From Polygon · Ford James · · 1m 40s
Games Stuck in Development Hell for Over a Decade
Five video games have been in development for more than 10 years without release.
In brief
Five video games have been in development for more than 10 years without release. Five video games have been in development for over 10 years without release. Originally reported by Polygon.
Beyond Good & Evil 2
Ubisoft's Beyond Good & Evil 2 started pre-production in 2007 and has been in development for 19 years.
“It's been in the works for a whopping 19 years”
Squadron 42
Cloud Imperium Games' Squadron 42 was announced in 2012 and has been in development for over 10 years.
“It may hold the record for the longest delay beyond its original release date”
Project Awakening
Cygames' Project Awakening was announced in 2016 and has been in development for over 10 years.
“It featured a knight fighting a scaly lizard-like monster with realistic movement”
Grand Theft Auto 6
Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto 6 entered pre-production in 2014 and has been in development for 12 years.
“It entered pre-production in 2014, which means that while full development didn't start until 2018, the whole cycle has been 12 years long”
The Wolf Among Us 2
Telltale Games' The Wolf Among Us 2 was announced in 2017 and has been in development for over 10 years.
“It will hit the 10-year threshold when it releases in 2027”
Development Hell
Games stuck in development hell face delays, cancellations, and long periods without release.
“Some games get stuck in what is referred to in the industry as 'development hell'”
Beyond Good & Evil 2
Ubisoft confirmed Beyond Good & Evil 2 is still being worked on as of January 2026.
“Ubisoft confirmed as recently as January 2026 that the game is still being worked on”
Squadron 42
Squadron 42 is fully playable and feature complete with a release date set for 2026.
“The developer reported that the game is fully playable and feature complete”
Project Awakening
Cygames CEO Koichi Watanabe described Project Awakening as 'progressing steadily' after a decade of development.
“Cygames CEO Koichi Watanabe described development as 'progressing steadily'”
Grand Theft Auto 6
Rockstar Games faced internal issues including layoffs and unionization efforts during GTA 6 development.
“In October 2025, 34 employees were fired, allegedly because they were trying to unionize with labor organizers”
The Wolf Among Us 2
The Wolf Among Us 2 was re-revealed at Summer Game Fest 2026 after being canceled in 2019.
“The Wolf Among Us 2 was re-revealed at Summer Game Fest 2026”
The takeaway
Five video games have been in development for over 10 years without release.
