The gaming industry has been shaped by everything from well-thought-out choices to fateful coincidences and everything in between. Players love how modern games wow them with imaginative ideas and technical breakthroughs, but the landscape could’ve been different had certain things played out differently.
From the state of the console landscape to the gaming genres that have become commonplace among AAA developers, various moments have defined the evolution of the video game industry. If things had gone down a different route, the Butterfly Effect could’ve led to some interesting outcomes.
Sony Teaming Up With Nintendo For A Console That Supports CD-ROMs
This Deal Could’ve Sent Major Waves Across The Industry
When Sony initially wanted to get into the video game industry, they sought Nintendo’s help for a CD-ROM console. After being in close talks for a while, Nintendo backed out of the deal, and Sony decided to move on by their lonesome after Sega also declined this proposed deal and outright laughed at their attempts to break into the market.
The rest is history, with the PlayStation paving the way for Sony’s dominance in the video game industry. One can’t help but wonder how history would’ve changed if Nintendo and Sony’s partnership hadn’t dissolved.
Kojima Developing Silent Hills
What Could’ve Been If Relations Between Kojima And Konami Didn’t Break Down
P.T. broke the gaming landscape as fans flocked to check out this incredible playable teaser. It generated a ton of hype for Silent Hills… but Kojima’s relationship with Konami soured before this project could become a reality.
While this eventually led to the creation of the lovably odd Death Stranding, fans can’t help but feel how Silent Hill would’ve had a resurgence for the ages had this game come into being. Instead, Capcom stole all this thunder with the launch of Resident Evil 7 and helped this iconic series become relevant again.
GTA Online Failing, Leading To Rockstar Focusing On Single-Player DLCs
Possibly, Grand Theft Auto 6 And Red Dead Redemption 2 Would’ve Arrived Way Sooner
GTA Online was a huge gamble from Rockstar, and it didn’t seem like this game mode would work after a poor launch. However, after updating this mode with a silly amount of content, GTA Online became such a huge cash cow for Rockstar that they didn’t have to prioritize their single-player games for a while.
If GTA Online hadn’t been so successful, fans might’ve seen the single-player DLCs that were rumored for Grand Theft Auto 5. In fact, this domino effect may have also led to games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto 6 releasing sooner!
EA Not Forcing Visceral Games To Make Dead Space 3 Co-op
The Third Game In This Trilogy Could’ve Lived Up To The Excellence Of The First Two Games
The first two Dead Space games are in a class of their own, but Visceral Games got unlucky during the development of the third game. EA was in its villain era at that point and forced the studio to turn this isolating, terrifying horror title into a co-op experience.
Despite the developer’s best efforts, Dead Space 3 doesn’t hold a candle to its predecessors. If Visceral had been allowed to develop Dead Space 3 in their image, then this series could’ve spawned one of the most iconic horror gaming trilogies of all time.
Star Wars 1313 Not Getting Cancelled
Showed A Ton Of Promise And Could’ve Become A Sci-fi Uncharted
At a glance, Star Wars 1313 seemed like a promising action-adventure title. The gameplay gave off Uncharted vibes, which would’ve been perfect for the cinematic action of the Star Wars series.
Unfortunately, 1313 was eventually cancelled after work stalled on this title. Star Wars fans were robbed of an amazing action-packed game that could’ve been released around a time when players were salivating for Star Wars content.
Bungie Continuing Their Work On The Halo Series
The Fanbase Wouldn’t Have Been So Split About 343 Industries And Their Work
After their stellar work on Halo: Reach, which many people consider to be one of the best games in the series, Bungie decided to move on and work on projects like Destiny. While 343 Industries has tried to live up to its predecessor’s reputation, most people agree that the games following Bungie’s departure from Halo haven’t felt as iconic.
Fans can’t help but imagine a timeline where Bungie never got tired of the Halo franchise. Given the emotional weight of Halo: Reach‘s narrative, fans could’ve been treated to similar experiences with later Halo titles, but they were robbed of this experience.
Final Fantasy Never Leaving Nintendo Consoles
Would Final Fantasy Be Great Without The Improved Hardware Of The PS1?
Final Fantasy was a mainstay on Nintendo consoles for the longest time, with SNES owners being treated to some of the best games in the series. However, with the advent of the PlayStation, something unthinkable happened — SquareSoft decided to partner with Sony for the launch of Final Fantasy 7, a move that angered Nintendo so much that they swore never to host a Final Fantasy game on their console ever again.
It’s universally agreed that this was a good move for the franchise, with Final Fantasy 7‘s success speaking for itself. However, fans can’t help but imagine a timeline where this split never happened and SquareSoft continues to partner with Nintendo. How these ambitious games would’ve looked like on Nintendo hardware is a question that will never be answered.
The PS4 Console Showcase Coming Before The Xbox One E3 Presentation
The Ability To Respond Helped Sony’s PS4 Reveal Become The Stuff Of Legends
The console war between PlayStation and Xbox had been going for a while, but it wasn’t until E3 2013 that the tide permanently shifted in Sony’s favor. The Xbox One presentation was widely criticized, to the point where Sony had the chance to respond to their competitor.
From the lower price point to the jab at Xbox about sharing games, the momentum was in Sony’s corner by the end of a wondrous presentation. One can’t help but wonder if some of the most legendary gaming moments of all time would have existed if Sony hadn’t enjoyed the privilege of responding to their competitor.
