2023 is nearly over already, so it’s no surprise players are looking back at all the games that launched over the last 12 months. Recently, fans online have been discussing the games they found the most disappointing, and one of the most-hyped releases of 2023, Starfield, made it onto the list.
Players gathered on Reddit on Nov. 29 to talk about the titles that let them down the most. Everyone has different tastes and expectations, of course, but games like Starfield, Redfall, Atomic Hearts, and Payday 3 were mentioned most frequently.
“It’s definitely Starfield. It’s not the worst thing I’ve played, and I won’t fault anyone who enjoyed it, but it’s not a fun game. […] The game was over-hyped, so maybe that had a hand in the let down,” one player wrote. “I hate to think it but Starfield. I was just hoping for more. It has great parts but just doesn’t have the soul of Elder Scrolls or Fallout,” another added.
These sentiments echo what many players and critics have already said about Bethesda’s latest release. While Starfield is enormous, offers lots of freedom, and was enjoyed by thousands of players, many also thought it had an empty, dull world that lacked polish. While Starfield was a commercial success, for many players, it was also a big disappointment.
That said, there are more candidates for the most disappointing games of 2023. Other front-runners include Redfall, Payday 3, and Atomic Heart. Many are self-explanatory, especially if you’ve played them yourself. I don’t remember a worse launch or a more buggy game in recent years than Redfall, and the other two are just plain bad.
“Redfall – that game had such potential. Nice setting, possibilities for decent storytelling and yet the screw it over big time,” one player wrote. “Still crazy that game got released,” another added.
These are just a few opinions from the community, and there’s no doubt more 2023 games fit into this shameful category. The Reddit thread is huge, and unsurprisingly includes nominations for titles like Forspoken and even Diablo IV. That said, some developers have already proved it’s possible to make an impressive comeback (No Man’s Sky, we’re looking at you), so maybe there’s still hope for the games mentioned above.
