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00:08Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we're looking at games that were stuck in development for years,
00:13yet whose high quality made them worth the wait.
00:16You kept me a secret?
00:22Time to let the hellcat out of the bag.
00:24But before we begin, we publish new content all week long.
00:27So, be sure to subscribe, and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
00:33Sleeping Dogs
00:42By the time a third entry in Activision's True Crime series entered development in 2008,
00:48it had been three years since the previous game.
00:51Set in Hong Kong this time around, it was announced in 2009, but was cancelled two years later.
00:56This was due to several delays, and Activision's belief that it wouldn't be able to compete in an extremely popular
01:02genre.
01:03Any fans, still eager to see how the series could evolve, were disappointed. At least for a little while.
01:09When it was cancelled, True Crime Hong Kong was essentially complete.
01:13That's why, when Square Enix decided to rescue the game and rename it Sleeping Dogs,
01:18it only took developer United Front Games an additional six months.
01:22I've been looking forward to this moment for a long time.
01:25Yes, and it will make you look so good to your bosses.
01:28Although it didn't meet Square Enix's sales expectations, which then-president Yoichi Wada even admitted were unreasonable,
01:34it is a remarkable open world crime thriller.
01:38The combat, the hero, the living, breathing representation of the setting.
01:42It's no wonder people are still begging for a sequel all these years later.
01:46You fearless?
01:48I'm just crazy.
01:49Try capable.
01:52We'll see.
01:53Dead Island 2
01:54Of course you know what a huge star she is, Romero winner no less.
01:58We need to get her home to safety.
02:03Something there?
02:04One of the most famous games to escape development hell,
02:08Dead Island 2 was announced in 2014, but wouldn't release until 2023.
02:12It actually entered development in 2012, with the team behind the original game, Techland.
02:18But publisher Deep Silver disagreed with the direction.
02:21It would also have issues with the next two developers,
02:24before bringing on its internal studio, Dam Buster, in 2018.
02:28This many problems behind the scenes led to some pretty low expectations.
02:33Maybe it was because of this, or because the other two games in the series were average in quality.
02:38But when Dead Island 2 did finally hit store shelves,
02:41we were honestly surprised by how much fun it was.
02:52The combat, the gore, the level designs.
02:55While not a very deep game, it was a blast of mayhem and carnage.
02:59And the fact that it was released at all after everything is honestly a miracle.
03:04Thank you for going out there.
03:06God, this is beyond insane.
03:09Pragmata
03:22Pragmata is one of Capcom's several great titles of 2026, but it did take its time getting here.
03:28The game was revealed in 2020 during a PlayStation 5 showcase, and given a 2022 release date.
03:34Given the strong reputation of Capcom, and that most of its games are part of larger franchises,
03:40a lot of fans were intrigued.
03:41But then it was delayed into 2023, and then once again, indefinitely.
03:46According to its director, Cho Yonggi, it was the game's puzzle hacking that caused the team issues.
03:52They apparently went through a lot of trial and error designing them,
03:55as well as balancing them with the more action-heavy gameplay.
04:07Pragmata was released six years after its reveal.
04:10It received very strong reviews due to that well-balanced gameplay,
04:14and the heartfelt relationship between the two lead characters.
04:17But it also sold a million copies in two days, so it seems it was certainly worth the wait.
04:23Diana, aren't you tired?
04:25I don't get tired.
04:27Are you getting sleepy?
04:29Persona 5
04:42Persona 5
04:42One of the most beloved JRPGs in existence, you better believe it was worth the wait.
04:47Early work on Persona 5 began after the release of the fourth in 2008,
04:52though Atlus wouldn't begin full-scale development until 2011 following the release of Catherine.
04:57It still took an additional five years in the oven, and that was just for Japan.
05:02Everywhere else still had to wait until the following year.
05:04Guard!
05:06Start by killing that one!
05:11You'll learn the true strength of my men!
05:13The biggest issue the team ran into was working with the new tech of the PS4,
05:18which is a common issue many developers face whenever a new generation arrives.
05:22That's on top of figuring out how to create what would be one of the studio's most definitive releases.
05:28Persona 5 was praised across the board by hell everyone
05:32for its incredible style, deep characters, and engaging battle system.
05:37Who's next?
05:43Prey
05:53The development of the Prey series has been troubled to say the least.
05:57The 2006 original, which itself took a long time to be released, was planned to get a sequel.
06:03It would never see the light of day, of course.
06:05Bethesda acquired the franchise rights, switched developers in 2011, and then cancelled the project in 2014.
06:12At this time, another studio under Bethesda, Arkane, was working on an original sci-fi game.
06:18And Bethesda forced them to call this game Prey, marketed as a reimagining.
06:31Director Rafael Colantonio has spoken about how unhappy this decision made the team.
06:36Regardless of Bethesda's practices, this new iteration of Prey was genuinely great.
06:40It was tense and atmospheric thanks to the strong setting and unique alien enemies.
06:46Even though fans had to wait a long time, it managed to meet most expectations.
06:51Good luck.
06:52Told you you wouldn't like it.
06:54Doom
07:02Development on a potential Doom 4 began at id Software in 2007, but we're actually pretty glad this version was
07:09scrapped.
07:10It would have taken place on Earth, with a lot of inspiration from the Call of Duty series.
07:15In 2011, this version was thrown out, with the developers believing that it was too unlike the original series.
07:21And they were obviously right.
07:23Although work had to be restarted, and the game wouldn't be released until 11 years after initial development began,
07:30we could not have asked for a better revival.
07:42Swift and brutal in both its gameplay and violence, it was an addictive boomer shooter that brought Doom back into
07:49the limelight almost immediately.
07:51Better to have had a long wait than to have ended up with something that didn't match the series at
07:55all.
08:03Metroid Dread
08:14After the release of Metroid Fusion, series producer Yoshio Sakamoto wanted to build off of the SAX encounters,
08:21by having Samus hunted throughout a new game.
08:25Unfortunately, he came up with the idea for the DS in 2005, which is when development first began.
08:31Despite a synopsis and a release date, we never got to see this version, and it was quietly cancelled.
08:37Sakamoto tried once again in 2008, and got as far as a playable prototype.
08:42But it never met his expectations, since the DS hardware made it too difficult to create a truly menacing pursuer.
08:48It seemed Dread was just another game that would never be, until Nintendo surprised everyone by revealing it for the
08:55Switch in 2021, mere months before it would launch.
09:11It was a true return to form.
09:14Classic Metroid design and mechanics expanded on, with the group of ME robots being terrifying hunters.
09:21We'll admit this long wait was easier, but only because everyone thought Dread was dead.
09:38Team Fortress 2
09:47The first Team Fortress game was a mod for Half-Life, and one that was so good, it got the
09:53duo behind it hired by Valve.
09:54The public first got a look at the sequel during E3 1999, where it featured a modern war aesthetic much
10:01like its predecessor.
10:02The following year, Valve delayed the game due to a change in game engine, and then stayed completely silent for
10:08the next six years.
10:09When it was finally shown off again in 2006, the style was completely different, and for the better.
10:15The cartoonish designs of its characters made it visually unique from every other shooter.
10:26Team Fortress 2 released in 2007 and became an instant multiplayer classic, with varied heroes whose balanced abilities made it
10:34easy to sink hours into.
10:35It also earned a thriving player base, and is still receiving support and updates to this day.
10:48Resident Evil 4
10:59Work on Resident Evil 4 began in 1999, the same year as the third game's release.
11:05And it would go through several different iterations before it was released.
11:09The first leaned more heavily into stylish action, and would evolve into 2001's Devil May Cry.
11:16Two others shown off over the years, which would become known as the Fog and Hookman versions, were also never
11:22truly what Capcom wanted the game to be.
11:24Namely, series creator Shinji Mikami took over directing and writing duties, and scrapped much of what had been previously built.
11:32Mikami wanted to reinvent the series, injecting a little more action into the survival horror, while implementing a new camera
11:39system.
11:48Needless to say, that worked out really well.
11:51It took six years to release, but Resident Evil 4 is still regarded by many players to be one of
11:56the best games of all time.
11:58What? My father?
12:00That's right, and I have to get you out of here.
12:03Now come with me.
12:04If you love games, be sure to check out WatchMojo's new game, Terrible Influence.
12:09Just launched for purchase at TerribleInfluence.com.
12:12Terrible Influence is a satirical board game about the dark side of fame from the writer of the most popular
12:17girls in school and us, WatchMojo.
12:19Boom.
12:20I can make an apology video.
12:22Oh, you so would.
12:23Click on the link in the description to check out the game and be the first to play Terrible Influence.
12:29Baldur's Gate 3
12:30There are children here, you fool!
12:33We was running for our lives.
12:36You led them straight to us, and you let them take the druid too! Unbelievable!
12:41The Baldur's Gate series saw a string of releases from 1998 to 2004, but while working on a sequel to
12:48Dark Alliance 2, developer Black Isle Studios was shut down due to parent company Interplay nearly going bankrupt.
12:54Outside of enhanced ports of the first two games, and an expansion for the first in 2016, gamers were forced
13:01to get their D&D fix elsewhere.
13:04The wait for another game could have been much shorter.
13:07Several developers expressed interest, including Larian Studios, who were rejected by Wizards of the Coast, owners of D&D, as
13:14it thought the team was too inexperienced.
13:16It wasn't until the release of Divinity Original Sin 2 in 2017 that Larian was given another chance.
13:23Your cautious method pays off. The dagger glides smoothly out of the mystery meat.
13:30It still had many challenges to face. Hoops to jump through for Wizards of the Coast, massive growth in the
13:37studio's size, COVID-19 affecting working conditions, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, where Larian had offices that then had to
13:45close.
13:45All of this led to a six-year development period on top of how long fans had already been waiting.
13:51And by golly, it was still a once-in-a-generation game that pleased both newcomers and die-hard fans
13:57alike, earning Larian boatloads of money, praise, and awards.
14:08What other games took forever to come out, but you feel were still worth waiting for? Share your thoughts in
14:13the comments, and we will see you next time.
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