*Note: Sales figures were gathered from sources NPD Data and Videogame Chartz and are meant as an approximation and not a definitive number.
What causes a game to flop? Poor marketing? Bad reviews? Weak word of mouth? Lack of a license? It's hard to tell -- but one thing is certain -- the games listed below deserved a much better fate than what they received in terms of sales in 2008. The games below are ranked by sales (or in this case, the lack of sales) and not by the supposed awesomeness of a particular game.
20. PC Games
Publisher: Many
Developer: Frustrated
We start off the list with a generic shout out to PC games. Tracking sales data, regardless of what NPD says, is terribly difficult because of download sales via Steam, Gamersgate, and so on. That said, PC gaming remains a second class citizen in the eyes of many publishers who tend to focus either primarily or solely on the consoles. This doesn't change the fact that a lot of great PC games were released in 2008 and chances are pretty good you didn't play any of them unless it was an MMO, Spore, or some form of The Sims. Games like King's Bounty, Sins of a Solar Empire, Mount & Blade, Sacred 2, Out of the Park Baseball, Crysis Warhead, Hinterland, and The Political Machine are just a few examples of PC only games that you need to play.
19. Pure
Platforms: Xbox 360; PS3
Publisher: Disney Interactive
Developer: Black Rock Studio
Approximate Global Sales: 800,000
MotorStorm may rule the big rigs and dirt cars, but Pure seizes the ATV space. No question about it, this is the best ATV game of this generation and it claims its title with style. The over-the-top tricks and high flying jumps make it an action-packed ride from start to finish. Even better, pulling off tricks is incredibly easy thanks to a one-button trick system that organizes them into a ladder. Joining the lengthy career is a fully featured vehicle garage that allows you to create a custom ride. Of course, online play is here too for up to 16 players. Pure got run over in a holiday season packed with big hits, but that isn't a reason to pass it up on second look. US sales were abysmal but it fared better overseas, but not enough to crack 1 million units sold mark. Sure, Pure technically outsold Pacific Rift but remember that's Xbox 360 and PS3 sales combined.
Pure
18. MotorStorm: Pacific Rift
Platforms: Xbox PS3
Publisher: Sony
Developer: Evolution Studios
Approximate Global Sales: 760,000
MotorStorm received a lot of attention when it hit PlayStation 3 two years ago, but its sequel hasn't been given as much due praise. This unbelievably beautiful off-road racer packs some of the best vehicular action on any platform. Many have missed out on the game, which was overlooked in lieu of bigger PlayStation 3-exclusives such as Metal Gear Solid 4; however, now is a great time to go back and grab a copy. It is on the difficult side, so beware of challenges in the later half of the campaign and competition online. It's hard to get a true read on the sales for this one due to the bundling, but you have to think that Sony wanted a better North American showing -- 340,000 sales certainly wasn't part of the plan.
17. Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy
Platforms: Xbox 360; PS3
Publisher: Vivendi
Developer: High Moon Studios
Approximate Global Sales: 660,000
Few games exactingly follow the books or films from which they're born and that's true with The Bourne Conspiracy. Instead of attempting to retell the agent Jason Bourne's story by replicating the movies, it highlights key moments with surprisingly good gameplay. Action, of course, takes center stage with plenty of gun fights; however, stealth plays a role, as well as button-pressing sequences allowing you to take down enemies. While it's not the best licensed game to ever be created, it's probably the most unappreciated. The Bourne Conspiracy is a great popcorn game, good for a fun weekend play. 660,000 sales, when you look at the rest of our list, doesn't look too bad but development costs were high on this one and you have to wonder if not getting Damon on board doomed this one to fail?
The Bourne Conspiracy
