Longevity in gaming isn't easy to achieve as the industry is constantly changing. This is why plenty of popular gaming series haven't stood the test of time. It seems like the only way to survive for the long haul is to change and evolve alongside the industry. But altering a series formula comes with its own potential issues, as by changing too much, a developer can drive fans away.
Despite that risk, several developers or publishers have made the courageous choice to change the genre of their popular series. Sometimes it has worked incredibly, while other times, it has been a failure. These are the most famous examples of genre switching.
8 Wolfenstein
Wolfenstein is a series that has been around since the 1980s. And throughout its history, there have been several reboots. However, the most substantial change came in Wolfenstein 3D, the action-packed first-person shooter. Since that release, all the rest of the main entires have fit into that same genre.
Yet, before 3D, there was Castle Wolfenstein and Beyond Castle Wolfenstein. These titles are stealth games with some action-adventure and shooter elements. Stealth mechanics have returned to the series in the most recent instalments, but The New Order and The New Colossus are definitely not stealth games.
7 Pac-Man
After the original Pac-Man game, the series had a few different spin-offs and re-releases. Eventually, though, the first title had a direct sequel - at least based on the name - called Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures. It's hard to define what genre the original Pac-Man fits in as it's one-of-a-kind. It's certainly not a point-and-click adventure like Pac-Man 2, though.
In this sequel, the titular character has a full body - including a face - and he walks around a town completing quests instead of darting around a maze. Thankfully, more maze-based Pac-Mans came later.
6 Castlevania
The original Castlevania is very much a pure platformer, where you jump and whip your way through various linear levels. Following the first instalment, though, the series slowly began to transform by adding exploration and a few RPG mechanics. Yet, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night presented the first full departure for the series.
While this game still contains side-scrolling, it barely resembles a platformer. In fact, it doesn't resemble many genres from that time. Instead, it was one of the earliest examples of a Metroidvania game and helped spawn the genre.
5 Yakuza
Most of the Yakuza games are action-adventure beat 'em ups, containing compelling stories and likable protagonists. Surprisingly, after the series had been going on for 15 years, the developers decided to change things for the seventh game, Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
This 2020 title is a pure role-playing game. And rather than beat 'em up style combat, it contains a turn-based system. Luckily, it doesn't completely do away with everything that came before. For instance, the series' charming wackiness is still there. Plus, Yakuza's signature brawling still exists in the Judgment spin-off titles.
4 Assassin's Creed
Unlike a lot of games that changed genres, Assassin's Creed didn't take a sudden turn. The once action-adventure series slowly morphed into an action RPG one. The first few games are strictly action-adventure. However, the likes of Unity and Syndicate include more role-playing game elements. And Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla are true action RPGs with their inclusion of crafting and skill trees.
The transition into a new genre coincided with the series becoming fully open-world. While the early games are partially open-world, you are often restricted by the story. That is not the case with the later instalments.
3 Banjo-Kazooie
The first two Banjo-Kazooie games are classic platformers with a few action-adventure features. After them, though, fans had to wait many years for a main series sequel to be released. Eventually, it came in 2008 in the form of Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts And Bolts.
While this title still fits in the action-adventure genre, there isn't much platforming in the game. Instead, Nuts and Bolts revolves around building vehicles. It doesn't even involve much combat like the first two entries. It's fair to say this transformation of the series wasn't appreciated by every member of the fanbase.
2 Resident Evil
Resident Evil had one of the most well-known and divisive genre switches in gaming history. After the first few atmospheric survival horror entries, the series completely changed with Resident Evil 4. The most immediately noticeable alteration is the use of an over-the-shoulder camera rather than the fixed ones from the originals. But the most controversial change was the transformation into an action series.
While the first few titles have action, RE4 is a complete action game with some horror elements. Resident Evil 5 is even more action-orientated, while the sixth game is a third-person shooter that barely resembles survival horror. However, the series has since rediscovered its horror roots.
1 Fallout
Technically, Fallout didn't change genres, as all the games are RPGs. But the series did switch sub-genres and completely changed Fallout forever. The first two games are 2D isometric titles that utilize turn-based combat. In contrast, Fallout 3 and 4 are 3D, fully open-world experiences with real-time action.
As such, the first two instalments barely resemble the third and fourth. Yet, a lot of people seemed happy with the switch as Fallout 3 is the game that really took the series to the next level in terms of popularity.