Here's the thing about games: you can never have enough. No matter how many incredible virtual worlds we've experienced, there's always something new on the horizon to get us excited for the next big game all over again. Even though there are plenty of stellar games to enjoy in the here and now, it's never too early to get excited for what's coming, and what could be.

Here's a look at our most anticipated games coming in 2016 and beyond, from original ideas like ReCore and Horizon: Zero Dawn to high-profile sequels such as Uncharted 4, Dishonored 2, and Mass Effect: Andromeda. It's going to be another great year for gaming - just try not to think about how long it'll be until we finally get to play these excellent-looking titles.

It’s taken years for Harmonix to take another shot at Amplitude, a music-and-rhythm game cherished fiercely by the people who actually played it back when it launched on PlayStation 2. Its new incarnation is aimed precisely at that crowd of longtime supporters, in part because they’re the ones paying for it through Kickstarter, and in part because it’s a game so evocative of the PS2’s more experimental days. In 2016 we’ll see those days modernized by Harmonix in a gorgeous, abstract rhythm game about blasting down a space highway, triggering pulsating notes, switching tracks and becoming immersed in the studio’s in-house electronic music.

Available: January 2016 (PS4), Early 2016 (PS3)

Every day is opposite day in XCOM 2. In this alternate history to XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the rogue organization XCOM is now the Rebellion to the aliens’ Empire. Earth has been overrun. The aliens now occupy our planet, forcing XCOM to become a leaner, faster operation. Firaxis' Greg Foertsch told us this new game is all about hit-and-run tactics. Your enemies outnumber you, are better armed, and have the home field advantage, so you need to hit 'em fast and get the hell out before backup arrives. As I noted in my , "XCOM: Enemy Within tried to reinforce a more frantic pace by introducing MELD. XCOM 2 bakes this playstyle into the core of its design."

Available: February 5 (PC, Mac)

It's no secret that Gearbox has struggled to step out from the shadow of its own massively successful Borderlands series. The studio's other projects (such as finishing Duke Nukem Forever and Aliens: Colonial Marines) have been met with … less than positive reception. Hopefully Battleborn, a unique spin on the co-op shooter formula that made Borderlands so popular, can turn things around. While it's not a MOBA per se, it certainly wears the influence of the genre on its sleeve to create a tightly-controlled experience that makes each level feel more directed and less meandering than its open-world predecessors. With tons of colorful characters to choose from and a distinct flair for personality, this may be the best chance Gearbox has to prove they're not a one-franchise wonder.

Available: February 9 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

Deus Ex: Human Revolution was way better than it had any right to be. It also opened in 2007, an era when every series under the sun from RPGs to strategy games were being transformed into basic shooters. Instead of a dumb FPS, Human Revolution was an expert blend of story, role-playing, action and stealth. sees the same team of creators emboldened by their success and working on an even grander scale.

Available: February 23 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

It's always nice to see a cult classic get a second chance in the spotlight. The original Mirror's Edge delivered the critically-praised and novel concept of a first-person parkour game, and those who played it generally loved it. Unfortunately, those numbers were a bit on the low side, and it looked like we would never get the chance to see the ideas present in Mirror's Edge refined into something better. Imagine our surprise when Mirror's Edge Catalyst appeared - this reboot developed by DICE (Battlefield 4, Battlefront) in the Frostbite 3 engine (used by most of EA's recent games, including the aforementioned Battlefield 4 and Battlefront) looks good enough to get us freerunning again.

Available: February 23 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

A deadly virus has broken out and spread across the United States on Black Friday (and no, it's not amiibo fever), causing the government to collapse in under a week. In response, what remains of an organization called The Division must restore order and help prevent any further chaos. Of course, this means exploring a derelict New York City with friends and hunting for awesome loot, a la Destiny - though your friends might not stick around if you backstab them in the game's many PvP Dark Zones.

Available: March 8 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

The Ghosts are back, and this time they’re free to roam the land, taking down tangoes as they see fit. is an open-world co-op military shooter, where you choose how to approach each mission. It’s designed for squads of four, and friends can drop-in to help out at any time, although the AI will take over if you just want to solo the game. It takes plenty of cues from Ubi’s other action games, like Far Cry and Assassin’s Creed, so expect stacks of mini-missions, side-ops, and different ways to approach each objective. Probably no elephants or honey badgers, though (unfortunately).

Available: TBA (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

Following a delay that pushed out of the 2015 holiday season, A Thief's End has a firm release date in March 2016, so everyone has three more months to emotionally prepare for the end of Nathan Drake. Of course, it's not certain that's what the title means - Nathan's long-lost brother Sam (new to the series and played by Troy Baker) also appears to be a thief, so it's anyone's guess which thief will be 'ending'. What we know for sure is that Sam convinces Drake to return to the globe-trotting, treasure-pilfering life for one last job off the coast of Madagascar. Sully is in tow for optimal joke making, and per the E3 demo we get plenty of the intense car chases we've come to love from Drake's adventures. Elena has yet to make an appearance, but no need to worry just yet - what would the last Uncharted game be without Elena? Sob.

Available: March 18 (PS4)

After breathing new life into the fighting game genre with 2008's Street Fighter 4, developer Capcom now finds itself in an interesting position with its upcoming sequel. SF4 found great success in going back to the basics, in keeping things simple. But sequels demand new ideas, and delivers by replacing the focus attack mechanic with three new designs: V-Triggers, V-Skills, and V-Reversals. So far, the result feels like a mix between Injustice: Gods Among Us and the Street Fighter Alpha series, with a heavy focus on giving each fighter individualized gimmicks. And if that doesn't get you pumped, well, there's always R. Mika.

Available: March (PS4, PC)

Quantum Break represents a big departure for Remedy - it’s not a story about a Mister Q. Break. As for the rest, well, it’s totally what you’d want from the creators of Max Payne and Alan Wake (starring Max Payne and Alan Wake, respectively): slick third-person action, extravagant graphics, environmental catastrophes, and a pulpy time-travel story driving you from one cliffhanger to the next. Quantum Break also has a live-action television component interspersed with gameplay episodes, balancing the developer’s desire to not only hook you on an unfurling plot, but to respect the fact that you probably don’t have time to watch and play the whole thing in one sitting. Not that it’ll be any less hard to put down, going by Remedy’s previous games.

Available: April 5, 2016 (Xbox One)

Once upon a time, Rare fans dreamed of a game they awkwardly dubbed 'Banjo-Threeie' - basically, the next Banjo-Kazooie game after the stellar Banjo-Tooie. Unfortunately, that game never materialized (Nuts and Bolts doesn't count). But next year, Yooka-Laylee - a new mascot-happy platformer made by a group of ex-Rare devs called Playtonic Games - promises to hit fans right in the nostalgia with a cheeky, cartoony, collect-a-thon-y return to form. If screenshots from the game's Kickstarter campaign are any hint, expect a 3D adventure-platformer where a bat and chameleon duo collect golden book pages called "Pagies" to expand the world around them. Add in that the character designer, environmental artist, and composers from Rare's good 'ol days are also on the project, and I'm starting to feel some deja vu.

Available: October (PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, PC, Mac)

A follow-up to the excellent classic role-playing game Divinity: Original Sin, this sequel easily sailed past its Kickstarter goal and looks set to build on the impressive manipulation tactics set by its predecessor. This time out, the theme is “how your origins affect who you are and what chances you get in life,” and you’ll be able to exploit character weaknesses to achieve your goals. If the first game is anything to go by, you can expect to get up to a lot of magic-based mischief.

Available: December (PC)

One of the most underrated open-world playgrounds is primed to make a hell of a comeback in 2016. The urban sandbox of the Crackdown universe is all about taking down crime lords in the most egregious, property-obliterating ways you can think of - and with the power of the Xbox One backing it, .

Available: TBA (Xbox One)

The master is back. After taking a supporting role on the development of Dark Souls 2, From Software's Hidetaka Miyazaki is back in the director's chair for the next (and last) installment in the Dark Souls saga. The grand finale to this legendary action-RPG franchise has a lot to live up to, and it's interesting that there seems to be a lot of Bloodborne's DNA in its make-up. So expect not only demon-stabbing, slashing and flaming, but also some of the best enemy designs around. No pressure, then.

Available: TBA (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

If you're looking for blood, gore, shotguns, and more gore, the new Doom looks like it has all of those bases covered. In the E3 2015 gameplay demo, we finally got to see Doom in action and it wasn’t long before we were seeing demons decapitated by shotgun blasts and ghouls being dismembered with a chainsaw. Doom looks like it's staying true to ye old shooter mechanics of yore, forcing you to pick up armor and health packs, but there is new flair added to the shooting with gruesome execution moves that allow you to stomp heads and rip the arms off of stunned enemies. Oh, the joy.

Available: TBA (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

During Bethesda's first ever E3 press conference, the company with announcements for Doom, Fallout 4… and Dishonored 2, sequel to the 2012 gaspunk sneak-a-thon Dishonored, right alongside. Set ten-plus years after the end of the first game, Dishonored 2 will feature two main characters: Corvo, our familiar protagonist, and Emily Kaldwin, his young charge-turned-magical-Assassin. Each will have their own storyline and set of powers, and if Dishonored 2's E3 trailer is any indication, you can be just as ruthless no matter who you choose.

Available: Spring (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

Media Molecule made a name for itself with off-the-wall game concepts populated by universally appealing characters, as seen in LittleBigPlanet and Tearaway. But Dreams is definitely its most experimental project yet, even by the studio's eccentric standards. What little we've seen of this surreal experience involves shaping objects and vignettes from a highly moldable, clay-like material, which can then be animated through a sort of PS4 puppetry and shared with other users (a la LBP). The idea is that you'll eventually wander through a string of completely unalike, ethereal visions, but how that'll function in terms of actual gameplay is still a mystery.

Available: TBA (PS4)

When Final Fantasy 15 arrives in 2016, it will have officially been in development for ten years. Despite name changes, platform shifts, and a brand new director taking over the game, it’s actually looking like it might have been worth the wait. Director Hajime Tabata has a flair for taking risks with Square Enix’s flagship series, as with the strange mix of manga melodrama and war documentary in his most recent release, Final Fantasy Type-0. The emerging themes of bombastic anime action and lend themselves nicely to a road trip story full of cars, camping, and magic roadside diners. All that helps make Final Fantasy XV an ambitious, truly unique entry not just in the series, but in the role-playing genre as a whole.

Available: TBA (PS4, Xbox One)

Gears is back, and while the series over time evolved into a brotastic locust-filled curb-stomp-fest (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing) many of us are excited that Gears of War 4 will bring back the darker, horror-tinged vibe that the series initially started out with. There's not much to know at this point other than the fact that the two leads, Kait and JD, are fighting bizarre creatures in courtyards and dark corridors with familiar weapons. The studio responsible for the franchise, now renamed to The Coalition, is led by Rod Fergusson, the former Director of Production at Epic Games, who has been working on the series since the first game.

Available: Holiday 2016 (Xbox One)

Halo Wars 2 ranks pretty high up there on the list of 'sequels we never expected to happen in 2016'. The first Halo Wars, while not a bad game, didn't exactly light the fires of passion in either the Halo fanbase or RTS players - partly due to its limited tactics and console exclusivity. Halo Wars 2 looks to change that in a couple of very important ways. First, it's coming to Xbox One and PC, and second, it's being developed by Creative Assembly, the studio behind the Total War franchise. Those guys and gals know their stuff, and it gives hope that Halo Wars 2 will be more complex and honor the RTS genre in a stronger way than its predecessor.

Available: Fall 2016 (Xbox One, PC)

It’s been a long and troubled development but Homefront: The Revolution is finally seeing the light of day and, from what we’ve played, it’s shaping up nicely. A sprawling open world city makes it feel like Far Cry with guerilla warfare and that’s just fine. Philadelphia in 2029 is ruled by the Greater Korean Republic and it’s you and a bundle of other (mostly leather clad) rebels taking on the city with explosives in hand. Just like Mad Max, everything goes boom here and there’s even remote-controlled explosive devices to take on the technologically-superior enemy. Dambusters is concentrating on weapon customization with every part of your weapon able to be satisfyingly swapped out for other bits. The action is suitably chaotic, too, with enemy drones sweeping in and sending you running for cover to replan your attack. Add in a motorbike to cross the city and Orwellian areas of the map to explore and this is an open world we’re excited to explore.

Available: TBA (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

This is just about the last game you'd expect from the team behind Killzone: a post-apocalyptic adventure game where you play as a young woman hunting robot dinosaurs. That's the concept behind (which we'll just be calling 'Horizon', thank you very much), where you'll be hunting mechanical prey with nothing but a bow, arrows, and whatever other gear you can collect from the object of your hunt. Since you have only the most primitive equipment to work with in this hostile world, you'll have to be clever about how you use it, setting traps or using stealth in places when a direct confrontation means death between some beastie’s mechanical jaws. Little is known about the story, but the sincere, unflinching way it approaches its premise (Robot. Dinosaurs.) more than has our attention.

Available: TBA (PS4)

After departing Epic Games in 2012, Cliff Bleszinski went on to start his own studio, Boss Key Productions. LawBreakers is the first effort from the new studio: a fast, futuristic, free-to-play arena shooter that harkens back to the days of like Unreal Tournament and Quake. LawBreakers evokes those classics' relentless pacing and verticality (yes, it's even got rocket-jumping), but mimics contemporary shooters like Overwatch and Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 in that you play as unique characters with special abilities. We're excited for LawBreakers' gorgeous, graceful carnage, though it remains to be seen how publisher Nexon will handle the game's microtransactions.

Available: TBA (PC)

LEGO Marvel’s Avengers assemble for the second time in this goofy, co-op friendly format but now, it’s based off the recent Marvel movies The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron as well as the comics. It’s meant to be a celebration of everything Avengers related all in one - even Stan Lee will make an appearance as Iron Stan. It’ll likely be everything that you know and love about LEGO games, because Traveller’s Tales has got this formula nailed down.

Available: January 26 (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PS Vita, 3DS, Wii U, PC)

LEGO Worlds is already available on Steam Early Access and it’s what you picture it to be, a sandbox game that allows you to build an entire worlds made up of LEGO Bricks. Finally! The worlds are procedurally generated and you have landscaping tools carve out the LEGO paradise that you’ve always dreamed of. At least you never run the risk of stepping on stray pieces, because that hurts.

Available: TBA (PC, TBD)

It's easy to forget that Mario - the mustachioed mascot who sold millions by platforming through the Mushroom Kingdom - stars in some of the wittiest, most enjoy RPGs available. Both the Paper Mario and Mario Luigi games are known for their wry humor and their timing attacks - hitting a button in time with an attack to deal extra damage. Jam is an RPG mashup of both Mario role-playing universes. Considering the Paper Mario series has been in a weird place with its last two entries, hopefully this collaboration will return it to its RPG roots.

Available: Spring 2016 (3DS)

Commander Shepard's story is over and the Reaper invasion is behind us. Now what is the human race to do? Explore space, obviously. If Star Trek has taught us anything, it's that you can have some incredible adventures out in deep space. In Mass Effect: Andromeda, you take on the role of a new main character as he or she (or maybe it?) explores the Milky Way's neighboring galaxy Andromeda. Not much is known about the game yet, but we have seen glimpses of what appears to be a Mako-like land rover and the return of omni blades.

Available: Q4 2016 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

Mega Man purists might have a tough time making the transition from the classic Blue Bomber to the new android Beck, but the spirit of the fighting robot is definitely in Mighty No. 9. The classic side-scrolling shooting and platforming gameplay has a new home, but this spiritual successor is still under the watchful eye of Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune. After beating each boss, Beck earns Mighty Skills that allow him to take additional forms (including a tank), or morph his arms to gain magnetic powers. Each new ability gives him access to previously closed off areas and exposes enemy weak points.

Available: March (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, Vita, 3DS)

When it comes to Kirkman’s zombies, we’ve been from the sublime work of Telltale to the ridiculous awfulness that was Terminal Reality’s Survival Instinct. Overkill’s The Walking Dead wants to deliver the undead experience we really need and with the full support of Robert Kirkman himself, the Payday 2 devs might just deliver something (bloody) special. This slice of zombie action is all about co-op in post-apocalyptic Washington and is set in the comic book universe, not the TV show. It’s an FPS but has elements of stealth, survival horror and good old headshots as you and a friend attempt to survive in a world more than a bit hungry for your brains. We’ve not seen quite enough to know if Overkill can topple Telltale but it looks like it’s going to be gorily exciting to find out.

Available: TBA (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

Sometimes, suburbia just isn't big enough to contain an all-out war between the walking dead and sentient plant-life. Sometimes, you need to take the fight to the moon. Garden Warfare 2 is the follow-up to the team-based, third-person, surprisingly fun shooter based on Popcap's essential tower defense game, adding a bevy of fresh classes and chaos-encouraging arenas. Standout newcomers include a rapid-firing stalk of corn and a support-spell-casting rose for the Plants, while the Zombies have recruited an undead-piloted mech suit and a rotting superhero to their squad. Whether you're engaging in a 24-player melee or some lighthearted 4-player co-op, this backyard carnage is sure to be a hoot.

Available: TBA (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

Continuing the theme of post-apocalyptic robo-wildlife from Horizon, ReCore stars a girl and her mechanical dog-friend-thing with a plasma globe for a stomach, as they explore the wastes and fight other metal-based fiends. While not a lot has been revealed, there’s a mechanic that lets you insert your companion’s core into other robots for new abilities. It’s also being made by Keiji Inafune (the man behind Mega Man) and the makers of Metroid, so you can likely expect more than just your average run-and-shoot game.

Available: June 2016 (Xbox One)

Insomniac’s AAA reimagining of the original Ratchet and Clank, debuting alongside a full-blown movie based on the same source material, easily exceeds the usual parameters we apply to ‘remakes.’ Though the new Ratchet Clank brings its playful blend of platforming and weird weapons to planets we’ve seen before, we haven’t quite seen them in such a cutting-edge display of the PS4’s capabilities. Insomniac has also completely modernized the controls and camera, redone every cutscene to a Hollywood calibre and introduced new oddball guns. And yes, Mr. Zurkon is here too.

Available: April 16, 2016 (PS4)

You might be familiar with the concept of the , where standout games have been locked away on Nintendo's sixth-generation console seemingly for all time. Luckily, one longtime inmate is finally being freed thanks to Resident Evil Origins Collection, which bundles an HD remake of the GameCube prequel Resident Evil Zero with 2015's re-remake Resident Evil HD. Whether or not you're following the unlikely duo of Rebecca Chambers and Billy Coen for the first time, the prospect of blasting giant mutant tarantulas on a speeding train in glorious 1080p is pretty damn enticing.

Available: January 22 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

When Hideki 'I just blocked you on Twitter' Kamiya makes a game, you should pay attention. He's the man behind Resident Evil 2, Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe, Okami, Bayonetta… are you seeing the trend here? Almost everything the guy touches turns to gold. Scalebound is Platinum's first Action RPG, incorporating elements of the team's trademark free-brawling action, only now you've got a dragon at your side, helping you out. The demos so far have all looked far too good to be true (surely no game can really handle all that climbing on beasties in a fast-paced action format), but it seems increasingly likely this will be another top-drawer hit. Oh, also check your Twitter - I hear Kamiya just blocked you.

Available: TBA (Xbox One)

Made up of ex-Bioshock developers, indie studio Fullbright used its expertise in crafting believable spaces filled with incredible detail and environmental storytelling with its breakout hit, Gone Home. Now, Fullbright reaches for the stars with Tacoma, a game set on a space station hundreds of thousands of miles from Earth. We don’t know much about Tacoma yet, but chances are good that you'll walk around the station hunting for clues, and solving some puzzles while an engrossing, non-linear narrative washes over you.

Available: 2016 (Xbox One, PC)

It's almost too good to be true. Following eight years in development and radio silence on its progress for the last three, it seemed like The Last Guardian would forever be a pipedream, the stuff that Team Ico fans sigh over in moments of quiet sehnsucht. But during E3 2015, Sony dropped a bombshell by revealing that not only is The Last Guardian alive, it's nearing completion and coming to PS4 in 2016. In The Last Guardian, you play as a young boy exploring a calmly empty fantasy world alongside his giant eagle-lion-dog, who learns to help you solve puzzles with a little training. Most of the game is yet mysterious, but the fact that its existence is not is probably the best news Ico and Colossus fans have heard in many moons.

Available: TBA (PS4)

What Remains of Edith Finch is by the creators of Unfinished Swan, the game where you lob black paint all over the place to discover the world in front of you. Edith Finch is visually different (less paint), but there is a similar element of discovery, as you (Edith) move through the world from a first-person perspective and unravel the story of your cursed family. It’s a series of short stories where you get to experience the lives of various family members, leading up to their death. Cheery, isn’t it? It's actually quite unsettling, but fascinating.

Available: TBA (PS4)

Every gamer that ever played knows the unique agony that accompanies falling at the final hurdle. Whether that means popping your clogs within sight of a checkpoint or being brutalised by a near-dead boss monster - gamers know that no defeat hurts worse than that which was so very nearly a victory. At times, managing your hype for an upcoming game can feel little 'game-like' in and of itself. And just like a game, the prospective title that tests our patience, only to disappear mere weeks from release always stings that much more.

Today's big list of stuff looks at ten games that made it all the way to within spitting distance of release, only for outside factors to quash their drop. Some are sure to inspire a profound sense of longing, while others remain fairly unknown - some deservedly, others less so. These then, are ten titles we oh-so nearly came to play. Enjoy.

What? - A massively multiplayer RTS title set within the Dune universe. Players would have chosen between three dynastic groups - the soldiers, traders or mercenaries - and proceeded to carve out their own small empire on Arrakis. Interestingly, the game wasn't to be helmed by Westwood Studios (they of Dune 2 fame), but rather by their predecessors at Cryo Interactive, i.e. the same team that produced the Dune adventure game.

When? - Work on the project was shut down during the title's alpha testing phase, in which a functioning build of the game is put through its paces. Hardly the finished product, but with the vast majority of its workload now behind it

Why? - Developer Cryo Interactive entered bankruptcy in July of 2002. The studio had previously bet big on the success of its other Dune-related property - a third-person action title named Frank Herbert's Dune. Sadly, the game flopped, ultimately costing the studio the opportunity to complete its more ambitious MMO cousin.

What? - A third-person action-RPG similar in many respects to the Mass Effect franchise. In addition, the game was also said to feature a heavy emphasis on base building, forcing players to scout out an infested structure in order to toughen up their stronghold. Think of it as a quasi-survival sim, akin to the central predicament of the second Alien film. Oh, and just to add insult to injury, the game was also being developed by genre stalwarts Obsidian, creators of Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity and South Park: The Stick of Truth. Yeah, it was probably going to be good…

When? - Obsidian's Feargus Urquhart has stated that Crucible was in such an advanced state that it almost appeared ready to release. His colleague Chris Avellone took a slightly less advanced view of the project, arguing that the title only appeared so close to completion because of special efforts made to debut a demo. In either case, Crucible was undoubtedly well into development by the time Sega pulled the plug.

Why? - Sega decided to de-clutter its portfolio -meaning either that the game was costing too much to maintain value, or that the publisher was worried about overexposure. Whatever the reason, Crucible ended up canned. A shoddy stroke of luck for any developer, but one made infinitely more aggravating by the titles Sega chose to press ahead with. 2010's AVP proved to be a thoroughly average adventure, whilst the less said about Aliens: Colonial Marines, the better. Bad call Sega.

What? - An enormous team-based multiplayer title set within the Star Wars universe. Unannounced and unreleased, details on the game remain sketchy, however a small number of interesting titbits have emerged. With Pandemic Studios choosing to move on, development duties passed to Free Radical Design - home to the outrageously entertaining TimeSplitters series. Leaked pre-alpha footage indicates that the studio was working on a fully-fledged storyline, disparate elements of which may have been repackaged into the PSP exclusive Elite Squadron.

When? - According to Free Radical founder Steve Ellis, Battlefront 3 was 99% complete when LucasArts jettisoned the project. An anonymous source would later claim that the figure actually stood at around 75%, prompting Ellis to publically deny the allegation.

Why? - Prior to its acquisition and subsequent shutdown by Disney, LucasArts had commenced upon a widespread company shakeup. As Ellis and co-founder David Doak tell it, Free Radical went from being told to 'think bigger', to cutting back every conceivable cost. Doak would even go so far as to name the project's second set of executives as "psychopaths", intent on the franchise's failure. According to Ellis, the official reason given for the game's cancellation was a lack of necessary marketing funds. The anonymous source meanwhile claimed that the studio had repeatedly missed deadlines and was even redistributing assets onto its other projects.

What? - An ambitious MMORPG project announced back in 2002. Developed by Level-5 (of Dark Cloud and Ni No Kuni fame) True Fantasy Live Online was designed to take advantage of a then-fledgling Xbox Live. Servers would have held around 3000 players apiece, with fully-integrated voice chat between parties.

When? - Level-5 President Akihiro Hino stated that "the world of TFLO was already complete" at the time of the game's shock cancellation. The title was scheduled to enter Beta testing soon thereafter, with a speculative Japanese release date of autumn, 2004.

Why? - Despite its advanced state of completion, TFLO failed to live up to Microsoft's standards. Several overly ambitious features, including widespread voice chat proved tricky to accomplish, fraying relations between the developer and its publisher. Given that the game had already received plenty of positive buzz, TFLO might well have transformed the fortunes of the Xbox brand in Japan. As it is, the game would wind up as a painful reminder of MS's failure to crack that market.

What? - A controversial 4-player beat-em-up title. Thrill Kill combined Mortal Kombat with Manhunt, boasting blood and guts gameplay alongside fetishistic visuals.

When? - Thrill Kill was completed and ready to ship.

Why? Having acquired the property as part of its takeover of the Virgin US label, EA opted to cancel Thrill Kill's release. It was felt that the game's deliberately controversial nature jarred with that of the EA brand. In addition, the company also forbid the title to be sold on to any other publisher, effectively killing off the game. Fortunately for fans, the finished title was soon leaked online, making it one of the more readily available games of that sort. Activision would later utilise the Thrill Kill's engine to create Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style, X-Men: Mutant Academy and its sequel Mutant Academy 2.

What? - Remember the Gizmondo - Tiger Telematics' failed attempt to crack the handheld market? Colors was to be that machine's first 'killer app' - a gang-based third-person shooter with GPS player location. Strangely, the game also allowed players to indulge in seedy prison sex (participants would receive early release)… I just can't imagine why it didn't succeed.

When? - Leaked copies of the game suggest that Colors was all-but complete at the time of its cancellation.

Why? - The Gizmondo became the worst-selling handheld of all time, bankrupting Tiger Telematics and putting and immediate stop to all games then in development.

What? - A tactical action game boasting numerous RPG elements. Black9 took its inspiration from the Deus Ex series, positing a cyberpunk world divided between warring cartels. Former Taldren Inc. developer Erin Hoffman argued that the game was so very "special", that it may even have changed the lives of a small portion of its players. High praise indeed then.

When? - Hoffman stated that the game was around 85% complete at the time of its cancellation.

Why? - According to several parties involved in the Black9 project, publisher Majesco proved to be an overly demanding and highly unprofessional partner. Having already released two commercial flops - including the critically acclaimed Pyschonauts and the supposed franchise starter Advent Rising - Majesco was beginning to feel the pinch. They in turn put to squeeze onto Taldren, demanding 'crunch time' level working hours throughout the entire life of the project. Hoffman claims that the studio rallied to hit these targets but was still denied promised funding. Later, - again according to Hoffman - two programmers were surreptitiously 'lent' to the project so as to steal the game's source code. This was allegedly done in order turn the game - a property wholly owned by Taldren Inc. - over to a brand new developer. With the near-complete title in its possession, Majesco would then attempt to lure key personnel away from the studio, at which point the team chose to shut its doors rather than to let Majesco win. Later, many of the Majesco executives involved in the Black9 botch were ousted by the company's shareholders, with Hoffman herself describing the modern publisher as 'a very different company'.

What? - A realistic, tactical FPS based on the Second Battle of Fallujah, aka the bloodiest battle of the Iraq war. Developer Atomic Games intended to create what might best be described as a 'survival-terror' game, in which the player never feels wholly safe from attack. Long stretches of agonising tension would be broken up by moments of breathless, violent confrontation, echoing the real-life experiences of many soldiers involved in the battle.

When? - An 'insider source' speaking to IGN claimed that work on the game was completed sometime in late 2009/ early 2010.

Why? - Given the recent nature of the events depicted, many commentators found the game to be in poor taste. When word of this controversy reached publisher Konami the company responded by dropping the project entirely. Atomic Games was subsequently unable to secure a new publisher and later released a large number of its staff. However, studio president Peter Tamte remains committed to the project, confirming that 6 Days was still in development as recently as 2012. The game's current status is unknown.

What? - After 16 years of annual releases, EA opted to retire its NBA franchise in 2011. However, just two years later the brand was back.

When? - EA's big comeback made it to the figurative post-season before being abruptly cancelled just weeks ahead of its proposed release.

Why? - EA exec Andrew Wilson stated that the game was simply not ready enough to hit its scheduled release date. Instead the company would take another year to develop a truly "great" experience. NBA Live 14 went on to receive some of the worst review scores in series history. Ouch.

What? - A sprawling space-based FPS title. Human Head's vision for the game featured an amnesiac U.S. Marshall named Killian Samuels - abducted from the earth and now plying his trade as a galactic bounty hunter.

When? - Former Human Head developer Jason Blair described the title as a 'full game', denying claims made by publisher Bethesda that Prey 2 was merely "a demo" at the time of its cancellation. Project Director Chris Rhinehart has also stated that the title was close to reaching its alpha stage, with most of the game's major elements already in place.

Why? - How long have you got? The saga of Prey 2 is a sad, strange and complicated one, so let's just stick to Human Head's involvement. Having developed the first game in the series, HH teamed up with Bethesda Softworks to publish its ambitious sequel. However, by 2013 the developer had been completely removed from the project, with Bethesda citing an overall lack of quality for the shuffle. For its part, the scorned studio remained proud of its efforts on the game, with many senior devs pointing to internal politics as reason for the changeover. Prey 2 was officially confirmed cancelled in October, 2014.