Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
5 Games With the Longest Development Time That Still Haven’t Been Released
Video game development frequently encounters extended delays, with several prominent titles remaining unreleased after more than a decade in production. Beyond Good & Evil 2 typifies this phenomenon, having spent 19 years in development since its 2007 inception. Described as an open-world space-based role-playing game where players customise characters and explore multiple planets, the project last appeared publicly at E3 2018. Despite Ubisoft cancelling multiple other games in early 2026, the publisher confirmed Beyond Good & Evil 2 continues development.
Squadron 42, a single-player shooter set within the Star Citizen universe, represents another prolonged development case. Announced in 2012 with an intended 2014 release, the project was reported fully playable and feature-complete by December 2025, with developers targeting a 2026 launch. The game plans episodic releases, with the first episode designed for approximately 20 hours of gameplay and featuring established actors. However, such extended delays illustrate the challenge publishers and studios face in managing complex game production over multiple years.
In short
- Beyond Good & Evil 2 has been in development for 19 years since 2007; Ubisoft confirmed it remains active in January 2026 despite cancelling other projects.
- Squadron 42, announced in 2012 for 2014 release, was declared feature-complete in December 2025 with a 2026 target; the delays exemplify extended "development hell" cycles.
Explained simply
Big-budget games can take many years to make, especially when their scope or technology changes during production. Beyond Good & Evil 2 is an open-world role-playing game from Ubisoft, set across several planets; it was announced in 2008 as a prequel to the 2003 game Beyond Good & Evil.
Squadron 42 is a single-player space shooter set in the universe of Star Citizen, a separate game being made by the same studio, Cloud Imperium Games. Its planned story campaign is intended to be released in episodes and includes well-known actors.
These projects show why long-running game development can be difficult to predict: ambitious features, changing plans and large productions can stretch across many years. Long delays matter to players waiting for a release, and to studios managing the time and money needed to finish a game.