Given that video games often end up releasing years and years after their first trailer drops, it’s fair to say that the industry as a whole is incredibly reliant on the hype machine.
Nothing parts people with their money quite like the promise that an upcoming game will be bigger and better than what came before, even if this often results in tremendous disappointment when a title doesn’t meet expectations.
Conversely, it’s always a pleasant surprise when a game is actually underhyped on its way to market, most often because the publisher themselves has no idea quite what kind of solid gold masterpiece they’d been sitting on.
These 10 games were all released with average expectations at best – and in some cases, much lower than that – but each ultimately received rave reviews, Game of the Year plaudits, and perhaps even commercial success beyond the wildest predictions.
They all stand as proof perfect that mediocre marketing and a lack of industry buzz aren’t always indicators that a game is in trouble or the publisher is embarrassed of it…
