FPS Game Franchises That Will Never See A New Installment

I believe that practically every genre has some iconic franchise that ruled an era with one or two games (or even more), only to suddenly disappear without any apparent reason and without anyone truly understanding why.

With the first-person shooter franchises, the story is no different. Sure, this genre is defined by constant evolution, always moving forward with new engines, mechanics, and dynamic systems. But sometimes, when the industry pushes forward, it leaves behind true legends that deserve to be remembered.

And we all have that one game that lives rent-free in our heads to this day. Yet, we know (for some of us, right deep down) that the sequel is never going to drop. It is the cruel reality of the business: some gems simply fade away (please, imagine that “Never Fade Away” is playing in the background right now to make this sound more dramatic).

Well, I woke up today feeling a mix of nostalgia and bitterness, and I decided to lean into the melancholy, because, why not? So, join us as we mourn 10 FPS franchises that, sadly, will probably never see the light of day again, but still live in our hearts.

9 No One Lives Forever

Diamonds Are Forever

I always find it a bit sad that Monolith Productions is remembered mainly by Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War – they are, indeed, incredible games, but way before entering J.R.R. Tolkien’s universe, the studio created the amazing No One Lives Forever series.

It is a first-person shooter and stealth hybrid franchise that pays homage to the classic spy genre and has only two main games: The Operative: No One Lives Forever (2000) and No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way (2002).

And boy, they are both equally incredible, presenting a fantastic story about a woman spy in the '60s who has to face all the sexism you sadly would expect from that period. Alongside that, it features incredible character development and sharp dialogue that works on multiple levels.

Sure, you can argue that their gameplay was not the best FPS at the time, but you simply can’t deny its charm. Oh, and also that if it got another sequel or even a spiritual successor today, that could easily be fixed, and we would have another spy masterpiece on our hands.

8 Medal of Honor

The Forgotten Pioneer of WWII Shooters

Sadly, up to this point, I think most FPS players forgot about Medal of Honor even more than Electronic Arts did, because this franchise was full of ups and downs, but hear me out: it deserves to rise from the ashes.

That is because the series helped pioneer WWII shooters in the 2000s and was part of many FPS players’ childhood (mine included), meaning it was a gateway into the genre for many out there. And they all had this pretty solid realism that created a unique atmosphere (one that is difficult to see today amid the massive, chaotic battles we usually get now).

And yes, maybe I'm being overly nostalgic, but tell me that a new Medal of Honor, with more modern gameplay built upon those core pillars, wouldn't shake up the world of first-person shooters?

7 Killzone

Bring Me More Dark Sci-Fi

Despite Guerrilla Games having eyes only on Horizon nowadays, my heart wants to believe that one day we will return to see Killzone getting a new chapter, since Killzone 2 and Killzone 3 are truly gems from the PlayStation 3 era.

It is a first-person shooter franchise that has a charming dark sci-fi vibe attached to it, with stories that go pretty deep, bringing reflective themes that make us think about human society (and all the problems that come with it, of course), such as racism, poverty, and so on.

Now imagine all of that depth added to modern gameplay, with Helghasts even more aggressive and mutant, even more tactical first-person shooter boss fights, and even more alien trouble? The scale would be unbelievable!

I mean, it is certainly not that common to see FPS franchises this deep, and with the studio’s current experience, I'm sure they would create something incredible for the current generation. But until then, the Helghan silence reigns supreme.

6 Deus Ex

The Immersive Sim That Needs Closure

I know that Deus Ex's gameplay as a first-person shooter isn't as intuitive as other titles from the genre of the same era, but it was certainly one of the most varied and comprehensive in terms of player choice, since it gave you tools for your instincts, not directions.

The franchise became a true landmark mainly because it could be played both as an FPS or a stealth game (or something in between, if you wanted), with a lot of freedom of choice, amazing map design, and a deep philosophical narrative.

No wonder it had some other entries after that, with Deus Ex: Mankind Divided in 2016 being the last one – but, since then, the franchise seems to have entered a state of dormancy without telling anyone.

And let’s face it, we are in the era where immersive sims are praised a lot, so imagine what Deus Ex could achieve today! Not to mention that they could finally finish Adam’s story, please.

5 Perfect Dark

Too Perfect to Live

Well, this is both awkward and sad, for sure. We were pretty near getting a reboot of the amazing Perfect Dark franchise in the following years, but it was sadly canceled by Microsoft in July 2025, along with the closure of the studio itself.

And in the blink of an eye, the franchise returned to the limbo it had been in since 2000, when the game was originally launched for Nintendo 64 and exploded minds for being extremely ambitious with its graphics, fun shooting mechanics, and story about a mysterious secret agent.

Just imagining repeating that dose with a modern revamp makes me want to put on some R.E.M.'s “Everybody Hurts”, step into the shower fully clothed, and stay there for a couple of hours.

Jokes aside, for this one, I think we will have to go with the famous “don’t be sad because it’s over, be happy because it happened”. So we can only dream of what could have been.

4 Black

The Destructible Environment Dream

Now let’s talk about one of the most classic FPS games in history: Black. It came out in the midst of the transition between the 6th and 7th console generations, and it was widely praised for its visuals and cinematic sound design at the time. But it was its destructible environments that truly conquered players’ hearts.

It was just simple and straight fun, a true spectacle of over-the-top action, despite being a bit repetitive and having dated controls by now. But that’s where our frustration enters the picture: those flaws could easily be addressed and fixed in a sequel today – something that, being completely honest, is never going to happen.

And yes, I know the devs responsible for it did try to get a spiritual successor off the ground in 2011 with Bodycount, but that didn't work out too well, bless their hearts.

I still genuinely think a sequel or remake could be viable today, using modern tech for that signature cinematic destruction, but with a new style of gameplay that finally matches that incredible, high-octane feeling the original had.

3 F.E.A.R.

Alma’s Silence

We have another Monolith Productions’ game in the ranking! Talk about a studio that forgets a lot of its own legendary IPs, huh? It is a sad pattern to watch great franchises just disappear into the corporate ether.

F.E.A.R. is undoubtedly quite a unique first-person shooter, blending psychological horror and supernatural elements. It also featured groundbreaking AI (where enemies called out their actions or gave commands to each other before that was a thing) and lighting effects that were ahead of their time, making it an influential FPS game at the time.

Its last main installment ended up being F.E.A.R. 3, released way back in 2011, and we have to face it: the original F.E.A.R. games, while amazing for their time, don't really hold up against modern shooters without some nostalgia.

That is why not having the hope of a new game or even a reboot feels so sad. Imagine what could be made with current-gen power, and how much scarier Alma could be nowadays! A missed opportunity for horror fans.

2 Titanfall

The Last Hope Crushed

We usually expect an event like The Game Awards to end with an announcement for a game that will define generations – but, at the 2025 edition, it ended with the announcement of Respawn Entertainment's next title, Highguard, a PvP raid shooter.

That reveal also threw out of the window all of my hopes for another game in the Titanfall franchise. It is literally one of the best first-person shooters and a modern classic that won over countless players with a solid single-player campaign and the incredibly fun Titan gameplay.

With the developer’s attention now fully focused on a brand-new project (and one that's completely different in scope), it is highly unlikely that we will step back into this amazing universe anytime soon, sadly.

We'll be left simply watching our old Titans gather dust while we wait for news that will likely never come.

1 TimeSplitters

The Couch Co-Op Legend We Lost

It is legitimately amazing and sad that TimeSplitters never made it past the PlayStation 2 era, since SO many people wanted (and still want!) this franchise back. It feels like one of the great historical injustices in gaming.

Its games were absolutely some of the best shooters of the 2000s, and literally all three entries were fantastic and unique, with a nice arcade touch and a wacky sense of humor. They just feel so damn good to play, to the point where you can't even explain why – it was just pure FPS fun.

And we don't even need to talk about its multiplayer modes, which are stuck in most couch co-op fans' childhood memories forever!

This is truly an experience that I (and thousands of players) would absolutely love to have again. But, unfortunately, it remains an impossible dream.