NO MAN’S SKY
2016
Wired magazine called No Man's Sky “the most hyped indie title in the history of gaming.” Gamers were excited about the new technology that could generate over “18 quintillion unique planets” to be explored.
It became the most influential video game of 2016… but not in the way it was intended. Critics called it “The worst game of the year”, “Biggest lie of 2016” and “Disappointment of the year”. The gameplay was lackluster, the graphics were unpolished, the story was repetitive, and the planets were boring, so who cares that there are 18 quintillion of them?
Update: The developers did not give up, they continued to improve the game and it has become popular. So popular that in 2025 No Man's Sky received the title for Best Ongoing Game in the 2025 Game of the Year Awards.
Additional info:
Wikipedia - No Man's Sky
The Guardian - Good interview with Sean Murray
Rock Paper Shotgun - The Broken Promise Of No Man’s Sky And Why It Matters