Video Games Stuck in Development Hell

One of the worst things that can happen to a video game is being stuck in development hell. It took about 12 years for the newest Duke Nukem game to be released, and it certainly didn't live up to its expectations. It's frustrating to hear about an upcoming game, but then years go by and nothing happens. Here are some other video games that have spent time in development hell.

Half-Life 3
Half-Life 3 or Half-Life 2 :Episode 3 has been "in development" for years. When the second episode of Half-Life was released, it was 2007. Now it's almost 2012, and there's been no real information about the game's release date. Over this past summer, a few protesters camped out in front of Valve's headquarters. They had signs like "Half Life 3... is it Left 4 Dead?" While it might be easy to forget about games in development hell, Half-Life's terrible cliffhanger and promise of a new mission just before the game ended keeps it in the forefront of gamers' minds. At least Valve has promised that Gordon Freeman's story isn't over yet.

Beyond Good and Evil 2
The first Beyond Good and Evil was released in 2003. While a sequel was announced in 2008, it is still in development. Ubisoft's Michel Ancel has told gamers to "be patient" and that the game will take a while to make. It was later learned that Beyond Good and Evil 2's development was put on hold for Rayman Origins. It looks like the sequel will not be be released until the next generation of consoles.

Postal 3
The third game in this controversial series has been talked about for at least five years. There was even gameplay footage at 2008's E3. Finally, there seems to be some movement as it was recently announced that Postal 3 will be available on Steam. The exact date is still unknown, but it should be before Christmas 2011. There is no word on when it's coming to the PS3 or Xbox 360. With its time in development hell, don't be surprise if it takes a while for Postal 3 to come to consoles.

Sadness
This unique horror game was suppose to be an early Wii title. It focused on scaring the player with its unsettling images and surprises, not violence. The game was announced in 2006, but by 2007 there was little movement on its development. There were plenty of announcements that trailers and demos were coming, but they never materialized. Sadness was then delayed until 2009. In 2010, the development studio closed and the game was officially cancelled.

While there is movement on some of these games, it's natural for gamers to be wary. Sadness looks like it will never come out. If concrete information about Half-Life 3 isn't released soon, there might be rioting in the streets. All gamers can do is hope that the titles they want to play won't be development hell forever.