions in the Star Wars universe, working towards their own goals. It was hugely popular upon its release, but it all came crashing down with the Trials of Obi-Wan expansion.

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The expansion featured hours of additional content, but one week after its release, it changed the character development system. This updated progression system made Jedi a starting profession within the game, completely tanking the in-world economy and decimating a player base that had already begun to decline. Many players requested refunds for the expansion due to the player count dropping. The developers eventually stated they regretted the decision to add the New Game Enhancements, cementing its place as an update that ruined a game.

1

Forza Horizon 4

An Update Introduced A Bug That Made The Game Unplayable

Systems

Released

September 28, 2018

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Forza Horizon 4 is an open-world racing game set in a fictional world based on Great Britain, in which players are tasked with winning races, finding collectibles and completing stunts. The game impressed players with its stunning open world and incredible driving mechanics, but one update caused a lot of problems.

For some players, upon the download of the 7GB update in May 2021, they weren’t able to start the game, with their Xbox reverting to a black screen and turning off. This update not only ruined the game but broke it entirely, stopping players from accessing it until a follow-up patch was released a few days later. For this reason, this is top of the list of updates that ruined games.

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