History Main / WinBackTheCrowd

* Music/DrDre's ''Chronic 2001'', which featured then-rising Aftermath artists like Music/{{Eminem}} and Xzibit, also revived interest in his career after several years out of the limelight.

* Creator/MarlonBrando was considered a has-been after ''Film/{{Mutiny on the Bounty|1962}}'' ruined his career. Then he staged an epic comeback with ''Film/TheGodfather''.
%% * Creator/MickeyRourke with ''Film/SinCity'' and ''Film/TheWrestler''.

* Creator/UmaThurman winning back the crowd would be her work in ''Film/KillBill'', which earned her a Golden Globe nomination and redeemed her in the eyes of many who were still holding ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'' and ''Film/TheAvengers1998'' over her head.
* Creator/PeterSellers' career, in the early 1970s, had eroded to the point that a few of his movies didn't even make it to theaters. Then he reprised the role of [[Film/TheReturnOfThePinkPanther Inspector Clouseau]] in 1975, was ''immediately'' back on the A-list, and remained there for the last few years of his life.
* Creator/SylvesterStallone did it three times, with ''Film/{{Cliffhanger}}'' (after two horrible comedies), ''Film/RockyBalboa'' (after many years of unremarkable films), and ''Film/{{Creed}}'' (after again starring in a couple of films that were bashed), which garnered him an Oscar nomination.
* Creator/RobertDowneyJr was a successful brat pack actor from the 1980s and early 1990s whose performances in ''Literature/LessThanZero'' and ''Film/{{Chaplin}}'' were critically acclaimed. However, from 1996 to 2001, RDJ suffered from continual episodes of substance abuse, rehab, relapse and was fired from ''[[Series/AllyMcBeal Ally [=McBeal=]]]'' for substance abuse-related arrests in spite of his performance's critical acclaim. After a long stint in rehab, he was cast in moderately successful and cult movies, such as ''Film/{{Gothika}}'' and ''Film/KissKissBangBang'', but would later become a blockbuster star in such films as ''Film/TropicThunder'', ''Film/IronMan1'', and ''Film/SherlockHolmes2009''.
* After the promising debut of ''Film/PointBreak1991'' and ''Film/NearDark'', it seemed that Creator/KathrynBigelow was the IT girl; a woman director who was married to IT director Creator/JamesCameron. But then, her big-budget, Cameron-produced ''Film/StrangeDays'' tanked. Badly. It was nearly a decade before she directed another big movie: ''Film/TheHurtLocker''.
* While ''Film/TheAbyss'' didn't exactly tank at the box office, it wasn't the success it had been expected to be, and it hadn't been a particularly good experience for Creator/JamesCameron (it suffered much ExecutiveMeddling). Cameron's next movie: ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay''.
** Later, Cameron also helped Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger to have success again with ''Film/TrueLies'', after the misstep that was ''Film/LastActionHero''.
* Creator/TomCruise was largely considered to have destroyed his career forever after becoming Hollywood's new frontman for Scientology, with his numerous bizarre and off-putting public appearances. Then came his tour de force PlayingAgainstType performance in ''Film/TropicThunder''. ''THEN'' his return to ''Mission Impossible'' with ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol'', especially with the advertising that he performed the "scale-a-skyscraper" stunt himself.
* Creator/JackieEarleHale hadn't appeared in a film for 13 years when he made his out-of-nowhere comeback in 2006 with roles in the ''Literature/AllTheKingsMen'' remake and ''Film/LittleChildren'', the latter earning him an Academy Award nomination.
** And then there was ''Film/{{Watchmen}}'', with great praise for his great work as everybody's favorite AntiHero Rorschach.
* Howard Mackie, one of the seminal ''Spider-Man'' writers back in the '90s, was originally ostracized not only for his participation in the heavily controversial [[ComicBook/TheCloneSaga Clone Saga]] storylines, but also the mishandled Spider-Relaunch which followed it. Mackie was even for a time considered poison for any project and was even called "The Worst Spider-Man Writer Ever" by many. Currently, he's managed a small comeback with the moderately liked "The Ravagers" book over at DC while, for fairly-or-unfairly, the title of "Worst Spider-Man Writer" has been given by some to Spider-Writer Dan Slott for his controversial run.
* After being one of the most respected actors of the '90s, thanks to his prominent lead roles in ''Film/{{Se7en}}'', ''Film/AmericanBeauty'' and ''Film/TheUsualSuspects'', Creator/KevinSpacey's career slowly declined through the 2000s, with many of his roles relegated to supporting parts in small TV miniseries and underwhelming films. Even 2006's ''Film/SupermanReturns'' -- his highest-profile movie in years, where he scored the lead role of ComicBook/LexLuthor -- turned out to be a huge box-office disappointment, and it failed to spawn a new ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' franchise. That all changed in 2013, when his acclaimed performance as Frank Underwood in ''Series/HouseOfCardsUS'' suddenly made him a household name again, leading to Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. This did, however, come to a halt after allegations came to light in 2017 accusing him of sexual behavior towards young boys.
* Creator/RidleyScott has had this happen to his career twice. After his earlier successes with ''Film/{{Alien}}'', ''Film/BladeRunner'' and ''Film/ThelmaAndLouise'', his career hit a [[AudienceAlienatingEra nadir]] in the mid-90s as 1492, ''Film/WhiteSquall'' and ''Film/GIJane'' flopped before both critics and audiences until the success of ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' brought him back as a successful director, and was quickly followed by ''Film/BlackHawkDown'', ''Film/KingdomOfHeaven'' (partially thanks to [[BetterOnDVD the Director's Cut]]) and ''Film/AmericanGangster''. However, his career entered another AudienceAlienatingEra with the release of ''Film/RobinHood2010'' which resulted in the end of his longstanding collaboration with Creator/RussellCrowe. Then ''Film/{{Prometheus}}'', his highly anticipated return to the Alien franchise and the sci-fi genre endured a heavy case of ContestedSequel from fans who lauded the effects but was criticized for its writing. His two follow-ups, ''Film/TheCounselor'' and ''Film/ExodusGodsAndKings'' also disappointed, with the latter film being considered a CareerKiller by many. However, his latest release, ''Film/TheMartian'', based on the novel by Andy Weir has so far received glowing praise from critics and sci-fi gurus who have hailed this as a much welcome return to form.
* Creator/DaneCook's "Isolated Incident" special on Creator/ComedyCentral in 2009 was largely an attempt at redeeming his reputation as a stand-up comic after his popularity had been steadily declining for the previous few years, partly thanks to several poorly received high-profile film roles. Fittingly, it was essentially a SpiritualAntithesis of his previous "Vicious Circle" special in 2006, which was released right about the time that critics started to turn against him. Where Cook had previously reveled in his popularity by performing in packed stadiums and cultivating a hammy, over-the-top stage persona, "Isolated Incident" was performed for a limited audience at the Laugh Factory, and it saw Cook tackling much more personal, introspective topics (including [[BlackComedy his parents' recent deaths from cancer]]) and exposing his neuroses and insecurities with frequent [[SelfDeprecation self-deprecating]] jokes. While Cook [[CondemnedByHistory will likely never be as popular as he was around 2005]], "Isolated Incident" was received much more positively by critics, and it reminded audiences that there was a ''reason'' he made it big in comedy in the first place.

* ''Series/StarTrek'': While ''Film/{{Star Trek IV|The Voyage Home}}'' was winning the box office, ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' almost permanently won back the Trekkie crowd, for good. Its success triggered an almost continuous 20-year run of ''Trek'' series being produced.

* ''{{Film/Halloween}}'': After many years worth of sequels and [[Film/Halloween2007 a remake]] that tried too hard to explain the evil behind the killer, thus demystifying the original origins of pure evil, ''Film/Halloween2018'' won back many fans of ''Film/Halloween1978'' by retroactively retconning all the past sequels and making it a much closer followup to the original. Having key players Creator/JohnCarpenter and Creator/JamieLeeCurtis along with Creator/NickCastle returning as The Shape back helped too.

* ''{{Film/Halloween}}'': After many years worth of sequels and [[Film/Halloween2007 a remake]] that tried too hard to explain the evil behind the killer, thus demystifying the original origins of pure evil, ''Film/Halloween2018'' won back many fans of ''Film/Halloween1978'' by retroactively retconning all the past sequels and making it a much closer followup to the original. Having key players Creator/JohnCarpenter and Creator/JamieLeeCurtis along with Creator/NickCastle returning as The Shape back helped too.

** The Nd Cube era of ''VideoGame/MarioParty'' was viewed as [[OnlyTheCreatorDoesItRight significantly inferior to the original series by Hudson Soft]]; besides trending toward low-budget, uncreative, short games, the vehicle-based gameplay of ''VideoGame/MarioParty9'' and ''[[VideoGame/MarioParty10 10]]'' is divisive at best, ''VideoGame/MarioPartyIslandTour'' and ''[[VideoGame/MarioPartyStarRush Star Rush]]'' are considered SoOkayItsAverage with a few bright spots, ''[[VideoGame/MarioPartyTheTop100 The Top 100]]'' was controversial for its questionable selection of minigames and lack of any real board game mode, and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioParty'' returned to the classic style of gameplay, but fell flat due to having only four small, short, unsatisfying boards. Nd Cube took another crack at ''The Top 100''[='s=] formula with ''VideoGame/MarioPartySuperstars'', and with it came a more concerted effort to address criticisms of the modern ''Mario Parties''--improved graphics and sound design, a varied selection of boards from the franchise's N64 heyday, and a more balanced selection of minigames (including fan favorites like Mario's Puzzle Party and Dungeon Duos). Fans were much kinder to ''Superstars'' as a result, and many declared it the game ''Top 100'' should have been.

* The 2019 Unity ''VideoGame/{{Doom}} I'' and ''II'' ports for [=PlayStation=] 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and [=iOS=] and Android devices were met with negative reception stemming from the poor quality of the ports rife with broken lighting, slower audio, and a stretched out aspect-ratio among other problems compared to previous console versions, and the nail on the coffin was implementing an always-online DRM on the games for Bethesda's Slayer's Club bonuses that many felt wasn't worth the problem. The developers of the ports, however, took the criticism to heart and rectified the port's issues and removed the mandatory log-in procedure to even play the games. Rather than leave the games at a competent state, the developers went on to further improve the ports by adding new features to the classic ''Doom'' games by giving these games official 60 FPS gameplay, 16:9 widescreen presentation, variable frame-rate limits, and the ability to download curated mods for free, including both halves of ''Final Doom'', ''No Rest for the Living'', and ''VideoGame/{{SIGIL}}'', giving players an experience comparable to playing ''Doom'' on a source port. The 2019 Unity ports later made its way to PC through Bethesda.net and later as a free update for Steam and GOG.com owners of ''Doom'' and ''Doom II'' as well as releasing on Epic Games Store, providing a modern and convenient option over using [=DOSBox=].

* ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' had a rough time with [=3D=] installments in the years following ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombat3 Mortal Kombat Trilogy]]''. [[VideoGame/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero Attempts at]] [[VideoGame/MortalKombatSpecialForces other gameplay genres]] likewise proved unsuccessful. 2002's ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance Deadly Alliance]]'' was to found to be a better transition to 3D than the TwoAndAHalfD ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombat MK4]]'' and featured a bold (if not contentious) new direction for the series wherein [[spoiler:the titular BigBadDuumvirate ''kill'' Liu Kang in the game's opening]]. However, any new momentum generated was brought to a complete halt with [[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception the next]] [[VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon two installments]], replete with unbalanced gameplay, a slew of new characters deemed to be uninteresting if not outright terrible additions to the cast ([[VindicatedByHistory though a handful would go on to become fan favorites]]), and a story building up to what was ostensibly the GrandFinale [[TooBleakStoppedCaring but without much to show for it in terms of emotional investment]]. Next came [[VideoGame/MortalKombatVsDCUniverse a crossover with DC Comics]] where the trademark [[{{Gorn}} over-the-top violence]] was infamously [[LighterAndSofter toned]] [[{{Bowdlerise}} down]]; [[SoOkayItsAverage though by no means terrible]], the general consensus is that ''[=MKvsDCU=]'' ultimately failed to live up to the pre-release hype. It's telling that the best received ''MK'' entry during [[AudienceAlienatingEra this period]] was ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatShaolinMonks Shaolin Monks]]'', a BeatEmUp [[BroadStrokes retelling]] of ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatII MK2]]''. When Creator/{{Midway|Games}} went under and was eventually reborn as Creator/NetherrealmStudios, their first plan of action was to [[ContinuityReboot wipe the slate clean]] with ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9''. The 2011 game, with its tournament-worthy gameplay and deep, fully cinematic story, finally ended the series' downward spiral, ensuring that players' fond memories of the ''Mortal Kombat'' brand weren't just exclusive to the 90s. NRS would continue the trend with ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'', which was just as critically and commercially successful as its predecessor, if not more so.

* The original release of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' back in 2010 was seen by many as the nadir of the entire MMORPG genre ''and'' the ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' franchise, to the point where a major investor sold every last share of his Creator/SquareEnix stock in protest. Three years later, the game was rebooted as ''Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn'', having undergone enough changes to make ''[[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft Cataclysm]]'' look like a minor patch. This time, the game was a critical and financial success far beyond anything Square Enix expected. (How successful? It is now the ''second most profitable game in the franchise,'' next to ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'', and got that way in a fraction of the time, and by 2021, due to some (un)fortunate events from [[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft the rival game]], it stood strong enough to become the most preferred exodus for the other game's players, boosting the number of subscribers in unprecedented levels) The game and its expansions have become such a major hit that in PAX West 2019, the main scenario writer for the ''Shadowbringers'' expansion was given a standing ovation by the fans, causing her to [[TearsOfJoy happily cry in response]]. That's how you know you won the fans back.

* After alienating their fans and losing the respect of the entire gaming community over the course of 2015 and 2016, the way that Creator/{{Konami}} treated ''Super VideoGame/{{Bomberman}} R'' left the company's former fans dumbfounded yet impressed. Rather than simply throwing the game out in the wild and forgetting about it and burying the gameplay under micro-transactions (both criticisms of ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain''), Konami continued to keep an eye on the game and even quickly addressed technical issues the game had with ''free'' patches and later gave out ''free'' DLC (consisting of new maps and characters). These moves have not only played a factor in putting the long-dormant ''Bomberman'' franchise back on the map, but has many believing that Konami is serious about trying to clean up their act, giving the fans what they actually want, and regaining their fans' respect. It proved to be enough for them to release ''Super Bomberman R2'' later in 2022.
* ''VideoGame/SoulcaliburVI'' deserves a mention aside of the turnaround of Japanese games. ''VideoGame/SoulcaliburV''[='s=] middling sales and [[ContestedSequel shaky standing among critics and fans alike]] dragged down [[VideoGame/SoulSeries the series]] to [[AudienceAlienatingEra so low a point]] (not helped by spin-offs of questionable quality following ''SCV''[='s=] release) that Creator/{{Bandai Namco|Entertainment}} was actually ''afraid'' to touch the franchise seriously again. Enter new director Motohiro Okubo, having previously served as a producer for ''VideoGame/Tekken7'', giving the statement that Project Soul would make one final game for the ''Soul'' series. Okubo was not shy about the possibility that, [[https://www.dualshockers.com/soulcalibur-6-could-be-last/ if it failed,]] there might never be another ''Soulcalibur'' entry. Taking on all criticisms given to the near FranchiseKiller that was ''V'', Okubo's team went all out with nothing to lose, focused on [[RevisitingTheRoots bringing the series back to its roots]] and reminding people why it was beloved in the first place. The principle of the game's design was "make a good game first, e-sport sensation later"--almost a complete 180 from its predecessor. The result was a resounding success, bringing ''Soulcalibur'' back into the mainstream and even earning the game a spot at EVO 2019. [[note]]Prior to that, the series had only made it into the tournament lineup three times: 2004 for ''Soulcalibur II'', 2010 for ''Soulcalibur IV'', and 2012 for ''Soulcalibur V''. Worse still, the 2004 tournament, held when the series was at the peak of its popularity, was marred by a controversy in the finals which led EVO to implement an anti-collusion rule ''and'' overshadowed by [[VideoGame/StreetFighterIII EVO Moment #37]], widely considered to be one of the most [[SignatureScene iconic moments]] for not only the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' tournament scene but ''the entire FightingGame genre''.[[/note]] The question of "Does your soul still burn?" was answered with an emphatic yes.

--->''When talking about the recent global renaissance of the Japanese games industry, it’s hard not to consider Sega (and its subsidiary Atlus) as an integral part of this comeback – after all, what two game franchises better encapsulate modern Japanese culture than ''Yakuza'' and ''Persona''? As a veteran in localisation for Japanese companies including Atlus, Square Enix and Level-5 before returning to Atlus and then Sega leading Yakuza’s localisation efforts, how does Strichart explain this renewed appeal in Japanese games? Has it just been a matter of timing that Japanese culture is no longer seen as too weird and exotic, better quality localisation, and better marketing?''
--->'''Strichart''': “It’s a combination of all those things. When I started at Atlus in 2007, I think there was an industry-wide stigma attached to Japanese games, maybe driven by a sense of inferiority or being a niche interest that caused a lot of Japanese developers to attempt to make games specifically with the larger AAA Western market in mind. Over time though, that mindset has changed. There’s been a realization that to have global appeal, [[BeYourself Japanese developers just have to be themselves]], and Western publishers of that content have to let them do that. In a nutshell, that’s what you’re seeing with the success of ''Yakuza''. We’re giving it the localization it deserves, and the marketing is no longer spinning it like it’s some kind of Japanese ''GTA'', it’s, ‘Get in, gamers, we’re going to Japan’!”

* ''{{Film/Batman}}'': After the dismal failure of ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'', ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'' by Creator/ChristopherNolan [[ContinuityReboot rebooted]] the film franchise in order to win back Batman fans. All three films have been resounding commercial successes and the second an unprecedented critical success, [[GenreTurningPoint raising the prestige of comic book movies as gripping drama films]]. After ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' came out, it became the highest-grossing comic book movie ever. It also became the first comic book film to ever win an acting UsefulNotes/AcademyAward with Creator/HeathLedger posthumously winning Best Supporting Actor for his highly regarded performance as ComicBook/TheJoker.

Ah my, was it '''glorious'''. It was a franchise unlike any other. The fans loved it. It caused fangirls to {{squee}} with delight. Even those who weren't fans grudgingly respected its brilliance. There were books, TV shows, movies, video games, comics, lunchboxes, T-shirts, and a thousand fan-fics. It was magnificent.

But then, something went wrong. Author fatigue set in. Or maybe [[DiedDuringProduction the author failed to exist]]. Or perhaps [[SmallNameBigEgo their ego overshadowed the work]]. Maybe the [[ExecutiveMeddling executives meddled too much]]. Or the work or its creators got caught up in [[OvershadowedByControversy some sort of controversy]]. Or the work tried {{growing the beard}} and instead ended up {{jumping the shark}}. Maybe, the author simply dared to [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks change something about it]].

* {{Creator/Disney}} merged with Pixar in 2006 and has managed to regain its relevance in the animation industry. First with small steps like ''WesternAnimation/MeetTheRobinsons'', and continuing with ''WesternAnimation/{{Bolt}}'', followed by a throwback in the form of ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'' which came ''very'' close, but still fell somewhat short in the box office. After which they finished the job with an experiment on their classic formula in ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}'', and proved they could speak to the modern audience with ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'' which were both staggering successes not seen since ''WesternAnimation/{{The Lion King|1994}}''. Finally, with the 2013 release of ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'', which took the lessons gained from the prior two princess films and ''ran'' with them; having been nothing short of a spectacular critical ''and'' box office smash hit, there's little doubt amongst critics now that the old giant has reaffirmed its legacy and is back on its feet.

* Creator/StudioDEEN was once one of the most respected animation studios in the industry during the '80s and '90s, being responsible for big hits like ''Manga/UruseiYatsura'', ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', and ''Manga/RurouniKenshin.'' Around the mid-2000s, though, their quality generally plummeted and they developed a major reputation for [[OffModel poor animation]] and [[AdaptationDecay mishandling of source material]] (due in large part to their poorly-received adaptations of ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', ''LightNovel/LogHorizon'', and the infamously bad ''Manga/{{Pupa}}''), and became generally mocked among greater anime fandom. The phrase "DEEN finds a way" became shorthand for poor quality all around. Their fortunes began to reverse in January 2016, however, as DEEN animated the [[SleeperHit breakout hit]] ''LightNovel/KonoSuba'' (where their usual dodgy quality actually ''enhanced'' the show's humor) as well as the critically acclaimed ''Manga/ShouwaGenrokuRakugoShinjuu'', and now DEEN is ironically being hailed as the next savior of anime. Furthermore, both ''Kono Suba'' and ''Rakugo'' have been greenlit for second seasons. The former was not unexpected, considering it was the best-selling anime of Winter 2016 by a country mile, but the latter was a real shocker, especially as it is a {{Josei}} show which historically does not sell well.

[[folder: Video Games (Consoles)]]

[[folder:Video Games]]

* For years, the Ultramarines chapter had been the butt of jokes due to their being a CreatorsPet who interpreted them as LawfulStupid and [[SpotlightStealingSquad overshadowing other armies]]. But with ''VideoGame/Warhammer40000SpaceMarine'', the fans are finally starting to appreciate them again (it doesn't hurt that the game has a few {{Take That}}s towards the by-the-book aspect, and by extension the author who presented them as such). The story also called for exactly what they excel at: being generic action heroes, with no tie-ins to ongoing stories or complex Chapter characterization to confuse players new to the IP.

* The entire ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' franchise was in a very precarious position for several years, largely due to an extended dry spell broken up only by the [[BrokenBase contentiously received]] (to say the least) ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeFederationForce''. Fans of the franchise were left largely unsatisfied, a situation not helped by Nintendo completely ignoring the series' 30th anniversary and [[ScrewedByTheLawyers their DMCA takedown]] of ''VideoGame/AnotherMetroid2Remake''. Things seemed bleak until UsefulNotes/{{E3}} 2017, where ''Metroid'' came back with a vengeance and saw not one, but two new games announced: the long-desired ''Metroid Prime 4'' (for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch), and an official remake of ''VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus'', entitled ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns'' (for the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS). While the former [[TroubledProduction has yet to release]], the latter debuted later that year to critical praise and positive fan response, with those who were more lukewarm on the game's quality expressing that Samus truly had returned.

* After Ubisoft's ''VideoGame/{{Tetris}}'' exclusivity contract coupled with their disastrous ''Tetris Ultimate'' damaged the reputation of the ''Tetris'' name ("How were they able to mess up ''TETRIS'' of all things?!"), the Western release of ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyoTetris'' and ''VideoGame/Tetris99'' seem to have renewed people's faith in modern ''Tetris'' games, the former featuring a colorful cast of characters including ''Tetris''-representative characters and the butter-smooth gameplay that comes with a lot of Sega ''Tetris'' games and the latter being a unique Battle Royale-style ''99-player'' twist on the multiplayer formula.
* ''VideoGame/MegaMan11''[='=]s announcement and subsequent release was this to longtime ''[[VideoGame/MegaManClassic Mega Man]]'' fans who had turned on Capcom after seeing no official releases (barring compilations and re-releases) since Creator/KeijiInafune left the company nearly a decade prior, leading many to write the franchise off as dead. The fact that the game has a modern graphical style and a higher budget as opposed to being an NES-style retro throwback like ''VideoGame/MegaMan9'' and ''VideoGame/MegaMan10'' also did a lot to get people excited, and the game ultimately became the best-selling entry in the ''Franchise/MegaMan'' franchise as a whole.

* ''VideoGame/SoulcaliburVI'' deserves a mention aside of the turnaround of Japanese games. ''VideoGame/SoulcaliburV''[='s=] middling sales and [[ContestedSequel shaky standing among critics and fans alike]] dragged down [[VideoGame/SoulSeries the series]] to [[AudienceAlienatingEra so low a point]] (not helped by spin-offs of questionable quality following ''SCV''[='s=] release) that Creator/{{Bandai Namco|Entertainment}} was actually ''afraid'' to touch the franchise seriously again. Enter new director Motohiro Okubo, having previously served as a producer for ''VideoGame/Tekken7'', giving the statement that Project Soul would make one final game for the ''Soul'' series. Okubo was not shy about the possibility that, [[https://www.dualshockers.com/soulcalibur-6-could-be-last/ if it failed,]] there might never be another ''Soulcalibur'' entry. Taking on all criticisms given to the near FranchiseKiller that was ''V'', Okubo's team went all out with nothing to lose, focused on [[RevisitingTheRoots bringing the series back to its roots]] and reminding people why it was beloved in the first place. The principle of the game's design was "make a good game first, e-sport sensation later"--almost a complete 180 from its predecessor. The result was a resounding success, bringing ''Soulcalibur'' back into the mainstream and even earning the game a spot at EVO 2019. [[note]]Prior to that, the series had only made it into the tournament lineup three times: 2004 for ''Soulcalibur II'', 2010 for ''Soulcalibur IV'', and 2012 for ''Soulcalibur V''. Worse still, the 2004 tournament, held when the series was at the peak of its popularity, was marred by a controversy in the finals which led EVO to implement an anti-collusion rule ''and'' overshadowed by [[VideoGame/StreetFighterIII EVO Moment #37]], widely considered to be one of the most [[SignatureScene iconic moments]] for not only the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' tournament scene but ''the entire FightingGame genre''.[[/note]] The question of "Does your soul still burn?" was answered with an emphatic yes.
* ''VideoGame/Doom2016'' had a notable case of the "TaintedByThePreview". The last game in the series was ''VideoGame/Doom3'', which was a rather ContestedSequel, with a SequelGap of over a decade, and "modern" shooters were still the norm at the time (even though they were starting to decline), so people were concerned it would be a "bringing back a dead IP with a mediocre revival for some quick bucks" situation. While the initial trailers did show off some of the game's return to roots, it toned down how the game actually felt to play in the final product, and the beta for the multiplayer (which was outsourced to a different company) didn't give people the best impressions on the gameplay, as the feel of it didn't match the single-player. All this on top of Bethesda not releasing review copies didn't give people high expectations for ''DOOM''. But once players actually got their hands on the game, they were sucker punched by the fast-paced, visceral gunplay that brings in the old school shooter charm, and the game became a huge success and a testament that modern FPS titles don't need to be multiplayer-focused in order to be successful.
* The 2019 Unity ''VideoGame/{{Doom}} I'' and ''II'' ports for [=PlayStation=] 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and [=iOS=] and Android devices were met with negative reception stemming from the poor quality of the ports rife with broken lighting, slower audio, and a stretched out aspect-ratio among other problems compared to previous console versions, and the nail on the coffin was implementing an always-online DRM on the games for Bethesda's Slayer's Club bonuses that many felt wasn't worth the problem. The developers of the ports, however, took the criticism to heart and rectified the port's issues and removed the mandatory log-in procedure to even play the games. Rather than leave the games at a competent state, the developers went on to further improve the ports by adding new features to the classic ''Doom'' games by giving these games official 60 FPS gameplay, 16:9 widescreen presentation, variable frame-rate limits, and the ability to download curated mods for free, including both halves of ''Final Doom'', ''No Rest for the Living'', and ''VideoGame/{{SIGIL}}'', giving players an experience comparable to playing ''Doom'' on a source port. The 2019 Unity ports later made its way to PC through Bethesda.net and later as a free update for Steam and GOG.com owners of ''Doom'' and ''Doom II'' as well as releasing on Epic Games Store, providing a modern and convenient option over using [=DOSBox=].

* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'' entered its darkest period after Tiberium Wars. While some people still loved Red Alert 3, nobody was happy when Creator/ElectronicArts released Tiberium Twilight, which abandoned the core elements of the series in a poor attempt to make a full instalment out of what was meant to be a spin-off attempt to try new elements. Many believed that the progenitor of Real Time Strategy was dead, until 2018, when it was 'revived' as a mobile game titled Rivals, drawing immediate backlash. Ignoring some of the [[NoExportForYou regional]] titles for the Chinese market and projects cancelled in development, the series seemed well and truly dead. Then the Remaster for the original game and Red Alert was announced, and there was cautious optimism at the news that the original creators would be consulted, and the team working on it were communicating with the community. The released game not only stayed true to the original in many ways, but included bonus material rescued from the archives and some new soundtracks from the series' main composer, and just this once, EA did NOT hamfist their questionable business practices on the remaster: No online-only, no microtransaction, no 'surprise mechanic', it's just a normal remaster trying to recapture the magic of old school C&C. It has sparked some hope that if this level of care is maintained, EA could not only remaster other (Command & Conquer) titles, but possibly bring the series back successfully.[[note]]This turn of events is also supported with how the RTS fandom were left disgruntled with how Creator/BlizzardEntertainment mishandled ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} III Reforged'', a remaster of their own big RTS entry. To see EA, usually seen as one of the most hated video game company, [[PetTheDog actually did good for the genre, no strings attached]], is seen as a great miracle that swings in EA's favor.[[/note]]
* ''VideoGame/Destiny2'' in a massive way. The stale two primary meta and lack of Post Game content aside from Leviathan left the game lacking in content, with Curse of Osiris NOT helping things in the slightest and causing many to quit the game. Warmind took strides to get players to come back but it wasn't until Forsaken when most of the player base came back. With a larger story focus and a trailer full of wham revealing [[SacredCow Fan Beloved Character Cayde 6]] at his deathbed. However, even after Forsaken brought most of the playerbase back, Creator/{{Activision}} wanted Creator/{{Bungie}} to make a third game. Creator/{{Bungie}} broke off on their own in 2019 and in September they released Shadowkeep and the game went [[{{Freemium}} Free To Play]] bringing in new players. More players were won over with Beyond Light in 2020 adding Darkness Subclasses for the first time.

** The Nd Cube era of ''VideoGame/MarioParty'' was viewed as [[OnlyTheCreatorDoesItRight significantly inferior to the original series by Hudson Soft]]; besides trending toward low-budget, uncreative, short games, the vehicle-based gameplay of ''VideoGame/MarioParty9'' and ''[[VideoGame/MarioParty10 10]]'' is divisive at best, ''VideoGame/MarioPartyIslandTour'' and ''[[VideoGame/MarioPartyStarRush Star Rush]]'' are considered SoOkayItsAverage with a few bright spots, ''[[VideoGame/MarioPartyTheTop100 The Top 100]]'' was controversial for its questionable selection of minigames and lack of any real board game mode, and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioParty'' returned to the classic style of gameplay, but fell flat due to having only four small, short, unsatisfying boards. Nd Cube took another crack at ''The Top 100''[='s=] formula with ''Mario Party Superstars'', and with it came a more concerted effort to address criticisms of the modern ''Mario Parties''--improved graphics and sound design, a varied selection of boards from the franchise's N64 heyday, and a more balanced selection of minigames (including fan favorites like Mario's Puzzle Party and Dungeon Duos). Fans were much kinder to ''Superstars'' as a result, and many declared it the game ''Top 100'' should have been.

** Following the ''[[BrokenBase extremely]]'' [[BrokenBase polarizing reception]] of ''Film/TheLastJedi'' and its less divisive but far more detested follow-up ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'', the [[SleeperHit surprise success]] of ''Series/TheMandalorian'' is believed by many to have saved the image of the franchise from going completely down the shitter in the eyes of fans, and re-established a "cool factor" that arguably hadn't been seen since the Original Trilogy. Indeed, its follow-ups, ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett'', ''Series/ObiWanKenobi'', and ''Series/{{Andor}}'', have been generally well-received, or at least far less polarizing than the Sequel Trilogy.

** Following the [[BrokenBase ''extremely'' polarizing reception]] of ''Film/TheLastJedi'' and its less divisive but far more detested follow-up ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'', the [[SleeperHit surprise success]] of ''Series/TheMandalorian'' is believed by many to have saved the image of the franchise from going completely down the shitter in the eyes of fans, and re-established a "cool factor" that arguably hadn't been seen since the Original Trilogy. Indeed, its follow-ups, ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett'', ''Series/ObiWanKenobi'', and ''Series/{{Andor}}'', have been generally well-received, or at least far less polarizing than the Sequel Trilogy.

** Following the [[BrokenBase ''extremely'' polarizing reception]] of ''Film/TheLastJedi'' and its less divisive but far more detested follow-up ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'', the [[SleeperHit surprise success]] of ''Series/TheMandalorian'' is believed by many to have saved the image of the franchise from going completely down the shitter in the eyes of fans, and re-established a CoolFactor that arguably hadn't been seen since the Original Trilogy. Indeed, its follow-ups, ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett'', ''Series/ObiWanKenobi'', and ''Series/{{Andor}}'', have been generally well-received, or at least far less polarizing than the Sequel Trilogy.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': While its sequels were divisive, the critical and fan response success of ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' brought ''Franchise/StarWars'' back from the national time-out corner following the polarizing reactions to the prequels.

** The Nd Cube era of ''VideoGame/MarioParty'' was viewed as [[OnlyTheCreatorDoesItRight significantly inferior to the original series by Hudson Soft]]; besides trending toward low-budget, uncreative, short games, the vehicle-based gameplay of ''VideoGame/MarioParty9'' and ''[[VideoGame/MarioParty10 10]]'' is divisive at best, ''VideoGame/MarioPartyIslandTour'' and ''[[VideoGame/MarioPartyStarRush Star Rush]]'' are considered SoOkayItsAverage with a few bright spots, ''The Top 100'' was controversial for its questionable selection of minigames and lack of any real board game mode, and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioParty'' returned to the classic style of gameplay, but fell flat due to having only four small, short, unsatisfying boards. Nd Cube took another crack at ''The Top 100''[='s=] formula with ''Mario Party Superstars'', and with it came a more concerted effort to address criticisms of the modern ''Mario Parties''--improved graphics and sound design, a varied selection of boards from the franchise's N64 heyday, and a more balanced selection of minigames (including fan favorites like Mario's Puzzle Party and Dungeon Duos). Fans were much kinder to ''Superstars'' as a result, and many declared it the game ''Top 100'' should have been.

** Its spinoff ''The Ridonculous Race'' proved to be extremely popular with fans, and has been compared favorably to ''Island'' and ''World Tour'' while also introducing a new competition with an almost entirely new cast.

** Additionally, ''WesternAnimation/PussInBoots'', while not anywhere near as groundbreaking as the original two ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'' films, succeeded in winning back fans of the franchise after the last two ''Shrek'' films that could charitably be described as disappointing, with a surprisingly good (and considering the rating, surprisingly dark) prequel starring Puss, the series' EnsembleDarkhorse, which was successful enough to give the latter his own animated series.

* The entire ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' franchise was in a very precarious position for several years, largely due to an extended dry spell broken up only by the [[BrokenBase contentiously received]] (to say the least) ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeFederationForce''. Fans of the franchise were left largely unsatisfied, a situation not helped by Nintendo completely ignoring the series' 30th anniversary and [[ScrewedByTheLawyers their DMCA takedown]] of ''VideoGame/AnotherMetroid2Remake''. Things seemed bleak until UsefulNotes/{{E3}} 2017, where ''Metroid'' came back with a vengeance and saw not one, but two new games announced: the long-desired ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime4'' (for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch), and an official remake of ''VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus'', entitled ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns'' (for the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS). While the former [[TroubledProduction has yet to release]], the latter debuted later that year to critical praise and positive fan response, with those who were more lukewarm on the game's quality expressing that Samus truly had returned.