10 Video Game Franchises That Really Need a Break

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Ignacio Weil

Gaming - September 25th 2025, 17:00 GMT+2

Cropped FNAF Help Wanted 2 — Five Nights at Freddy’s

There’s only so much terror one can feel from jump scares before they start to lose their bite. What began as a clever indie experiment has ballooned into a never-ending parade of sequels, spin-offs, novels, and even a movie. The sheer flood of content has dulled the edge that once made the animatronics so frightening – now they’re practically mascots. A creative cooldown could let the series rediscover its horror roots instead of recycling the same flickering camera feeds. Sometimes silence is scarier than constant noise. | © Scott Cawthon

MONSTER HUNTER RISE — Monster Hunter

Hunting giant monsters is undeniably fun – but when the hunts start feeling more like chores than adventures, it might be time to sharpen the pause button instead of the longsword. With *Monster Hunter World* and *Monster Hunter Rise* releasing back-to-back, players have barely had time to breathe before being dragged into another grind-heavy expedition. The formula works, but it risks overstaying its welcome if every few years brings another colossal beast buffet. A short break could give Capcom the room to rethink progression and make the hunts feel fresh again. | © Capcom

Far Cry 6 — Far Cry

At some point, Ubisoft’s open-world shooters started blending together like one long tropical fever dream. The formula – charismatic villain, outpost liberations, and way too many map icons – has barely evolved since *Far Cry 3*. Sure, each new setting looks gorgeous, but when the core loop feels identical, the excitement fades fast. Taking time off could let Ubisoft reimagine what “Far Cry” actually means instead of reskinning the same adventure. After all, even the most beautiful sandbox feels dull if you’ve already built the same castle five times. | © Ubisoft

Pokémon scarlet and violet — Pokémon

It’s hard to criticize one of the most beloved series of all time, but let’s be honest: Pokémon has been running nonstop since the late ’90s, and the fatigue shows. Recent releases like *Scarlet* and *Violet* highlight how rushed development cycles can result in technical hiccups and undercooked ideas. The world still loves catching ’em all, but maybe what we need isn’t more Pokémon – it’s better Pokémon. A well-deserved pause could give Game Freak the breathing room to truly evolve the series instead of just patching it. | © Nintendo / The Pokémon Company

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 — LEGO Games

Charming? Absolutely. Fun? Almost always. But after dozens of licensed LEGO titles covering everything from *Star Wars* to *Harry Potter*, the formula has lost some of its sparkle. Smashing bricks and collecting studs is still satisfying, but it’s become predictable to the point of autopilot. TT Games has shown they can deliver polished family-friendly adventures, yet a creative hiatus could help them build something genuinely new out of those little plastic blocks. Sometimes the best creations come when you dump the pieces and start fresh. | © Warner Bros. Games / TT Games

Madden

Football fans deserve better than yearly updates that sometimes feel like glorified roster patches. The *Madden NFL* series has been the go-to sports sim for decades, but its yearly cycle leaves little room for genuine innovation. Bugs and recycled mechanics pile up faster than touchdowns in an arcade mode, while frustrated players keep asking: why not take a season off and rebuild properly? Imagine what a two- or three-year development window could do for gameplay depth and polish. The franchise needs its own halftime break. | © Electronic Arts

SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS — Sonic the Hedgehog

Speed may be Sonic’s trademark, but Sega has been sprinting the blue blur into every possible direction for decades – sometimes with less-than-stellar results. From side-scrolling classics to awkward 3D experiments, Sonic’s quality has been a rollercoaster. Even with bright spots like *Sonic Mania* or *Frontiers*, the inconsistency is exhausting. Giving the franchise a breather could help Sega figure out what truly makes Sonic shine instead of throwing him into every genre that will have him. Sometimes slowing down is the only way to go fast again. | © SEGA

Call of Duty Modern Warfare — Call of Duty

Few names in gaming are as dominant as *Call of Duty*, but even titans get tired. Annual releases mean the series often feels like it’s chasing its own tail – new campaign, familiar multiplayer, maybe a new mode to shake things up. The result is polished but predictable, with innovation taking a backseat to consistency. Taking a few years off could let Activision reinvigorate the formula, give the tech time to evolve, and maybe even rediscover the spark that made *Modern Warfare* legendary. War never changes, but *Call of Duty* could. | © Activision

Assassins Creed Shadows Yasuke — Assassin’s Creed

Climbing towers, syncing maps, uncovering plots – it was groundbreaking once, but now it feels like déjà vu with every new release. Ubisoft has expanded the series into massive RPGs, but bloat has become a serious problem. Each entry is bigger, denser, and longer, to the point where players burn out before rolling credits. A break could help refocus the franchise on tighter, more inventive design instead of sheer scale. After all, assassins work best from the shadows, not under a spotlight every single year. | © Ubisoft

EA SPORTS FC 25 — FIFA / EA Sports FC

The rebrand may have ditched the FIFA name, but the annualized grind is the same. Every year, fans pay full price for updated kits, slightly tweaked mechanics, and a new card-collecting treadmill in Ultimate Team. The gameplay is solid – it has been for years – but the lack of meaningful evolution has left the series stale. Imagine if EA took a cycle off, overhauled its systems, and delivered something truly next-gen. Until then, players are stuck debating grass physics while shelling out for microtransactions. | © Electronic Arts

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Some series just don’t know when to stop. Year after year, sequel after sequel, we watch certain video game franchises push out new entries until even diehard fans start feeling the fatigue. Whether it’s annualized releases, recycled mechanics, or stories stretched thinner than a loading screen tip, the result is the same: burnout.

This doesn’t mean these games are bad – in fact, many of them are beloved classics with millions of fans. But when creativity gets traded for consistency, even the best names in gaming start to feel stale. A short break could be exactly what these franchises need to regroup, recharge, and return stronger than ever. In this article, we’ll look at ten video game franchises that could seriously benefit from hitting the pause button. Some of these choices might sting, but deep down you know it’s for the best.