The Biggest Console Flops in Gaming of All Time

Not every video game console sees the immense success that Sony had with the PlayStation 2 or Nintendo with the DS. For every significant gaming hit – like the Nintendo Switch – there is another that was a commercial failure. While these moments feel disappointing for fans and game companies, the most noteworthy console flops in gaming also teach valuable lessons. 

These catastrophic console failures help the industry to consider what the fans want and what succeeds, for the most part. Some failed due to risks taken, while others didn’t have the right luck or timing. But even then, there remain some key lessons and takeaways from these most notable flops in gaming history. 

1. Virtual Boy (1995)

Nintendo became the first major video game publisher to create a dedicated virtual reality system long before the medium saw the success it has today. Its horrible graphics and burgeoning health concerns among gamers – headaches, nausea, and increased risk of seizures – led to its quick failure. Still, Nintendo jumped well ahead of the curve decades before VR became commonplace. 

2. THQ uDraw Game Tablet (2010)

Drawing tablets stand out as a popular accessory for artists on PC, and THQ gambled by releasing a drawing tablet for home consoles like the PS3 and Xbox 360. Its initial release for the Wii became a quick success, but its attempt to expand to other consoles led to its demise. The tablet’s failure played a significant role in THQ’s closure.

3. PlayStation Vita (2011)

Sony followed up on the surprising success of the PSP with the PlayStation Vita. The gorgeous OLED screen and powerful hardware seemed ideal, but the games library fell short. It failed compared to its predecessor, the PSP, and its competitor at the time, the 3DS, with a fraction of both consoles’ sales. However, it retained a passionate fan base and fared better than most other flops.

4. Nintendo 64 Disc Drive (1999)

The Nintendo 64 Disc Drive, or 64DD, allowed users to put floppy disks into the 32-bit console and expand its capable power to 64-bit titles. Only nine games were ever released for the N64 expansion, including SimCity 64, but rampant delays and a restrictive launch in just Japan led to its downfall. 

5. Google Stadia (2019)

One of the newer failures on this list comes from the massive tech company Google. The famed search engine creator and Android platform owner brought its dedicated gaming system with the cloud-based Stadia. Players could stream popular and high-profile games without a console. The exact reasons for its cancellation remain unknown, but Stadia ceased operation in early 2023. 

6. Ouya (2013)

This micro-console ran on Android and sold for a mere $99. Ouya started on Kickstarter and found great success there. However, its eventual arrival at retail saw little movement from consumers and game developers alike. Despite its solid emulation capabilities and intriguing games, Razer acquired Ouya and subsequently terminated the project in 2019.

7. Sega 32X (1994)

Sega tried to buy some time until the worldwide release of its 32-bit console — the Sega Saturn (another failure in its own right) — with the 32X expansion for the famous Genesis. The most significant contributor to its failure came from the simultaneous release of the Saturn in Japan alongside the 32X, which made it redundant. 

8. Atari Lynx (1989)

This handheld system felt ahead of its time with its ground-breaking LCD screen and 8-bit library of games. It had modest success for a short time, with around 2 million units sold, but it failed compared to the more mainstream Nintendo Game Boy and Sega Game Gear around the same time. 

9. Philips CD-I (1990)

Philips worked together with Sony before the latter’s eventual PlayStation to create this ground-breaking, interactive CD game player. It doubled as a computer and console at the same time, with access to the internet and games. However, its games library felt forgettable, with loads of horrible titles, even from Nintendo. Worse still, its initial $1,000 (!) price point in 1990 killed most interest. 

10. Nintendo Wii U (2012)

Nintendo’s most puzzling failure comes from the Wii U. It shared a similar name to the Wii, which stood as Nintendo’s greatest home console success at the time. However, mixed messaging about its handheld gamepad feature and name led some to believe it to be a Wii accessory.

A general lack of support for newer games from third-party developers also hurt it. Most of its most successful games now live on with the Nintendo Switch. 

11. Sega Dreamcast (1998)

Sega’s final home console came with the Dreamcast. The system came out long before its competitors at Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft, which gave it an edge for a time. However, its shallow library and the forgettable Saturn before it gave it a rough start, but the eventual arrival of the PS2 ended Sega as a console developer for good. 

12. Sega Genesis Nomad (1995)

The Nomad sounded quite ahead of its time upon release, capable of playing most 16-bit games from the Genesis but in a portable format anywhere on the go. However, its lack of identity and Sega’s focus on the also problematic Saturn at the time left it without much marketing. Worse still, it only ever hit shelves in North America. 

13. Nokia N-Gage (2003)

This early smartphone-style device brought together a cell phone with a gaming handheld. It had an impressive library of games, but its high sales expectations and the eventual arrival of the DS and PSP stopped its potential. 

14. 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (1993)

The 3DO from Panasonic featured some of the most powerful hardware and graphics at the time. This led to solid ports of games like Myst, Alone in the Dark, and Doom. However, the jam-packed console market at the time meant it had no chance of succeeding against the likes of Sony and Nintendo. 

15. Atari VCS (2021)

The name of Atari returned in 2021 with the release of the odd VCS console. One of its most significant problems came from the confusion surrounding the new device. While some thought it would be a nostalgia-filled retro system, similar to the NES Mini, it turned out to be a PC-like gaming device with the ability to play older games and modern titles alike. Tons of delays and the mixed messaging led to a little more than 10,000 units sold. 

16. Apple Bandai Pippin (1996)

Apple developed its own gaming console alongside Bandai in the 1990s. It used a Macintosh operating system as its base and acted like a hybrid between a computer and a gaming device. However, its lack of accessibility and games failed to garner any significant attention. 

17. Commodore 64 Games System (1990)

The quite popular Commodore 64 home computer attempted a video game console version in 1990. It had some solid games, but its limited launch in Europe in a competitive market led to its downfall. It sold a mere fraction of the 80,000 units produced at launch. 

18. Neo Geo Pocket and Color (1998-1999)

The original Neo Geo came out in Japan as a black-and-white handheld device but felt outdated right from the start. This led to the bizarre decision to release the Neo Geo Color worldwide only a year later, in 1999.

A mix of problems surrounding communication and the impending Game Boy Advance stopped a solid start dead in its tracks, leading to a short-lived lifecycle.

19. Atari 5200 (1982)

Atari’s successor to the beloved 2600 failed for a variety of reasons. For one, it lacked dedicated games and tried to ride the wave of the 2600’s success without backward compatibility, at least at first. Its strange controllers and competitors like the Intellivision II didn’t help, leading to a short lifetime. 

20. PC-FX (1994)

The popular TurboGrafx-16—PC Engine in Japan—received a successor in the PC-FX. However, it only released in Japan and felt quite underpowered compared to the 3D consoles at the time, like the PlayStation and later N64. NEC discontinued the platform only four years later, in 1998, after 400,000 units sold.

21. PlayStation Classic (2018)

PlayStation tried to ride the wave of nostalgia led by the NES and SNES Minis with a tiny version of the original PlayStation. Its poor set of 20 games, lack of analog thumbsticks on the controller, and other factors led it to seem like a cash grab. It failed compared to its competitors. 

22. Vectrex (1982)

Vectrex came out as the one and only vector graphics-based home console. This led to a fascinating design where it came with its own CRT monitor, not requiring a separate TV at all. It had impressive vector graphics and a solid game library with fun games. Everything sounded great but the great video game market crash of 1983 doomed it to failure. 

23. Atari Jaguar (1993)

The final console from the original Atari Corporation offered a 32-bit console experience at the stacked time of the Sega Genesis, SNES, original PlayStation, and more. It had some decent ports of games like NBA Jam and Wolfenstein 3D, but the numerous other more successful competitors led to its downfall and the end of Atari’s time in console creation. 

24. Fairchild Channel F (1976)

Gamers who have never heard of this early video game console shouldn’t feel bad. It broke new ground in gaming history as the first console with cartridges rather than packed-in games. It had about 27 games, many of which contained solid multiplayer components. It stood out as a solid game platform, but the Atari VCS, otherwise known as the 2600, released a year later and put it out of business.