Microsoft had a real up and down decade in regard to their Xbox line of consoles. The Xbox 360 dominated the PS3 in direct competition, but by the latter console’s end during this decade, it eventually caught up. Still, overall the Xbox 360 did very well. So much so that the bad launch of the Xbox One could be blamed on hubris.

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This is where the down part comes in as Microsoft still never really recovered from that initial launch. With the recent creation of Xbox Game Pass and buying out studios, the next decade and console could prove very fruitful. That aside, let’s see what giant franchises started and ended during the 2010s. 

Please note, these franchises are not necessarily Xbox exclusives but they were released through Microsoft's consoles.

10 Began: Metro 2033

Metro 2033 released on March 16, 2010, for the PC and Xbox 360. 4A Games, the developer, went on to make two sequels, the last of which, Metro Exodus, debuted just this year.

For those curious, the game franchise is actually much older since it is based on a series of novels, which started in 2005 in Russia. 2010 was also the year said books came to North America as sort of a conjoined effort to push both products.

9 Died: Lost Planet

The player shooting at a large monster in Lost Planet

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition launched on January 12, 2007, for the Xbox 360. Capcom made Lost Planet 2, a spinoff called E.X. Troopers that never released outside of Japan, and with the help of Spark Unlimited, Lost Planet 3. That game was the last one released in the series, which was in 2013.

This is a great example of a franchise where the primary developer had no idea what to do with it. The first was a campy action game, the second tried to be Monster Hunter, and the third tried to have a heartwarming story. It was all over the place, which might explain why it eventually died off.

8 Began: Titanfall

Titanfall released on March 11, 2014, for the PC and Xbox One. This was Respawn Entertainment’s, the developer, first game after splitting from Infinity Ward and the Call of Duty franchise in order to make their own studio.

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There was a full-on sequel in 2016, a mobile game in 2017, and Apex Legends this year, which is tangentially related as it takes place in the same universe. As much fun as we had had with that and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order this year, we also hope Titanfall 3 is close behind.

7 Died: Splinter Cell

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Blacklist Promo Image

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell launched on November 17, 2002, for the original Xbox. Ubisoft, in typical Ubisoft fashion, went on to create a plethora of sequels for too many consoles to count. In total, counting the first game, there have been seven main games with the last, Blacklist, releasing in 2013.

There have been rumors swirling about a sequel for a while now. The biggest of which was from a leaked listing from Walmart Canada in 2018. That is literally the only game on said leak that didn’t actually come true. It might still be real, but for now, we are counting Splinter Cell as a dead franchise.

6 Began: Deadly Premonition

Deadly Premonition released on February 23, 2010, for the Xbox 360. This was always thought off to be a weird one-shot masterpiece, but this year took us all for a surprise trip. Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing In Disguise was announced in a Nintendo Direct in September.

For now, the game is a Switch exclusive, but it can’t stay like that forever. It started on Xbox and needs to return to it.

5 Died: Army of Two

Army of Two launched on March 6, 2008, for the PS3 and Xbox 360. EA greenlit two sequels, the last of which, The Devil's Cartel, releasing in 2013. This was honestly never a well-reviewed franchise and or one beloved by the fans so it falling off is no real surprise.

It sort of falls into the same category of nonsensical games that are fun with friends akin to Dynasty Warriors. The only difference is that this is a shooter and doesn’t feature millions of troops.

4 Began: Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare released on February 25, 2014, for the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. This spinoff to the normal series was developed by PopCap Games as sort of a parody to Call of Duty while having gameplay more similar to something like Team Fortress 2.

Two sequels have since come out, including Garden Warfare 2 in 2016 and this year’s Battle for Neighborville. What started off as a joke has blossomed into a great family-friendly shooter.

3 Died: Ninja Gaiden

Ninja Gaiden began in arcades in October 1988. After that, it became a Sega and Nintendo franchise before the original Xbox reboot in 2004. After that, it was more closely associated with the Xbox brand, which is why it’s on this list.

Anyway, there have been over a dozen games with the last of which, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, launching in 2014. Due to poor reviews from that and Ninja Gaiden 3, it is understandable why the series fell off. At least Ryu is still in Dead or Alive.

2 Began: Dead Island

Dead Island

Dead Island released on September 6, 2011, for a few systems including the Xbox 360. After that, there were three spinoffs. The first true sequel, Dead Island 2, was officially unveiled at E3 2014. Techland, the developer, has since gone on to create a spiritual successor, Dying Light, with the spinoffs and sequel being handled by multiple developers.

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As of now Dead Island 2 has switched developers twice. It was originally headed by Yager Development then went on to Sumo Digital and finally Dambuster Studios. Will it ever come out?

1 Died: F.E.A.R.

Screenshot of the cover art used for 2005's F.E.A.R. game.

F.E.A.R. launched on October 18, 2005, for PCs. Monolith Productions, the developer, made DLC expansions along with a sequel, F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin, in 2009 while Day 1 Studios handled the third game in 2011.

There was another game, F.E.A.R. Online, but it only went into beta in 2014 before being canned in 2015 before it could ever actually launch. F.E.A.R. did a good job of blending horror elements into the first-person genre. If this series doesn’t come back, hopefully, a spiritual successor can rise up one day.

NEXT: 5 PlayStation Franchises That Began This Past Decade (& 5 That Died)