Games That Weren't
@gamesthatwerent.com
Covering cancelled/unreleased video games and prototypes across a variety of consoles and home computers. Preserving unreleased video game history online since 1999, and longer offline.
Check out our archive and more at: https://www.gamesthatwerent.com
Check out our archive and more at: https://www.gamesthatwerent.com
GTW Highlight No.12: By April/May, we had recovery and release of Anco's Tip-Off for #NES + #SNES. You can now experience early developments of the game + also hear the long-lost David Whittaker NES music, compiled from source.
gamesthatwerent.com/2025/04/tip-...
gamesthatwerent.com/2025/05/tip-...
gamesthatwerent.com/2025/04/tip-...
gamesthatwerent.com/2025/05/tip-...
December 6, 2025 at 12:40 PM
GTW Highlight No.12: By April/May, we had recovery and release of Anco's Tip-Off for #NES + #SNES. You can now experience early developments of the game + also hear the long-lost David Whittaker NES music, compiled from source.
gamesthatwerent.com/2025/04/tip-...
gamesthatwerent.com/2025/05/tip-...
gamesthatwerent.com/2025/04/tip-...
gamesthatwerent.com/2025/05/tip-...
GTW Highlight No.11: Switching focus to the #SNES in April, we preserved the unfinished Mechanoids 2: The Final Conflict. An early side-scrolling mech fighter planned for 1993. We recovered two prototype builds you can check out and play:
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/04/mech...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/04/mech...
December 5, 2025 at 6:59 PM
GTW Highlight No.11: Switching focus to the #SNES in April, we preserved the unfinished Mechanoids 2: The Final Conflict. An early side-scrolling mech fighter planned for 1993. We recovered two prototype builds you can check out and play:
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/04/mech...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/04/mech...
GTW Highlight No.10: No April Fools when we recovered a full game for a console that never was. Magician’s Apprentice (1993) was for the mythic Multi-System 2 (successor to the Konix Multi-system), and is now emulated + playable thanks to @SavourySnaX !
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/04/magi...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/04/magi...
December 5, 2025 at 1:57 PM
GTW Highlight No.10: No April Fools when we recovered a full game for a console that never was. Magician’s Apprentice (1993) was for the mythic Multi-System 2 (successor to the Konix Multi-system), and is now emulated + playable thanks to @SavourySnaX !
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/04/magi...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/04/magi...
GTW Highlight No.09: In March, we also had a massive discovery with the release of the long-lost god sim Populous for the #NES. A full conversion lost for 33 years - which now you can finally play.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/03/popu...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/03/popu...
December 5, 2025 at 9:18 AM
GTW Highlight No.09: In March, we also had a massive discovery with the release of the long-lost god sim Populous for the #NES. A full conversion lost for 33 years - which now you can finally play.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/03/popu...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/03/popu...
GTW Highlight No.08: A huge surprise in March, when we recovered a previously unknown #NES conversion of Sensible Soccer. A complete conversion that had been missing for 32 years, and which you can now finally play. Go be a goal-scoring superstar hero! ⚽
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/03/sens...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/03/sens...
December 4, 2025 at 12:39 PM
GTW Highlight No.08: A huge surprise in March, when we recovered a previously unknown #NES conversion of Sensible Soccer. A complete conversion that had been missing for 32 years, and which you can now finally play. Go be a goal-scoring superstar hero! ⚽
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/03/sens...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/03/sens...
GTW Highlight No.07: In February, we were honoured to give a talk at Retro Collective about Games That Weren’t and 25 years of uncovering unreleased, cancelled, and forgotten games. Here is a link to the full talk:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsLH...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsLH...
December 4, 2025 at 8:53 AM
GTW Highlight No.07: In February, we were honoured to give a talk at Retro Collective about Games That Weren’t and 25 years of uncovering unreleased, cancelled, and forgotten games. Here is a link to the full talk:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsLH...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsLH...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Monkey Island Creator Ron Gilbert Cancelled His Pixelated Zelda-Esque RPG Because Old-School Zelda "Isn't The Big, Hot Item". (Repost)
Monkey Island Creator Ron Gilbert Cancelled His Pixelated Zelda-Esque RPG Because Old-School Zelda "Isn't The Big, Hot Item"
"The deals they were offering just made absolutely no sense to me to go do this"
www.timeextension.com
December 3, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Monkey Island Creator Ron Gilbert Cancelled His Pixelated Zelda-Esque RPG Because Old-School Zelda "Isn't The Big, Hot Item". (Repost)
GTW Highlight No.06: One of our final December updates saw unseen screens from the lost Dropzone 2 on the #Atari + #Commodore64, along with a strange Arcade edition of Dropzone. Also various International Karate protos and IK+ graphical assets too:
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/arch...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/arch...
December 3, 2025 at 4:44 PM
GTW Highlight No.06: One of our final December updates saw unseen screens from the lost Dropzone 2 on the #Atari + #Commodore64, along with a strange Arcade edition of Dropzone. Also various International Karate protos and IK+ graphical assets too:
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/arch...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/arch...
GTW Highlight No.05: Also in December, we revealed early prototypes of Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker, including early #PC tests, #AtariST protos. Also showcasing concept artwork + icons from the game - created by the late and great Archer Maclean:
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/arch...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/arch...
December 3, 2025 at 1:16 PM
GTW Highlight No.05: Also in December, we revealed early prototypes of Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker, including early #PC tests, #AtariST protos. Also showcasing concept artwork + icons from the game - created by the late and great Archer Maclean:
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/arch...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/arch...
GTW Highlight No.04: Last year's #Commodore64 Christmas update saw the recovery of the unreleased Wacky Races V1, Aladdin's Cave, Apprentice and 666 games and a lot more. More is on the way for this year's update - so watch this space!
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/gtw6...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/gtw6...
December 3, 2025 at 9:14 AM
GTW Highlight No.04: Last year's #Commodore64 Christmas update saw the recovery of the unreleased Wacky Races V1, Aladdin's Cave, Apprentice and 666 games and a lot more. More is on the way for this year's update - so watch this space!
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/gtw6...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/gtw6...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
The Games That Weren’t
Boasting never-before-seen screenshots and pre-production art.
Coming soon, get a stock alert here: www.bitmapbooks.com/collections/...
#bitmapbooks #books #retrogaming #gaming #booksky @gamesthatwerent.com
Boasting never-before-seen screenshots and pre-production art.
Coming soon, get a stock alert here: www.bitmapbooks.com/collections/...
#bitmapbooks #books #retrogaming #gaming #booksky @gamesthatwerent.com
December 3, 2025 at 8:11 AM
The Games That Weren’t
Boasting never-before-seen screenshots and pre-production art.
Coming soon, get a stock alert here: www.bitmapbooks.com/collections/...
#bitmapbooks #books #retrogaming #gaming #booksky @gamesthatwerent.com
Boasting never-before-seen screenshots and pre-production art.
Coming soon, get a stock alert here: www.bitmapbooks.com/collections/...
#bitmapbooks #books #retrogaming #gaming #booksky @gamesthatwerent.com
Just gutted to hear this. Nick was a great writer and lovely guy. 38 is no age at all.
This is absolutely heartbreaking news.
Nick Thorpe
@hkt3030.neocities.org
our incredible features editor, sadly passed away yesterday. He was an incredible asset to the magazine and a compassionate and fantastic friend. My thoughts go out to his friends and family.
I just can’t believe he’s gone
Nick Thorpe
@hkt3030.neocities.org
our incredible features editor, sadly passed away yesterday. He was an incredible asset to the magazine and a compassionate and fantastic friend. My thoughts go out to his friends and family.
I just can’t believe he’s gone
December 2, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Just gutted to hear this. Nick was a great writer and lovely guy. 38 is no age at all.
GTW Highlight No.03: Not unreleased, but we took a look last December at rare, never seen IK+ development documents from the late Archer Maclean's archive, including ideas + graphical concepts that led to creation of the famous fighting game. #Commodore64
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/ik-d...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/ik-d...
December 2, 2025 at 6:16 PM
GTW Highlight No.03: Not unreleased, but we took a look last December at rare, never seen IK+ development documents from the late Archer Maclean's archive, including ideas + graphical concepts that led to creation of the famous fighting game. #Commodore64
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/ik-d...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/ik-d...
GTW Highlight No.02: Last December, we released Team SAS prototype for the original #Xbox. 1st person arcade shooter with 4 different characters and several levels to check out. Due for release in 2003, it didn't make it after issues with the PS2 edition.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/team...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/team...
December 2, 2025 at 1:20 PM
GTW Highlight No.02: Last December, we released Team SAS prototype for the original #Xbox. 1st person arcade shooter with 4 different characters and several levels to check out. Due for release in 2003, it didn't make it after issues with the PS2 edition.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/team...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/team...
GTW Highlight No.01: Last December, we recovered very early remains of Cult on the #PC. A third person zombie game due for release in 1997 by Argonaut Games that aimed to showcase the new Voodoo 1 3DFX card and BRender engine at the time.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/cult/
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/cult/
December 2, 2025 at 10:03 AM
GTW Highlight No.01: Last December, we recovered very early remains of Cult on the #PC. A third person zombie game due for release in 1997 by Argonaut Games that aimed to showcase the new Voodoo 1 3DFX card and BRender engine at the time.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/cult/
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2024/12/cult/
2/2: We're now gearing up for our Christmas updates (with a few surprises in store). Over the next few weeks (starting from today) we'll be sharing our 2025 highlights daily from the archive (though we're starting from last December!), along with the occasional new entry too.
December 2, 2025 at 10:01 AM
2/2: We're now gearing up for our Christmas updates (with a few surprises in store). Over the next few weeks (starting from today) we'll be sharing our 2025 highlights daily from the archive (though we're starting from last December!), along with the occasional new entry too.
It's been a bittersweet year for Games That Weren't - one of our most productive, but also marked by the loss of my mum last month. The archive might never have existed without her buying gaming magazines for me every month growing up. 1/2
December 2, 2025 at 10:01 AM
It's been a bittersweet year for Games That Weren't - one of our most productive, but also marked by the loss of my mum last month. The archive might never have existed without her buying gaming magazines for me every month growing up. 1/2
Slowly starting to catch up. Recently @martinpiper.bsky.social has kindly linked up the unreleased #Commodore64 intro to Cyberdyne Warrior to the game, along with loading screen with a disk and tape version for you to check out. See page for Martin's video!
www.gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64/cyberd...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64/cyberd...
December 1, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Slowly starting to catch up. Recently @martinpiper.bsky.social has kindly linked up the unreleased #Commodore64 intro to Cyberdyne Warrior to the game, along with loading screen with a disk and tape version for you to check out. See page for Martin's video!
www.gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64/cyberd...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64/cyberd...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
This line from Video Games (Apr 83) was too prescient. One of the more frustrating things to me about the state of video game preservation is what feels like a general lack of interest in pre-'80s games; I will never stop banging the drum about the importance of '70s games (especially Death Race).
November 27, 2025 at 11:57 PM
This line from Video Games (Apr 83) was too prescient. One of the more frustrating things to me about the state of video game preservation is what feels like a general lack of interest in pre-'80s games; I will never stop banging the drum about the importance of '70s games (especially Death Race).
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Thank you to everyone who came to the opening of the Pump House today. A mammoth project and a milestone for the coming together of the collective and our ability to work together moving forward. 🤗
November 30, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Thank you to everyone who came to the opening of the Pump House today. A mammoth project and a milestone for the coming together of the collective and our ability to work together moving forward. 🤗
A few months away, but will no doubt come round quick. I'll be giving a talk about Games That Weren't at the Bristol Video Games Expo on the 28th February. I'd better start thinking about train tickets!
🕹️Guest Announced 🕹️- Frank Gasking will be doing a talk about his work preserving #GamingHistory and uncovering what games could have been!
🎮 Grab your tickets NOW! - BristolVGE26.eventbrite.co.uk 🎮
#GamePreservation #BristolVGE #retrogaming #bristol #BristolEvents #gaming #gamingcommunity
🎮 Grab your tickets NOW! - BristolVGE26.eventbrite.co.uk 🎮
#GamePreservation #BristolVGE #retrogaming #bristol #BristolEvents #gaming #gamingcommunity
November 27, 2025 at 5:54 PM
A few months away, but will no doubt come round quick. I'll be giving a talk about Games That Weren't at the Bristol Video Games Expo on the 28th February. I'd better start thinking about train tickets!
Reposted by Games That Weren't
A cool new Polish edition of "The Games That Weren’t" has been announced! 📕
This expanded volume adds 40 pages and nearly 30 cancelled Polish games to an already extensive archive of unreleased titles.
Very cool to see @gamesthatwerent.com!
#Gaming #Booksky #VideoGames
This expanded volume adds 40 pages and nearly 30 cancelled Polish games to an already extensive archive of unreleased titles.
Very cool to see @gamesthatwerent.com!
#Gaming #Booksky #VideoGames
The Video Game Library Newsletter - Vol. #027
New FF7 stories, an Elden Ring epic, Amnesia’s haunted history, canceled classics resurrected, and cocktails straight out of Diablo...game books have never gone this hard!
buff.ly
November 18, 2025 at 10:49 PM
A cool new Polish edition of "The Games That Weren’t" has been announced! 📕
This expanded volume adds 40 pages and nearly 30 cancelled Polish games to an already extensive archive of unreleased titles.
Very cool to see @gamesthatwerent.com!
#Gaming #Booksky #VideoGames
This expanded volume adds 40 pages and nearly 30 cancelled Polish games to an already extensive archive of unreleased titles.
Very cool to see @gamesthatwerent.com!
#Gaming #Booksky #VideoGames
Reposted by Games That Weren't
To add onto this, Jaquays also was involved in video games, particularly with Coleco early on and later with Quake and Age of Empires. I wrote about one of her projects, Tarzan, a while ago (sadly not long after she passed away, so I couldn’t interview her too): gamehistory.org/atari-2600-t...
November 18, 2025 at 2:13 AM
To add onto this, Jaquays also was involved in video games, particularly with Coleco early on and later with Quake and Age of Empires. I wrote about one of her projects, Tarzan, a while ago (sadly not long after she passed away, so I couldn’t interview her too): gamehistory.org/atari-2600-t...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
I look at Commodore 64 "Cyberdyne Warrior" unreleased intro and some loading screens. These were not used in the final game but were mentioned on the excellent Games That Weren't site. @gamesthatwerent.com I then link all of these assets into a disk image and source code.
youtu.be/4DUa1QbBCcc
youtu.be/4DUa1QbBCcc
C64 Games memories - Cyberdyne Warrior Intro
YouTube video by Martin Piper's mostly Commodore related memories
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 10:19 AM
I look at Commodore 64 "Cyberdyne Warrior" unreleased intro and some loading screens. These were not used in the final game but were mentioned on the excellent Games That Weren't site. @gamesthatwerent.com I then link all of these assets into a disk image and source code.
youtu.be/4DUa1QbBCcc
youtu.be/4DUa1QbBCcc
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Volume #027 of the Newsletter is out❗️
📕 More #FFVII love around the corner
📘 @lostincult.co.uk gives us #Amnesia
📗 Everything Is Permitted thanks to @ckunzelman.bsky.social
📙 Some Polish @gamesthatwerent.com
📓 Having drinks with #Diablo
📒 #Guides and #GameStudies aplenty!
📕 More #FFVII love around the corner
📘 @lostincult.co.uk gives us #Amnesia
📗 Everything Is Permitted thanks to @ckunzelman.bsky.social
📙 Some Polish @gamesthatwerent.com
📓 Having drinks with #Diablo
📒 #Guides and #GameStudies aplenty!
The Video Game Library Newsletter - Vol. #027
New FF7 stories, an Elden Ring epic, Amnesia’s haunted history, canceled classics resurrected, and cocktails straight out of Diablo...game books have never gone this hard!
thevideogamelibrary.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Volume #027 of the Newsletter is out❗️
📕 More #FFVII love around the corner
📘 @lostincult.co.uk gives us #Amnesia
📗 Everything Is Permitted thanks to @ckunzelman.bsky.social
📙 Some Polish @gamesthatwerent.com
📓 Having drinks with #Diablo
📒 #Guides and #GameStudies aplenty!
📕 More #FFVII love around the corner
📘 @lostincult.co.uk gives us #Amnesia
📗 Everything Is Permitted thanks to @ckunzelman.bsky.social
📙 Some Polish @gamesthatwerent.com
📓 Having drinks with #Diablo
📒 #Guides and #GameStudies aplenty!