Development hell video games iceberg

Development hell video games iceberg is an iceberg chart topic. A text version, "Video Games Spent Longest In Development Hell" by Lewonx, is hosted on IcebergThreads, where it had 884 views as of 29 October 2026.

The IcebergThreads author describes it as: "List of video games and game mods that took 5 years or more to make."

Entries reflect the chart authors' choices and are not verified fact.

Tiers

Tiers and entries from the IcebergThreads version. Notes after a dash are shortened from the author's explanations.

5+ Years

• Anthem (2012-2019)
• Atomic Heart (2018-2023)
• Back to Saturn X Episode 3 (2019-?)
• Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (2000-2008)
• Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth (1999-2005)
• Chaos Code: Nemesis Experiment (2017-2025)
• Colossal Kaiju Combat (2012-2017)
• Community Chest 4 (2007-2012)
• Concord (2018-2024)
• Conker's Bad Fur Day (1996-2001)
• Crucified Dreams (1998-2006)
• Cube World (2011-2019)
• Darksiders III (2012-2018)
• Devil's Third (2008-2015)
• Dispatch (2018-2025)
• Doom 2016 (2007-2016)
• Edge of Twilight – Return To Glory (2007-2016)
• Fallout 3 (2001-2008) – Started in 2001 as Fallout Van Buren, got cancelled in 2003 when developer got closed. Later started from scratch.
• Fallout: New Vegas (2003-2010)
• Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade (1997-2002)
• Foodfight! (2001-2008) – The movie infamous for being stuck in development hell also had a game stuck in development hell.
• Freelancer (1997-2003)
• Goodbye Volcano High (2018-2023)
• Gran Turismo 5 (2005-2010)
• Grand Theft Auto V (2008-2013)
• Half-Life 2 (1999-2004)
• Heart of Darkness (1992-1998)
• Hell Revealed II (1998-2003)
• Hellcore (1995-2004) – The first of the many stuck in development forever Doom mods.
• Jägermörder 2: Terra Nova (1999-2005) – Single level that took 6 years to make.
• Kirby Air Ride (1995-2003)
• L.A. Noire (2004-2011)
• Legends of Runeterra (2012-2020)
• Luigi's Fight For The Mushroom Kingdom sequel (2014-2023) – Famous SMBX episode Luigi's Fight For The Mushroom Kingdom was supposed to have a sequel. It switched multiple times between being an SMW hack and being another SMBX episode. At one point it was…
• MADNESS: Project Nexus (2014-2021) – Also known as Madness: Project Nexus 2, since it's a sequel to Madness: Project Nexus.
• Mario Kart World (2017-2025)
• Metaphor: ReFantazio (2016-2024)
• Metroid Prime 4 (2017-2025)
• Mirror's Edge Catalyst (2008-2016)
• Omori (2014-2020)
• One Must Fall: Battlegrounds (1996-2003)
• Owlboy (2007-2016)
• Perfect Dark reboot (2018-2025)
• Persona 5 (2008-2016)
• Plutonia 2 (2000-2008)
• Pokémon Red and Green (1990-1996)
• Rakenzarn: The Azure Knights (2013-2018)
• Red Dead Redemption 2 (2010-2018)
• Resident Evil 0 (1995-2002)
• Resident Evil 4 (1999-2005)
• Ride to Hell: Retribution (2008-2013)
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl (2000-2007)
• Sea Power: Naval Combat in the Missile Age (2019-2026) – Early access version released in 2024. Full version released in 2026.
• Shira Oka: Second Chances (2005-2010)
• Skulldash (2008-2015) – Another Doom mod, this one notable for outliving the source port it was originally intended for.
• Spore (2000-2008)
• Star Fox Adventures (1997-2002) – Originally wasn't even related to Star Fox.
• StarCraft II (2003-2010)
• Switcheroom 2 (2014-2021) – Another Doom mod, this one is notable for having 23 fully finished scrapped levels.
• System Shock 2023 (2015-2023)
• Team Fortress 2 (1998-2007)
• The Closure (2010-2016) – Also known as Half-Life 2: The Closure and Half-Life 2: Episode Three. A fan made continuation of Half-Life 2: Episode Two.
• The Dig (1989-1995)
• The Elder Scrolls VI (2018-?)
• The Fool and His Money (2003-2012)
• The Nameless Mod (2002-2009) – A mod for Deus Ex
• Them's Fightin' Herds (2012-2020) – Started as MLP fan game, later became original game.
• Turochamp (1948-1954) – If it was completed, it would have been the second video game ever made. Unfortunately, the scientists behind the project never made it to work.
• UFO 50 (2016-2024)
• Ultima IX: Ascension (1992-1999)
• Umamusume: Pretty Derby (2016-2021)
• Until Dawn (2008-2015)
• Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (2002-2008) – Started in 2002, then cancelled and started from scratch in 2004.
• Watch Dogs (2009-2014)
• Whore of the Orient (2011-2016)
• World of Darkness (2006-2014)
• YIIK: A Postmodern RPG (2013-2019)
• Yoku's Island Express (2013-2018)
• ZDoom Community Map Project: Take II (2004-2013) – Another single level mod that took forever.

10+ Years

• Abobo's Big Adventure (2002-2012)
• Agent (2007-2021)
• Aliens: Colonial Marines (2001-2013) – Originally supposed to be a 2002 PS2 game but got cancelled. Started as a different game in 2007 and got stuck in development hell until 2013.
• Camelot Unchained (2012-?) – Entered early access in 2026.
• Chocobo GP (2010-2022)
• Cryamore (2012-?) – Kickstarter game still in development.
• Dead Island 2 (2012-2023)
• Deep Down (2013-?)
• Deltarune (2012-?) – Actually started development before Undertale, first chapter released in 2018. Chapter 5 released in 2026.
• Diablo III (2001-2012)
• Dreamfall Chapters (2007-2017) – Released episodically from 2014 to 2017.
• Escape to Corvus (1997-2009)
• Everwild (2014-2025)
• Everywhere (2016-?)
• Final Fantasy XV (2006-2016)
• Grand Theft Auto VI (2014-?)
• Kingdom Hearts III (2005-2019)
• Kirby's Return to Dream Land (2000-2011)
• Knee-Deep in Knee-Deep in ZDoom (2008-2022)
• Limbo of the Lost (1995?-2008) – Development likely began even earlier, but the exact date is unknown.
• Mario Adventure 3 (2012-2024) – A rom hack that took 12 years to make.
• Mini Classics Tetris (1988-1998) – Started development as Tetris Jr. for Game & Watch.
• Missing Stars (2012-?) – Act One was released in 2019
• Mother 3 (1994-2006)
• NES Godzilla Creepypasta Game (2015-?) – Multiple demos released.
• NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams (1996?-2007) – Exact starting date is unknown, might have been 1997 or 1998.
• Nioh (2004-2017)
• Plants vs Zombies 3 (2016-?) – Multiple alpha and beta versions released.
• Prey (1995-2006)
• Return to Dark Castle (1996-2008)
• Routine (2011-2025)
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl (2010-2024)
• Sakura Wars 2019 (2008-2019)
• Seireiki Rayblade 2 (2001-2015) – Was in development forever, until the studio went bankrupt in 2015.
• Skull and Bones (2013-2024)
• Solatorobo: Red the Hunter (1998-2010)
• SpaceVenture (2012-2025) – Early access version available in 2025. Finished version released in december 2025.
• StarCraft: Ghost (2002-2014)
• Starfield (2013-2023)
• Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2010-2024)
• The Last Guardian (2005-2016)
• The Legend of el Lobodestroyo Vs. la Liga de los Villanos (2012-?)
• Too Human (1996?-2008)
• Total Chaos (2008-2018) – Doom mod that barely even resembles original game.
• Ubusuna (2014-?) – A shmup by Hiroshi Iuchi, the creator of Ikaruga. Some game assets were shown in 2022. More shown in 2025. It got sort of canceled in 2026 but Iuchi still hopes to complete it.
• Warframe (2000-2013)
• Wild (2014-2024)
• Xydonia (2016-?) – A demo was released in 2024.
• Yandere Simulator (2014-?)

15+ Years

• Beyond Good and Evil 2 (2007-?)
• Black Mesa (2004-2020) – Started as Half Life 2 mod, became its own game.
• Bully 2 (2008-2023?) – Various leaks circulated about Bully 2 being developed, cancelled and uncancelled between 2008 and 2017. The game was definitely canceled by 2023, when Rockstar cancelled development of everything…
• Chip's Challenge 2 (1999-2015)
• Duke Nukem Forever (1996-2011) – The most infamous development hell game, switched multiple genres and developer teams.
• Earthworm Jim 4 (2007-?)
• Elite Dangerous (1997-2014)
• Final Fantasy VII Remake (2001-2020) – Announced as far back as 2001, with Square Enix flip flopping on whether or not it was coming out, until confirming that the game is in development in 2015. It was finally released in 2020
• Mega Man X: Corrupted (2007-?)
• Metroid Dread (2005-2021)
• Necromantic Thirst (2007-2024)
• Pico 2 (1999-2016)
• Pokémon Picross (1999-2015)
• Six Days in Fallujah (2009-?)
• SlipStream GX (2010-?) – Wipeout fangame, with multiple demos released over the years. Still in development.
• Star Citizen (2010-?) – Still in alpha version.
• Starkiller: The Adventure (1996-2012) – Started as fan game, got cancelled, got reworked into original game, then got cancelled again.
• Sunder (2009-?) – A Doom wad with gigantic levels. Originally released with 10 out of 32 planned levels complete in 2009. As of 2026 it sits at 23/32 completed levels.
• Tekken X Street Fighter (2010-?) – Not to be confused Street Fighter X Tekken.In 2021 series producer mentioned that the game is 30% complete.
• Tetris: The Grand Master 4 – Absolute Eye (2009-2025)
• The Shores of ZDoom (2008-?) – Doom mod announced in 2011, with talks about it's development as far back as 2008.
• TNT 2: Devilution (2009-2025) – Doom mod infamous for being stuck in endless development. Betas released from 2022 to 2023, sort of finished version released in early 2025. Actually finished version released in november 2025.

20+ Years

• Baldur's Gate III (2001-2023) – Originally started development in 2001, cancelled in 2003, then stuck in a limbo with multiple studios wanting to make the third Baldur's Gate game. Development on a new game finally started in 2017…
• Freedom Fighters sequel (2004-?)
• Grimoire: Heralds of the Winged Exemplar (1997-2017)
• Half-Life 3 (2006-?) – Also known as Half-Life 2 Episode 3. Multiple attempts to make the game have been cancelled, yet Valve is still developing Half-Life 3.
• MONSTER (2005-?)
• Navinosuke: The Yo-kai Buster (2005?-?) – Likely began development earlier, but the exact date is unknown, supposed to come out in 2026.
• Noctis V (2001-2023)
• Oddity (2006-?) – Started as Mother/Earthbound fan game, later became an original game.
• Repton: The Lost Realms (1988-2010)
• Sam & Max: The Case Gilbert (2003-?)
• Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution (2002-2025)
• Shotgun Symphony (1997-2019)
• Star Fox 2 (1993-2017)
• Streets of Rage 4 (1997-2020) – Multiple attempts got scrapped and development started from scratch many, many times over 20 years. Finally the game was made from 2017 to 2020.

25+ Years

• American Hero (1995-2021)
• Clockwork Aquario (1992-2021)
• Doom Millennium (1997-?) – Another Doom mod that's been in development forever. Some maps were released.
• Jurassic Park: Survival (2000-?) – Started development in 2000 and cancelled in 2001. Then a game with the same name and similar premise announced in 2023. It is still currently in development.
• Mordeth Episode 2 (1997-?) – Infamous Doom mod that has been in development forever.
• The Silver Lining (2000-?) – Episodes 1-4 got released. The final fifth episode is still in development.
• They Came From Hollywood (2001-?)

30+ Years

• Commander Keen 7 The Universe Is Toast (1992-?) – Despite over 30 years, it's still being teased. A prototype demo was shown in 2015.
• Dragon Hopper (1995-2026)
• Zero Racers (1996-2026)

35+ Years

• Swordquest: Airworld (1983-2022) – Originally scrapped due to 1983 video game crash, was finally released in 2022

See also

• Iceberg chart
• Video games iceberg
• Banned video games iceberg

Sources

• IcebergThreads version: Lewonx. Video Games Spent Longest In Development Hell. IcebergThreads. 24 January 2026. Retrieved 29 October 2026.