Welcome to Games That Weren't!

We are a Cancelled & Unreleased Video games archive with prototypes, developer history and assets for many computers and consoles of all ages. A non-profit large archive dedicated to preserving lost games that were never released to the public. Sharing history and stories from the developers, assets and more before it is too late. GTW has been preserving lost video game history online since 1999, and long before that offline.

Please Browse our archive and discover the many entries that we host for many different platforms.

Latest News and Posts

Stunt Car Racer Pro

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

2003 Simergy and Lost Toys

Platforms: Microsoft Xbox, PC and Sony PlayStation 2

As part of the launch and release of The Games That Weren’t book, we are  adding assets and content that didn’t make it to print as bonus DLC content to share with you.

Within the book is an in-depth and detailed 12 page story about the unreleased Stunt Car Racer Pro, the sequel to the classic Microprose game by Simergy and Lost Toys for the Microsoft Xbox, PC and Sony PlayStation 2 platforms. We overall speak to Geoff Crammond, Alex Trowers, Ben Carter and Glenn Corpes about the project which was sadly never to be and never picked up by any publishers at the time.

SCR Pro 25

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Posted in: Bonus, Microsoft Xbox, PC, Reviews, Sony PlayStation 2 | Tagged: | 4 Comments

Halloween/horror themed games from the archive

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

Just seeing all the Halloween posts today, I wondered if there were that many Halloween/Horror related games in the GTW archive, so decided to have a bit of a delve and was quite surprised just how many cancelled titles there were.

So here is a quick post to share and highlight 25 Horror/Halloween themed games we have covered over the years:

Amiga/ST
C64
NES
ZX Spectrum

Happy Halloween everyone!

Posted in: Atari Lynx, Atari ST, Commodore 64 (C64), Commodore Amiga, Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), ZX Spectrum | Leave a comment

Gazza 2

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

1990 Active Minds

Platform: Amstrad GX4000

As part of the launch and release of The Games That Weren’t book, we are  adding assets and content that didn’t make it to print as bonus DLC content to share with you.

Within the book is an in-depth and detailed 8 page story about the unreleased Gazza 2 by Active Minds for the Amstrad GX4000. We spoke to Adam Waring, Chris Pink, David Colley, Julian Rignall, Matthew Regan, Paul Clansey, Rik Yapp, Richard Leadbetter, Simon Butler, John Pickford and Ste Pickford about the development and reviews that were made. The book also contains a number of specially re-pixelled screenshots by Trevor Storey from grainy screens shown in various magazine reviews of the time.

7
A rare Zoom mode which was activated via a cheat.

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Posted in: Amstrad GX4000, Bonus, Reviews | Tagged: | Leave a comment

Cyberspace

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

1993 Empire / Oxford Digital Enterprises

Platform: Commodore Amiga and PC (DOS)

Thanks to @nearvanaman for the heads up. An entry has been available for some time over at the Hall of Light. Due for release in late 1993, this was to be a game based on the table top role-playing game by Iron Crown Enterprises and partly on the William Gibson novels. Viewed within a fully 3D perspective with an adjustable head-up-display that you view the world through.

cyber1

The game was to be a mixture of role playing, puzzle and live action, controlled completely through the use of a mouse. Sort of a mix of Mercenary and Cybercon III at the time. Cyberspace was previewed in many magazines of the time, and looked incredible. A game that was potentially ahead of its time and which excited those who got a glimpse of it in action.

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Posted in: Commodore Amiga, Reviews | Tagged: | 11 Comments

Waterworld

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

1995 Software Creations / Interplay

Platforms: 3DO and Sony PlayStation

As part of the launch and release of The Games That Weren’t book, we are  adding assets and content that didn’t make it to print as bonus DLC content to share with you. 

Within the book is an in-depth and detailed 12 page story about the unreleased Waterworld by Software Creations/Interplay for the 3DO  and Sony PlayStation platforms. We speak to designer/producer Ste Pickford and developers Carleton Handley (PlayStation) and Peter Scott (3DO) about the game and its troublesome development.

PLAYIsh2 01PROCESSED

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Posted in: 3DO, Bonus, Reviews, Sony PlayStation | Tagged: | Leave a comment

SEGA 1995 product catalogue

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

Whilst working and researching on the write up for Virtua Hamster for the Games That Weren’t book, we were loaned a bunch of assets from David A Palmer for the book and later website. Part of the archive was a SEGA product catalogue which advertised Virtua Hamster.

It’s possible that it has already been digitally preserved, but we have scanned it just in case and have made it available here – showing a glimpse of many titles from SEGA for a variety of platforms, including Game Gear, Saturn, 32X and Mega Drive – even Pico too. There are likely a few other unreleased titles listed within the pages too. Enjoy!

PLEASE NOTE: If you use these images, all we ask is if you can please credit the source. Unfortunately these scans have been compiled into PDF’s and hosted elsewhere online without any credit at all. A lot of hard and unpaid work goes into this archive, and credit should be due where credit is due.

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Posted in: Bonus, Mega Drive / Genesis, SEGA, SEGA 32X, SEGA Mega CD, SEGA Saturn | 1 Comment

Virtua Hamster

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

1995 Peakstar Software / SEGA

Platforms: SEGA 32X and Saturn

As part of the launch and release of The Games That Weren’t book, we are  adding assets and content that didn’t make it to print as bonus DLC content to share with you. Images are (c) David A. Palmer and used with permission. With thanks to Eric Quakenbush for the additional scans provided.

Within the book is an in-depth and detailed 16 page story about the unreleased Virtua Hamster by Peakstar/SEGA for the 32X and Saturn platforms. We overall speak to designer Eric Quakenbush, producer David A Palmer, lead developer Nick Kimberley, associate producer/artist Ben Palmer, artist Roddy McMillan and musician Paul Tankard – getting their recollections about the project.

Virtua Hamster 32X Prototype 1994005

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Posted in: Bonus, Reviews, SEGA 32X, SEGA Saturn | Tagged: , | Leave a comment

Spitfire Fury

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

1992 The Fourth Dimension

Platform: Acorn Archimedes (A3000, A310 and A400)

As part of the launch and release of The Games That Weren’t book, we are adding assets and content that didn’t make it to print as bonus DLC content to share with you.

Within the book is an in-depth and detailed 8 page story about the unreleased Spitfire Fury by The Fourth Dimension for the Acorn Archimedes. A title where very little light has been shed until now. We speak to lead developer Andrew Hutchings, polygon creator Mark Ferguson and loading screen artist Stephen Scott. The book contains a number of specially re-pixelled screenshots by Trevor Storey from grainy screens shown in the game’s magazine advert.

spit2 RAW
1st extracted screenshot showing the main Spitfire.

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Posted in: Archimedes, Bonus, Reviews | Tagged: | 4 Comments

Interactive Football League

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

1997-1998 Team 17

Platforms: PC, Mac and Amiga

A quick entry post for a football management game that was due for release by non other than Team 17 back around 1997/98 time – thanks to Niklas Lindholm for the heads up.

The game was to be released for PC, Mac and Amiga and was to be an an online/play by mail football management game, and was even beta tested by Niklas at the time. It was possibly one of the first online football management games that was developed alongside Soccer Nation that we recently covered.

ifl01

It just seems to have completely disappeared though and its unsure if it evolved into something else. We’re hoping to get hold of someone from Team 17 to clarify exactly what happened. All that exists at the moment are remnants from the old website, which Wayback machine sadly didn’t capture images from. There are also some news items about the game, where we’ve managed to grab some screens. See below.

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Posted in: Apple Macintosh, Commodore Amiga, PC, Reviews | Tagged: | 6 Comments

Dick Special series

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

Year: 1987-1992

Platforms: Atari ST, Commodore Amiga, PC (DOS) and SEGA Mega Drive

As part of the launch and release of The Games That Weren’t book, we are  adding assets and content that didn’t make it to print as bonus DLC content to share with you.

Within the book is an in-depth and detailed 16 page story about the unreleased Dick Special by Rainbird for the Commodore Amiga (and briefly Atari ST). However, the story extends beyond the Rainbird title, and covers further developments for Activision and Miracle Games over a 5 year time span. A complex timeline of events which has been untangled and carefully put together. The book includes a number of specially re-pixelled screenshots based on those shown in the magazines of the time.

4
A slightly rarer screenshot and a different outdoor scene from ACE magazine, issue 2. (c) Future Publishing.

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Posted in: Atari ST, Bonus, Commodore Amiga, Mega Drive / Genesis, PC, Reviews | Tagged: | 1 Comment