Thursday, August 6, 2020

Cancelled games - S

Cancelled video games project

This project concerns cancelled games in the range of 1995-2005.

Section: S

 

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Saboteur


Saboteur was a cancelled PS1 and PC game, made by Tigon Studios, then by Pumpkin Studios.
It was about a boy and his dog kicking ass (for love).

Expected release date: May 1999, then Q2 1999, then October 1999, December 1999

Next Generation issue 48 (December 1998)

Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 114 (January 1999)


You would play as ninja Shin Ienaga, accompanied by your doggy Shiro.
Your quest is to rescue your sister from the evil G.E.N.E. Corporation.

There would be five levels: a volcanic world, an arctice sub-aqua base, a lunar station, an ancient Japanese temple, and its gardens.
At that point you just have to wonder if it is worth saving the girl. 

The game would have you assassinating in stealth, using your doggy Shiro as a distraction.
Don't worry, Shiro cannot be killed.

 
 
 
Official UK PlayStation Magazine issue 45 (May 1999)


 
 
Saboteur was cancelled due to Eidos Interactive wanting to focus on the hot new PS2.
Pumpkin Studios closed down in March 2000 due to lack of funds.

http://au.ign.com/articles/1999/05/25/saboteur
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saboteur_(1999_video_game)
https://www.unseen64.net/2008/04/11/saboteur-psx-cancelled/


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Sacred Pools


Sacred Pools aka The Sacred Pools, was a cancelled Saturn and PC game from SegaSoft.
It was aiming to combine Myst with sexy women.

Expected release date: Autumn 1996, the June 1997, then November 1997

Mean Machines issue 45 (July 1996)


Segasoft was known for combining life action actors with computer graphics.
Sacred Pools would include amazons. Sexy.

The game billed itself as being an adult game, with plenty of near naked chicks and blood and gore. Sounds like my stag party.
 
Appearantly game was too much for the USA, so it was not going to be released to that region.
This lead to the game's cancellation.
Without the US, the game could not possibly sell enough to pay off the $3 million that went into it.


Sega Saturn Magazine issue 10 (August 1996)



Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 137 (December 2000)


Segasoft became The Code Monkeys, which then went bananas up in 2011.

Allegedly someone out there owns a Saturn prototype. Release please?

http://segaretro.org/The_Sacred_Pools
https://www.unseen64.net/2017/03/21/sacred-pools-sega-saturn-pc-cancelled/


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Safari Joe: The Dark Continent


Safari Joe is a cancelled PS2, Xbox, GaemCube, GBA, and PC game from Titus Software.
It's like a mixture of Pitfall and Uncharted, but mostly Uncharted.

Expected release date: 2003. then 2004

You would play as the eponymous Safari Joe, explorer extraordinaire.
You, the professor that hires you, and a ragtag team go out in search of treasure.
What they find is a lost civilization, and evil within.

The Unseen64 page has the plot, which I won't type out.
What I will add, which they didn't, was the GBA port.
It likely didn't get anywhere but damn, Titus was aiming for every console.

The game was cancelled in early 2005 when Titus Software went belly up.

Trivia: the official Safari Joe website is pretty damn useless.
All it was is basically a newsletter form.
Helpful back then but pretty shitty for modern-day research on the game.

https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/09/18/safari-joe-explores-gba
https://web.archive.org/web/20030729080611/http://www.titus-interactive.com:80/index.php?lang=en&pg=press/020918
https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=es&sp=nmt4&u=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115223136/http://www.allgame.com/game.php%3Fid%3D41784&xid=17259,15700023,15700124,15700149,15700186,15700191,15700201,15700214,15700230&usg=ALkJrhh90pQv0OO6jICrzUNp1G8BJjmgiA
https://web.archive.org/web/20030206222041/http://www.safarijoe.com:80/
https://www.unseen64.net/2012/12/13/safari-joe-pc-ps2-xbox-cancelled/


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Sahara


Sahara is a cancelled PS2, Xbox, and PC game by TKO Software.
It was to be based on the 2005 film of the same name.

Expected release date: late 2004, then Spring 2005



PC Zone 142 (June 2004)

Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 179 (June 2004)


You would play the director of NUMA (US National Underwater and Marine Agency).
Your job is to take down a dictator and shut down his nuclear waste disposal.
So it's basically following the movie: you are Dirk Pitt facing off against General Kazim.

The game was going to be a more stealthy version of their Medal of Honor games.
It was to be a third-person game that takes advantage of the environment a la Prince of Persia,
But considering this game deals with hidden treasure and the supernatural, it's more Uncharted.

Edge issue 137 (June 2004)


Sahara was cancelled when TKO Software shut down game development in January 2005.
TKO went defunct later that August.

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamebryo-chosen-for-the-ps2s-sahara/1100-6092354/
https://web.archive.org/web/20040813231922/http://tko-software.com/news-2-10-04.html
https://www.unseen64.net/2013/01/28/sahara-xboxps2-cancelled/


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Sato City


Sato City is a cancelled PS1 and PC game by Merit Studio/Eutechnyx.
It was to be a post-apocalyptic RPG game in a big city.

Expected release date: September 1996, then 1997

Official UK PlayStation Magazine issue 8 (July 1996)


You would play a cyberpunk Detective Skinner and have to solve a mystery of sorts.
The game would be controlled via point and click.
It would be have pre-rendered backgrounds and full speech. Ahead of its time.

In 1996 Merit Studios became Eutechnyx.
Eutechnyx was working on two PS1 games: Sato City and Total Drivin'.
Infogrames wanted a racing game, so Sato City was axed.

https://www.unseen64.net/2010/10/01/sato-city-psx-cancelled/


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Sgt Cruise





Sgt Cruise is a cancelled Xbox, GameCube, and PC game from Titus.
Take the tired third person shooter genre and inject craziness.

Expected release date: Summer 2002, then October 2002, then September 2002, then December 2002

NGC issue 62 (Xmas 2001)


This game is silly.
You play as the eponymous Sergeant Cruise, whose clothes have been stolen by aliens.
Your job is to wipe out the aliens and recover your clothes.

To further the silly plot, the game is plain wacky.
The humour harks back to the classic Looney Toons and Tex Avery cartoons.

There was to be three kings of missions:
Straight-up shooting, vehicle driving, and and co-op missions.

 Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 156 (July 2002)
Trailer


Sgt Cruise was likely cancelled due to financial difficulties.
Titus acquired Interplay in 2001, along with their debt
Eventually Titus cancelled the game to save cost. They would later go bankrupt in 2005.

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/titus-unveils-sgt-cruise/1100-2766887/
http://www.neoseeker.com/forums/3415/t172211-release-date-information-thread/
https://www.unseen64.net/2008/04/15/sgt-cruise-xbox-cancelled


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Shadows of Reality












Shadows of Reality is a cancelled PC game by BlackOps Team/Nevolution Software.
It was to be an online RPG that mixes cyberpunk with WoW.

Expected release date: 1999, then 2000, then 2001



PC PowerPlay issue 48 (May 2000)


The game started off as BlackOps, developed by the BlackOps team.
Set in a cyberpunk world where humans have been augmented with technology.
It was to be a 3D first-person RPG.

The setting was to be the year 2087, set in The Grid.
The Grid is the location of the cyberspace you must explore.
It would all be in a 3D-rendered real-time persistence world.

The game's name was changed to Shadows of Reality due to BlackOps Entertainment's similar name.
This change happened around 1999.


PC Zone issue 97 (Christmas 2000)

When you start a new character you can choose the occupation.
Much like a character class, this occupation gives you set stats and a skill tree.
You build up from there. Classes include police, scientist, mercenary, doctor, and more.

The game was to be have an interested player-killing system.
Players with a level 1-5 cannot be targeted for player-killing. Level 6-12: PKing optional.
Level 13-20 has PKing enabled by default since you ought to have the skills to defend yourself.



PC Zone issue 108 (November 2001)

In 2001 the game was cancelled due to lack of funding.
Nevolution Software then went defunct.

https://web.archive.org/web/19990203110014/http://www.avault.com/previews/blackops.asp
https://web.archive.org/web/19991008022542/http://www.nevolution.net/shadows/faq.html
https://web.archive.org/web/19991004183741/http://www.vaultnetwork.com/features/interviews/shadowsofreality.shtml
https://web.archive.org/web/19991007231708/http://www.nevolution.net/shadows/diary1.html
https://web.archive.org/web/19981206011612/http://www.d-core.com/ogn/interviews/sor.html
https://www.shacknews.com/article/15086/shadows-of-reality-shelved


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Shayde



Shayde: Monsters vs. Humans is a cancelled Xbox game from Metro3D, Inc.
It was to be a return to the vampire game of glory.

Expected release date: October 2002, then November 2002, then Q3 2003

Official US Xbox Magazine issue 5 (April 2002)
GamePro issue 163 (April 2002)


Shayde was to be a face-pasted first person shooter.
The world is of gothic horror. Spooky dooky.

You would have a choice between your moral paths.
Hero: vanquish the monsters
Evil: vanquish the humans
Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 156 (July 2002)


There was to be six different character to play as, each with their own story.
Presumably you can take which moral path with each character.

There was to be 36 missions to complete.
Then there was to be 20. Guess they cut back.

There was also going to be online gameplay via Xbox Live.
Up to eight players duke it out.
It was probably going to be team deathmatch: monsters vs humans.

Shayde was cancelled in late 2003/early 2004 when Metro3D went bankrupt.
Supposedly this game was acquired and retooled into Shade: Wrath of Angels.

https://web.archive.org/web/20020108044943/http://www.metro3d.com:80/games/shayde/shayde.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20030622174136/http://metro3d.com:80/html/games/shayde.html
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/first-look-shayde/1100-2835568
http://au.ign.com/articles/2002/01/08/shayde-monsters-v-humans
http://www.slicedgaming.com.au/news/e3-2003-shayde-monsters-vs-humans-announced-excusively-for-the-xbox-1143.html
https://www.unseen64.net/2008/04/15/shayde-xbox-cancelled


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Shenmue Online


Shenmue Online is a cancelled MMORPG for PC by Sega.
It would be based in Shenmue II.

Expected launch date: Spring 2005

The Shenmue franchise had a long dormant period since Shenmue II.
In the mid-2000s Sega had lost the console war but vowed to make games.
To make up for the shortfall in console-sale revenue, they turned to the humble MMO.

Sega joined forces with JC Entertainment from Korea Online.
T2 Technology Holdings from China has to help integrate the concept of MMOs into China.
Sega even had Yu Suzuki supervising the game.

Thousands of players would be playing at once in 1980's Hong Kong.
Players can join one of three clans and interact with the world.
Fans were salivating at the possibilities, but it was not to last.

In 2005 JC Entertainment pulled out, claiming they had 50% ownership.
Yu Suzuki assured the press that the game would still be made.

In 2006 more of the game was revealed at the China Expo.
In 2007 the game went quiet. It was rumoured to have been cancelled.
Although Sega refused to comment on the game, it was obviously dead.

https://web.archive.org/web/20041222203202if_/http://www.shenmue-online.com:80/pdf/20040803_ShenmueOnline_English_HP.pdf
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sega-announces-shenmue-online/1100-6103975/
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/shenmue-online-facing-trouble/1100-6130382/
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/whos-got-the-rights-to-shenmue-online/1100-6131932/
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/shenmue-online-resurfaces/1100-6154995/
https://www.wired.com/2007/08/rumor-shenmue-g/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenmue_Online
  

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Shining Lore


Shining Lore is a cancelled Xbox and PC game from Phantagram.
It was to rival the emerging MMORPG market, but with no results.

Expected release date: Q2 2002, then October 2002, then September 2002, then Q1 2003, then September 2003
Official UK Xbox Magazine issue 4 (June 2002)


The aim of the Korean-made MMORPG is to simplify the RPG element.
Thus, instead of mindless grinding, the emphasis was to be on fun.
With a very low learning curve, it was accessible to everyone... except to play.

The plot tells of legends of civilizations past.
Water is running out. It is up to you and your allies to killing the Ancient God.
Doing so will resurrect the ocean. It's a little bit weird.

There was to be five job paths: fighter, cook, designer, engineer, and alchemist.
The game has five basic elements: earth, fire, water, wind, and lightning.
The questionnaire given at the character creation screen influences your path.

There's five biodomes: the desert, the archipelago, the forest, underwater, and plateaus.
In the center is the floating island of Pandora.
This was to be an MMORPG to blow the rest away.

IGN Unplugged - Issue 13 (2002-05)



PC Zone issue 118 (August 2002)


So how come Shining Lore never came to be? I'm not sure.
The closed beta of July 20, 2002, may have something to do with it.

In 2015 the client and server has been leaked.
The link to the downloads are below, but good luck running it.
http://forum.ragezone.com/f857/release-shining-lore-online-server-1059923/

https://web.archive.org/web/20020205122200/http://www.phantagraminteractive.com:80/game_shininglore.asp
https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/09/19/shining-lore
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/p_shininglore
https://archive.rpgamer.com/news/Q3-2002/070402d.html
https://www.unseen64.net/2008/04/16/shining-lore-xboxpc-cancelled/


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Shining Sword









Shining Sword is a cancelled PS1 game from American Laser Games.
It was to be an adventure beat 'em up game; a departure from their usual FMV style of games.

Expected release date: October 1996, then Q4 1996. then April 1997

American Laser Games typically did lightgun FMV games like Who Shot Johnny Rock?.
Shining Sword was to be a 3D action RPG fighting game.

Electronic Gaming Magazine issue 83 (June 1996)



Play issue 8 (June 1996)


The goal of Shining Sword is to obtain the eponymous shining sword.
The game is set in Haradium. An evil dictator, Nazduk, has taken over.
Nazduk has cast a spell, turning the human citizens into animals.

By obtaining the 'shining sword', you can return the animals back to human form.
The wielder also gets super powers, which is always a nice bonus.

The gameplay is akin to Resident Evil but things are different here.
You can play as four characters: a minotaur, a Lich, a priestess, or a rat-man.
The Lich is actually Nazduk. Sneaky sneaky...
GamePro issue 84 (July 1996)

Next Generation issue 20 (August 1996)


Shining Sword was to be an ambitious game.
The game world is in 3D with no pre-rendered rooms.
The animation was done via motion capture.

The models have been made with edited Sony software to create 600+ polygon models.
There would have been multiplayer with either one console or two via link cable.
Yes, it was too ambitious...
GamePro issue 100 (January 1997)


The failure of the past lightgun games caught up with American Laser Games.
Layoffs were made to offset the losses. Talent programmers and staff were lost.

The company hired a talented contractor to save the day.
The contractor peered at the code, declared it awful, and suggested the game be started over.
Shining Sword was cancelled and the American Laser Games filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

American Laser Games was bought out by Her Interactive, a division of ALG.
Her Interactive is still active to this day, making point-and-click Nancy Drew games.

https://web.archive.org/web/19961029040358/http://algames.com/ssweb/index.html
http://sherigranerray.com/?p=33
https://www.trademarkia.com/shining-sword-74731111.html
http://landofobscusion.blogspot.co.nz/2015/09/obscusion-b-side-full-motion-vita-of.html
https://www.unseen64.net/2008/05/03/shining-sword-psx-cancelled/


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Shoot to Kill




Shoot to Kill is a cancelled PS2, Xbox, GameCube and PC game from Juice Studio.
Its full name is Shoot to Kill: Colombian Crackdown.

Expected release date: 2002/2003

 G-Force issue 1 (May 2002)


You would play as a Drug Enforcement Administration Officer.
You and your team are poised to take down Colombia’s drug underworld.
Uncover and take down the drug lords and end the drug trafficking.

The game was to be a first-person shooter that aimed to reinvent the genre.
It planned to use advanced AI and physics do the talking.

Other than that, there's not much info on the game.
Codemasters never announced it on their website from what I've gathered.
And before you ask, Juice Studio is an internal Codemasters studio.

Shoot to Kill was cancelled for unknown reasons.
Maybe Codemasters wanted to focus more on the Operation Flashpoint series.
For whatever reason Codemasters parted ways with Juice Studio. Probably over a bad thing.

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/shoot-to-kill-colombian-crackdown-announced/1100-2859774/
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2002-codemasters-announces-three-for-the-gamecube/1100-2866473/
http://au.ign.com/articles/2002/04/02/gavin-shoots-kills
http://au.ign.com/articles/2004/02/10/missing-in-action-the-lost-games-of-the-playstation-2-part-ii?page=3
  
  
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Shrapnel: Urban Warfare 2025



Shrapnel: Urban Warfare 2025 is a cancelled Dreamcast and PC game by Ripcord Games.
The game started of as M.O.U.T. 2025 (Military Operations in Urban Terrain).

Expected release date: Fall 2000, then October 2000, then November 2000, then Q2 2001

DC-UK issue 11 (June 2000)


Shrapnel takes place in the year 2025 (shock horror).
You are part of an anti-terrorism group, M.O.U.T. Force. Their task is to combat foreign extremists.
You will travel around to various US cities, cleaning up the terrorist scum.

The game was to combine realistic gunplay and physics.
Ripcord Games brought actual counter-terrorism training experts to aid in the realism.
This was to be the Rainbow Six for the Dreamcast... again.

Realism has its perks. For those familiar with guns in real life, you'll be right at home.
Enemies can be taken out with one blow to the head. So can your team mates.

GamePro issue 145 (October 2000)


Being set in the year 2025 allows the developers to include high-tech gadgetry.
There are smart machine guns, a rocket launcher, and a programmable grenade.
Program the grenade's trajectory and timing, like in a Worms game, fire and watch it blow.

Online multiplayer was, of course, included in the deal.
Up to eight players can play simultaneously. 4v4? Details aren't known.
A cool thing is that PC and DC players can play simultaneously. Cross-play! 


Ripcord Games made one small mistake making the game: the timing.
The Dreamcast was discontinued in early 2001.
This unfortunately meant the end of this game's production.

Ripcord Games went bankrupt and closed its office in 2001.

Gameplay


https://web.archive.org/web/20000815234033/http://www.ripcordgames.com:80/games/mout.htm
http://au.ign.com/articles/2000/05/12/shrapnel-urban-warfare-2025
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/shrapnel-preview/1100-2557808/
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/shrapnel-hands-on/1100-2612111/
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mout-becomes-shrapnel/1100-2605151/
http://au.ign.com/articles/2000/04/29/shrapnel-urban-warfare-2025-2
http://au.ign.com/articles/2000/08/16/mout-becomes-shrapnel
http://au.ign.com/articles/2001/03/24/ripcord-games-holds-off-dreamcast-titles
http://www.mobygames.com/company/ripcord-games-llc
https://www.unseen64.net/2008/04/10/shrapnel-urban-warfare/


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Shredfest




Shredfest is a cancelled PS1, Saturn, and 3DO game from Electronic Arts.
It was to be essentially Road Rash but on a snowboard.

Expected release date: January 1996, then March 1996, then June 1996, then Summer 1996, then March 1997
Next Generation issue 11 (November 1995)


Shredfest was to be a typical extreme sports game: fast action with a rockin' soundtrack.
Not to mention the video clips of the pro boarders strutting their stuff.

The game was to feature snowboard manufacturers and 15 pro boarders sponsered by them.
Some of the pro snowboarders include Shaun Palmer, Megan Pischke, and Seth Miller.
You would play as a rookie. Your goal is to hit it big.

To advance up the leaderboard you need to win competitions.
These range in six different disciplines, from slaloms to trick and speed contents.
There was to be eight resorts based on real locations.

GamePro issue 83 (June 1996)

Video Games The Ultimate Gaming Magazine Issue 89 (June 1996)


The gameplay was going to be a mixture of arcade and realism.
You would have to take into gravity with how you turn to avoid them trees.

Tricks would have been rewarded on a variable scale.
Unlike a static set of points for a trick like a Tony Hawks game, variables affect it.
Speed, height, complexity, and all manner of other stats affect the points rewarded.

The models and animations were motion-captured and digitized for the game.
These were done by the same snowboarders playable in the game.
Kind of sad to see their efforts going to nothing.

As for multiplayer, there was to be a four player mode.
Is it splitscreen? All on one screen? Information is scarce.

GamePro Spring 1996 issue


The 3DO version was quickly abandoned due to the 3DO is more suited to 2D game engines.
The other versions just disappeared.

I suspect the reason being that EA was acquiring all these studios at the time.
To offset the costs and focus on more profitable ventures, this game was scrapped.
Just speculation.

A prototype of this game exists, as it has been seen in eBay auctions.
If dumped, we'll find out if this game is a cool boarders or a drool boarders.

https://segaretro.org/Shredfest
http://playstationmuseum.com/video-game-graveyard/3/
https://www.unseen64.net/2008/04/11/shredfest-psx-cancelled/


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Silent Chaos


Silent Chaos is a cancelled PS1 and PS2 game by Kalisto Entertainment.
It was originally going to be a sequel to Dark Earth.

Expected release date: 1998?

After the Dark Earth sequel was canned, they reworked the project into Silent Chaos.
The game was cancelled due to the looming release of the PlayStation 2.
A PS2 version was worked on, but Kalisto Entertainment went defunct in 2002.

There was strife during the PS1 development.
Tetsuya Nomura would repaint all the characters drawn by Francois Rimasson.
Squaresoft would dump him onto FFVIII, dooming the game.

Apparently, the PS1 version was finished but not published. Boo-urns.
PS2 version trailer


https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.geocities.co.jp/Playtown-Toys/6762/khquote.htm&prev=search
https://www.unseen64.net/2009/08/03/silent-chaos-psx-cancelled/
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Sirens


Sirens is a cancelled PlayStation game from Capstone Software.
It was to be a sidescroller with 3D elements.

Expected release date: Fall 1996
 Playmag issue 4 (June 1996)


You play as Reive Larson, who has been pulled from 21st century LA into a weird universe.
He must restore the ecological balance of the weird universe.
GamePro issue 84 (July 1996)

Next Generation issue 19 (July 1996)


Capstone Software was a subsidiary of IntraCorp.
IntraCorp went bankrupt in 1996, taking down Capstone Software and this game with it.

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/CAPS+Productions+Announces+New+Product+Line-Up+for+E3+Three+Premier+...-a018289091
http://www.mobygames.com/company/capstone-software
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IntraCorp
https://www.unseen64.net/2008/04/11/sirens-psx-cancelled/


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Solar: Campaigns









Solar: Campaigns is a cancelled PC game by Brat Designs.
It was to be a dystopian team-based third-person shooter.

Expected release date: 2006

PCPowerplay issue 99 (May 2004)


In the future, a battle for resources is fought over by two factions.
These are the Eastern Collective Democracy (ECD) and the United Western Alliance (UWA).
Adding to the mix are the Necro; undead soldiers revived by nuclear fallout.

There was to be three settings: Earth, Mars, and the Moon.
Earth is a wasteland. Mars is a terraformed wasteland. The Moon is a dumping ground wasteland.
Up to 32 players, both AI and humans in multiplayer, can be in the battlefield.

Solar: Campaigns went unpublished due to Brat Designs going defunct.
This game was never cancelled, its release only "to be determined".

https://web.archive.org/web/20040719025515/http://www.brat-designs.com/solar.html
https://www.gamekult.com/actualite/solar-s-illustre-encore-32266.html
 

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Sonic X-treme


Sonic X-treme was the long awaited Sonic game for the Genesis and Saturn.
All we got was an X-treme letdown.

Expected release date: November 1996, then Winter 1996
Computer & Video Games issue 176 (July 1996)


Sonic X-treme began life as a new Genesis/Mega Drive game.
Then Sega moved it to the 32X as 'Sonic Mars', based on the cartoon series.
The 32X was being replaced by the Saturn, so Sega turned there.

The developer, Sega Technical Institute, was split into two teams.
One team did the main platforming engine, the other team coded the boss portions.
The teams did NOT get along well.

Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 84 (July 1996)


Development was slow but not as slow as the game's framerate.
Sega's President, Hayao Nakayama, flew out to check in on things.
He was not impressed.
Next Generation issue 19 (July 1996)



GamePro issue 85 (August 1996)


The team tried to use the engine NiGHTS into Dreams, but its creator said no.
Chris Coffin and Chris Senn worked 15-20 hour days to get it done.

Chris Coffin got pneumonia and almost died.
Chris Senn was told he only had six months to live at the rate he was working.
Owing to their declining health, the game was cancelled in early 1997.
Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 137 (December 2000)


The Saturn went without a traditional Sonic game.
Sega Technical Institute closed down shortly after.
It was not a happy ending for anyone.

Some tech demos for the game have been leaked in around 2014.
http://hiddenpalace.org/Sonic_X-treme_(V40_prototype)
http://hiddenpalace.org/Sonic_X-treme_(Jul_14,_1996_prototype)
http://hiddenpalace.org/Sonic_X-treme_(Jul_18,_1996_prototype)

 Trailer from E3 1996
History of the game


http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TroubledProduction/VideoGames
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/WhatCouldHaveBeen/SonicTheHedgehog
http://sonic.wikia.com/wiki/Sonic_X-treme
http://www.lostlevels.org/200403/200403-xtreme.shtml
https://www.unseen64.net/2008/04/10/sonic-xtreme-saturn/
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Sorcery


Sorcery is a cancelled PS1 game by Sony Interactive Studios America (SISA).
It was to be an arena fighter version of Magic: The Gathering.

Expected release date: 1997/1998?

The original concept for the game was like a battle royale but 1v1.
The game would be split screen. You and your opponent would run around setting traps.
Slowly the arena would shrink down to a single screen.

Being inspired by Magic: The Gathering, there would be familiar concepts.
You could play as different classes, each with unique spells and stats.
These spells included summoning of creatures, as well as ways to locate the opponent.

The designers decided to reduce the game down to the simplistic 1v1 fighting action.
Then the team realized that a fighting game would compare the game to Tekken 3.
After two years of work and millions of dollars poured in, the game was cancelled.

After the game was canned, a PC studio, Verant Interactive, was formed.
This studio later went on to launch Everquest, the first 3D MMORPG.


 Gameplay

http://playstationmuseum.com/review/sorcery
https://www.unseen64.net/2010/04/19/sorcery-psx-cancelled/


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Spanish Blood


Spanish Blood is a cancelled PS1, Saturn, and PC game from Scavenger.
It was to be a 3D adventure set on the seven seas.Expected release date: 1997


PC Zone issue 47 (February 1997)


Information about this game is very scarce. Here's what I know:
* it used the Alone in the Dark engine 
* it was mainly a 'beat 'em up'
* you can hoist the Jolly Roger and board ships

Spanish Blood was cancelled when Scavenger signed a deal with GT Interactive in April 1996.Spanish Blood, an ambitious but likely not fun game, was cancelled to fulfill the contract.GT Interactive failed to pay, so a lawsuit was launched.

Scavenger closed down in 1997 due to deb.
Even though Scavenger won the lawsuit and got almost $2 million, it was too late.



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Speedball Arena

Speedball Arena is a cancelled PC, PS2, and Xbox game by Bitmap Brothers.
It was to take the classic Amiga game into the third dimension.

Expected release date: Xmas 2002, then 2003


 Official UK PlayStation2 Magazine issue 12 (October 2001)


The cherished Speedball formula was being given a next-gen boost.
Over 30 arenas strewn with powerups and score multipliers.
Something new was the multiplayer aspect: online matches with services to clans.


PC Zone issue 108 (November 2001)

 Edge issue 109 (February 2002)

 PC Zone issue 118 (August 2002)


Speedball Arena was cancelled in around late 2002 or so.Bitmap Brothers was working on porting Speedball for the GBA. 
Afterwards they worked on World War II: Frontline Command.

In 2017 Reality Reflection released a VR game of the same name to Steam.Sadly it is more Rocket League than based on the actual Speedball games.




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Speed Tribes


Speed Tribes is a cancelled PS1 and PC game from Nemicron.
It was to be a combination of Wipeout and Twisted Metal.

Expected release date: Q1 1998, then Q4 1998

The game was based on the graphic novel of the same name.
Six tribes would compete in arena combat to rule over the city.
It would not just be arcade style but also multiplayer action too.

THQ quietly cancelled the game.
I believe only the first issue of the comic was released.
I also think that Nemicron went out of business around or before 1999.




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Spirit Master

Spirit Master is a cancelled PS1 game by Probe Software Inc/Acclaim London Studios.
It was an ambitious 3D fighter that is now merely a spirit.

Expected release date: November 1997

hey baby

The plot of the game is that legendary creatures worldwide have been summoned.They have been drawn in by Mantis, who then sends them through a Spirit Gate.
This makes them mortal. Since they each have a reason to fight, they have at it.

It was to be ambitious game indeed.
Martial artists were motion-captured for the moves.
The game was going to exploit the third dimension so you can fight on higher levels.

Magic was also in the works.
You can build up chi by holding button combinations.
This in turn affects the environment, and your enemy.

Four-player multiplayer was also on the table.
An ambitious game... too big to fail?
Acclaim thoughts so.

The technology was brand new, so development crawled by excrutiating slow.
Acclaim saw the project as one that ate money but might not deliver.
It was cancelled in 1997.

Fergus McGovern, founder of Probe Software, passed away in 2016. RIP.
A beta of Spirit Master is on that there internet.



Gameplay footage




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Split Realities



Split Realities is a cancelled PS1 and Saturn game by JVC.
The cover of the game looks like Simon Belmont vs Catwoman triplets.
Expected release date: Q4 1995, then January 1996


Mean Machines issue 37 (November 1995)
PlayStation Plus issue 2 (November 1995)


You would play as Solo Axelrod.
You have the ability to switch between two universes: nature and science.
Both universes have things in them that want to kill you.

The game was to be a sidescroller action game in the vein of Flashback.
Presumably you can solve puzzles by switching between worlds to move objects.


GamePro Spring 1996 issue


Split Realities was cancelled in 1996 or so. JVC's gaming division was closed up shop in 1998.
Lots of their other games were cancelled as the studio wound up.
This game was later recycled into the hit PC game The Longest Journey.




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Spooks


Spooks is a cancelled PS2, Xbox, and PC game by Gamezlab.
It was to be an action game based on the BBC television series of the same name.

Expected release date: Autumn 2004, then November 2004

You would play as MI5 agents on a mission: put a stop to a criminal conspiracy.
Espionage gameplay would include trailing targets, planting bugs, infiltration, and hacking.
It would feature a script written by the show's writer Steve Bailie.

Spooks was cancelled when the BBC shut down Gamezlab in 2004.
It is unknown how far into development it got; it probably never left the design stage.



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Spooky

Spooky is a cancelled N64 game from ICE (International Computer Entertainment).
The company known for its Amiga games tried to step up but were let down.

 Expected release date: 1999


N64 Magazine issue 10 (Xmas 1997)


Console News issue 18 (January 1998)

The plot has something to do about saving your planet from the Arch Morph aliens.
You would play as a hero that could shapeshift.
To do so you would need to collect 30 pieces of a mirror.

You could shapeshift into different creatures, each with unique powers.
These would aid you in the platforming and combat sections.



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Stampede!


Stampede! is a cancelled Dreamcast and PC by IO Productions.
It's basically a herding game like Sheep, but with wacky animals.

Expected release date: 1999


Joystick issue 125 (April 2001)


In 1998, Nick Slaven made Come Baa, a sheep herding game for the Net Yaroze.
He entered the game for the Games Developer UK 1998 Competition.
He didn't win but Sony was impressed, and introduced him to IO Productions.

IO Productions was founded in early 1998 by John Chasey, Glenn Broadway and Andy Bain.
They too were working on a herding game and sought inspiration from Nick Slaven.
Slaven joined the team and worked on their herding game project: Stampede!

Originally the game was to going to use various music to herd different animals.
You would control the human Farmer Blow, and the dog Shep.
Different settings would have included Egypt, an icy wonderland, an airport...


Edge issue 126 (August 2003)

The publisher Infrogrames made lots of changes, which confused the team.
The game was a clunky mess with no clear control scheme.

Stampede! was cancelled in 1999 to save on resources.
IO Productions then became IOMO and made movie games until its closure in 2007.



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StarCon




StarCon was a cancelled PS1 by Accolade..
The game wasn't a PS1 exclusive; a PC version was in the works too.

It started off as Star Control 4, aiming to bring the popular PC franchise to the PlayStation.

It started development in 1998, was scheduled for a Holiday 1998, but was cancelled in late 1998.

You would have been able to play as multiple races, fighting enemy ships in 3D.
So it's basically Wing Commander but with StarCon elements.
You can even replay missions as the opposite side.


Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 105


GamePro issue 111 (October 1998)


The game was out on hold on October 5 1998 as the team reevaluated the design of the game.
StarCon was never officially told to be cancelled by the team, but the writing was on the wall...


Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 137

In 2008 a prototype of the game was sold, and in March 2009 was released onto the internets.
The prototype is around 70% complete and is certainly playable.


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Starcraft: Ghost


Starcraft Ghost is a cancelled PS2, Xbox, and GameCube game from Nihilistic Software.
The game was to be a third-person shooter set in the Starcraft universe.

Expected release date: Fall 2003, then Winter 2003, then Q4 2003, then March 2004, then Q1 2004, then Fall 2004, then September 2005, then Spring 2006

You play as Annabella Terra, aka Nova. She is a Terran espionage agent.
Your job is to investigate some chemical called Terrazine Gas.
The Terrans, Zergs, and Protoss are interested in it.


Official UK PlayStation2 Magazine issue 27 (December 2002)


The gameplay was to be a stealthy affair.
You have a cloaking device. Some enemies have devices to uncloak you however.
You also have thermal goggles and an EMP for disabling electronics. A regular Jane Bond.

Nova is an agile girl, capable of manouvering around her environment like a ninja.
You can shimmy up pipes and then hang upside from them to snipe Zergs.

Speaking of psychic powers, being a Ghost soldier, you have some abilities of your own.
You can cloak, see heat signatures through walls, and make yourself faster.


GamePro Issue 172 (January 2003)





Official UK PlayStation2 Magazine issue 31 (March 2003)

There would also be the 'required by law' door lock puzzles.
You would have to match your PSI energy using colour wave patterns.

You have plenty of weapons, like the assault rifle and the sniper rifle.
You also had laser weapons, grenades, shotguns, flamethrowers...


Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 165 (April 2003)



Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 169 (August 2003)

Nova is also well-versed in close combat melee.
You can sneak up behind enemies and stealth instakill them.
You also had a QTE where different button combinations do different combos.

Nihilistic Software stopped developing Starcraft: Ghost in Q4 2004 for some reason.
Swingin' Ape Studios swung in to take over.

Blizzard Entertainment purchased Swingin' Ape Studios in December 2005.
A consequence of this was that the GameCube version was canned.

The GameCube was cancelled due to lack of online support.
At Blizzcon 2005, Starcraft: Ghost was playable in multiplayer form.
A 16 player tournament was held. It gained positive feedback.

Starcraft: Ghost was to be set four years after StarCraft: Brood War.
Backstory behind Nova and this game were novelized in the book StarCraft Ghost: Nova.
The book was released in November 2006. By then the game was at a standstill.

In March 2006, Blizzard postponed the game to consider the PS3 and Xbox 360.
The game was held in limbo for ages, not officially cancelled.


GMR issue 13 (February 2004)

The success of World of Warcraft and development of Starcraft II kept resources away the game.
Blizzard lost faith that Starcraft: Ghost could succeed.
Starcraft: Ghost was cancelled, just six months away from completion.

We would have to wait until 2014 when Blizzard officially declared this game cancelled.

That wouldn't be the last time we heard of Nova.
Aside from the novel, she also starred in the Starcraft II DLC, StarCraft II: Nova Covert Ops.

In January 2020 a beta build was leaked online.
Blizzard tried in vain to curb access to the code and videos, but it's too late.


Trailer from 2005


Gameplay footage




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Streets of Rage 4


Streets of Rage 4 is a cancelled Saturn and then Dreamcast game by Ancient Corp.
The joys of sidescroller beat 'em ups were coming to the next gen.

Expected release date: 1999?

Sega was in a bind. The Saturn was losing the console war.
They needed brand recognition, a real gem to draw in the gamers with bulging wallets.

Fighting Force by Eidos was originally going to be Streets of Rage 4.
Sega, however, learned that it was to be ported to rival consoles, and pulled out.
Probably just as well since that game isn't too good.

In 1998 the Dreamcast was released.
Ancient made a demo and showcased it to the Sega of America executives.
The executives, however, had never heard of the game series and cancelled the project.

The truth is that such types of games were either outdated or not very fun.
Sega didn't want to take a risk and ruin the series, or even worse, lose money.

In 2020 Streets of Rage 4 proper was released. It's pretty good.

In 2008 prototype was released.



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Strident: The Shadow Front


Strident: The Shadow Front is a cancelled Xbox and PC game by Phantagram.
It was to be a post-apocalyptic action game.

Expected release date: Winter 2002, then late 2002, then Q3 2003, then 2004, then 2006


Evolution issue 1 (February 2002)

Just after World War III, things are pretty grim.
The United Nations has an peace-keeping agency called FIST.
You lead a FIST team but an ambush in Israel leaves almost all your team dead.

You play as a female soldier that goes by the codename 'Strident'.
She is now being hunted by the same people she thought were her allies.

You wake in a research lab and seek to escape.
Battle suits are laying around to assist you. These grant you great power.
The variety of power suits allows you to choose your playstyle.

There would be around twenty missions, each with its own theme.
These can either be target elimination, stealth, defend an area...
Some missions even have a team of AI allies to order around once freed.

In 2002 Phantagram held a contest for Phantom Crash to promote the game.
The grand prize? Duality and Strident delivered to you for free upon their release.
Oh that's a great prize, those games never got published!

Strident was cancelled around 2006.
In 2003 Phantagram ceased production to work on Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders.
Strident was slated for a 2006 release on the Xbox 360, but then went out of business.

Timeline:
2002: development begins
2003: development ceases to work on Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders
2006: game is cancelled



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Stung!


Stung! is a cancelled PS2, Xbox, GameCube, and PC game from Prey Digital Studios.
It is a game of incests vs insects, military style.

Expected release date: late 2002


Level issue 46 (July 2001)


Stung! is a shooter game in which you play as six different insects.
You must fight your way through attics, waiting rooms, and the like.
There are 12 levels, each with 3 sub-levels.

Your objective is to kill gun-weilding bugs whilst avoiding obstacles like spider webs, bug spray, and flypaper.
You can switch between first-person and third-person perspective on the fly.

The plot is this: genetically-enhanced insecets were created during the Cold War.
These insects were to be spies, carry viruses, and help win the war.
The government cut down on costs, ending the project.

The insects rebelled, and waged war on humanity.
SOme of them stole the formula that turns regular bugs into super enchanced bugs.
Scientists have created you and your comrades to retrieve the formula from the rogue bugs.

The PC version was well underway, but as the sixth generation dawned they began work on those too.


Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine issue 17 (February 2002)


Different characters control differently: Some can fly and thus find secret powerups and weapons.
Some have superior firepower for close combat situations.
Knowing which insect to use when is the key to victory.

Multiplayer was also on the table.
There was to be deathmatches and team matches à la Unreal Tournament.
Instead of Capture the Flag, it was to be Capture the Flea.


PSW issue 1 (July 2002)


Stung! was cancelled in 2002 when Prey Digital Studios went belly up.
No publisher was interested in the game.
The Norfolk company only lasted a few years and did not publish a single game.



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Stunt Car Racer Pro


Stunt Car Racer Pro is a cancelled PS2 and PC game by Simergy.
It was to be a sequel to the classic racing game Stunt Car Racer.

Expected release date: 2004

PC Gamer issue 123 (June 2003)


Retro Gamer issue 69 (November 2009)


Stunt Car Racer Pro only reached a demo stage before being pulled.
The game was cancelled in February 2005 sue to no publishers signing on.
Simergy went defunct later that year.



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Stunt Driver


Stunt Driver is a cancelled PS2 and PC game by Climax Studios.
It was like Stuntman before its time.

Expected release date: Fall 2001


Nintendo World issue 13 (June 2000)

Pixel Planet was first working on this game in 1999.
In November 1999 Climax acquired it and this game, still in progress.

The game was announced in late 1999 for PS1 and Dreamcast.
Due to the Dreamcast's demise, the game was shifted to the PS2 and PC.

The game was being hyped for its realistic physics engine, offering high thrills.
Climax also touted its track editor.
Although the game was cancelled its influence can be seen in later Climax titles.

The game was cancelled between August and October of 2001.
That is when the Climax website scrubs all mention of the game.



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Stunts: Final Stage


Stunts: Final Stage is a cancelled PC game by Mayhem Studios.
It was to be a 3D remake of the classic Stunt Car Racer.

Expected release date: mid-2003, then Q2 2003, then Q4 2003, then Q1 2004


PC Zone issue (July 2002)

The game aimed to keep the feel of the original game.
Not only that but a powerful track editor was included as well.

The game was likely cancelled so they could work on Empire of Magic.



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Survivor: Day One




Survivor: Day One is a cancelled Nintendo 64 game by Konami.
The game was announced and cancelled in 1998.

Expected release: November 1998, then Q4 1998, then Q1 1999,


N64 magazine issue 18 (August 1998)


Official Nintendo Magazine issue 71 (August 1998)


The plot is about a man aboard an alien ship who has to find his girlfriend/wife.
Lots of aliens are trying to cuck you by preventing you from being with her.
These Fayrs mean business.

The game was basically Tomb Raider IN SPACE.


GamePro issue 111 (October 1998)

In early 1999 Survivor: Day One was cancelled due to quality issues.



Concept tech demo. Mark Lindsey did the music.




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Survivor


Survivor is a cancelled PS2, Xbox, GameCube, and PC game by Replay Studios.
It was a game based around surviving catastrophic conditions in human history.

Expected release date: Winter 2005


PC Zone issue 149 (Xmas 2004)


Imagine a game where you can relive 9/11, the sinking of the Titanic, the Hiroshima bombing...
This game promised gameplay of not only the impact but the aftermath.
An interesting premise but bathed in controversy.

Here were the scenarios:
1992: Hurricane Andrew
1912: Titanic Sinking
2001: 9/11
2004: Paraguay: Fire In Shopping Mall
1985: Earthquake In Mexico City
1945: Hiroshima



Official UK PlayStation2 Magazine issue 53 (December 2004)


PC Zone issue 150 (January 2005)

Immediately there was vitriol and condemnation from the media and moral guardians.
The public could handle fictional tastelessness but reality-based tastelessness was too much.
Survivor was unable to find a publisher and it was cancelled.



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