Games that Shifted to Different Consoles/Platforms During Development
Not counting cross-generational games where they still released on their originally intended consoles, such as Zelda: Twilight Princess and Breath of the Wild for example.
68 Games
Originally planned to be released for PS4 and Xbox One until those versions were cancelled in 2023 following a new developer transition and engine overhaul, and is currently scheduled to launch exclusively for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Planned for PS4 but made exclusive to PS5 due to difficulties implementing the open world on last-gen hardware.
Originally announced for the DS in 2005, cancelled circa 2010, project revived and released on Switch in 2021.
Development started on PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, and PS Vita around 2011/2012, cancelled in 2013, development rebooted for Xbox Series X around 2018/2019.
Initially developed as a Wii U game and shown at E3 2014 as an untitled Giant Robot game, eventually moved to Switch and reworked to utilize the Labo peripheral where it was released in 2018.
Originally announced for the Xbox 360 in 2011, before moving to Unreal Engine 4 and becoming a PC exclusive until PS4 and Xbox One versions were later announced.
Intended to be released on Wii U when its Kickstarter was announced in 2015, but this port was ultimately cancelled in favor of a Switch port due to the Wii U being discontinued by the time of the game's release and technical issues with porting the game to the Wii U's underpowered hardware.
Initially announced for PS3 in 2009, it eventually shifted to PS4 during its protracted development due to technical difficulties with PS3 hardware.
Started development on PS3 in early 2006, development shifted to PS4/Xbox One around early 2012.
Started development on N64 around 1998/1999, development shifted to Gamecube in late 2000/early 2001.
Started development on PS3/Xbox 360 circa 2009/2010 as Rainbow Six: Patriots. Single-player campaign was cut and game was renamed and reworked as a multiplayer-only game exclusive to PC/PS4/Xbox One and released in 2015.
Development started around 2010 as first-person melee combat game for Xbox 360 with Kinect functionality, development shifted to Xbox One and reworked into traditional third-person hack and slash in 2012.
Started development for Gamecube around 2003/2004, but development was abandoned in late 2005/early 2006 with the imminent release of the Wii, development was later rebooted for the Wii circa 2009/2010 where it was released in 2011.
Started development in late-1996 on PC, was planned to be ported to Dreamcast originally, then to PS2/Xbox/Gamecube, and finally to Xbox 360 and PS3 in 2011 over the course of its development Hell.
Started development on PS2 around 2004 with a very different cel shaded art style, moved to PS3 in 2005.
Started development on PS1 circa 1998, moved to Gamecube around 2000/2001, then to Xbox 360 circa 2004/2005 where it was released in 2008.
Originally planned to launch on OG Xbox in 2006, but this version was cancelled and made exclusive to PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 following a development overhaul and released the following year.
Started development in 2002 for the original Xbox, moved to PC and Xbox 360 around 2004 once the underwater setting was decided.
Started development on Gamecube around 2005 before moving to Wii in 2006.
Started development on Gamecube around 2005 before moving to Wii in 2006.
Started development on N64DD around 1994/1995, then moved to traditional cart format on N64 around 1999/2000, cancelled in 2000, development rebooted on GBA around 2002/2003 where it was released in 2006.
Started development on Gamecube in 2000, shifted to Xbox in 2002, then to Xbox 360 around 2004.
Started development on N64 in 2000 as Velvet Dark, quickly shifted to Gamecube in early 2001, then shifted to Xbox in 2002, then to Xbox 360 around 2004.
Started development on N64 circa 1999/2000, was quietly cancelled before being revived and restarting development on Gamecube.
Started early development/conceptualizing around 1999/2000 on Dreamcast, but moved to Xbox not long after.
Prototypes were developed on Gamecube circa 2001, but the game was ultimately released for PS2 in 2004.
Started development on N64 in 1995, but was cancelled around 1997/1998. Concept was later revived for the Gamecube and released in 2003.
Started development on Dreamcast in 2000 but moved to PS2 in 2001.
Started development on Dreamcast in 2000 but moved to Xbox in 2001.
Started development on N64 as "Dinosaur Planet" around 1999, development shifted to Gamecube in late 2000.
The game was originally pitched to Nintendo as a Gamecube exclusive before starting principal development, but moved exclusively to PC since Nintendo wasn't interested in establishing an online multiplayer infrastructure at that time.
Started development on Dreamcast in 2000 but moved to Xbox in 2001.
Started development on Dreamcast in 2000 but moved to Xbox in 2001.
Started development on N64 circa 1999, development shifted to Gamecube in late 2000/early 2001.
Started development on Dreamcast in 2000 but moved to Xbox in 2001.
Started development on Dreamcast in 2000 but moved to Xbox in 2001.
Started development circa 1998 for N64, shifted to Dreamcast and finally released on PS2.
Started development as an RTS (and later a third-person shooter with strategy elements) around 1997 for MacOS (with planned ports to Dreamcast and PS2) before moving exclusively to Xbox and becoming an FPS in 2000.
Started development around 1999 for Dreamcast and PS2 before moving exclusively to Xbox in 2000.
Intended to have a Dreamcast port but was cancelled and released exclusively for PC's and PS2 after the Dreamcast was discontinued.
Intended to have a Dreamcast port but was cancelled and released exclusively for PC's and PS2 after the Dreamcast was discontinued.
Started development on PS1 in the late-90's, moved to PS2 in 2000.
Meant to be ported from arcade to Dreamcast initially but moved to Gamecube instead once Sega discontinued the Dreamcast.
Started development in early 1997 for PC with a planned Dreamcast port, Dreamcast port was ultimately cancelled in favor of PS2 and Xbox ports when it released in 2001.
Started development as a Resident Evil spinoff on PS1 around 1999, moved to PS2 in 2000.
Started development in 1999 for Dreamcast but quickly moved to PS2.
Started development on N64DD around 1995/1996, moved to PlayStation around 1998.
Started development on the Saturn circa 1994 as an RPG spinoff of Virtua Fighter, eventually moved to Dreamcast by 1997 due to the project's expanded scope demanding more powerful hardware and released in 1999.
Started development on 3DO M2 around 1995/1996, moved to Dreamcast after M2 was cancelled in 1997.
Started development with PS1 as the lead platform around 1996 and a planned Saturn (and later Dreamcast) port, but was ultimately released exclusively for PC due to console hardware limitations.
Started development on Saturn in early 1997 following the cancellation of Sonic X-Treme, quickly moved to the Dreamcast but Sonic Jam's "Sonic World" mode allegedly runs on an early build of the Sonic Adventure engine with assets designed for the Saturn.
Started development on SNES in 1994 as a sidescrolling action-RPG called Project Dream, shifted to N64 in early 1996 and then reworked into a 3D platformer by late-1996.
Like the first game, RE2 was being ported to the Sega Saturn, though it was ultimately scrapped in favor of a Dreamcast port instead in 1999.
Started development for an unspecified platform in 1992 (likely a Japanese home computer of some sort) before transitioning to PlayStation around 1994/1995.
Started development as a SNES/Virtual Boy sidescroller with driving stages around 1995, but development was shifted to N64 as a rail shooter initially until it was reworked into an FPS by 1996.
Started development around 1994 as "Phear" on the Atari Jaguar before the devs were poached by Nintendo and development transitioned to N64 in late 1995.
Started development on SNES in late 1994 but was postponed soon after to help complete Chrono Trigger, at which point Square decided to move it to next-gen and initially explored N64 before rejecting it in favor of PS1 due to the N64's low-capacity cartridges compromising the developer's vision.
Started development on 3DO but moved to the PlayStation due to hardware advantages and better commercial viability.
Intended to be a PSX exclusive, but was moved exclusively to PC due to the PSX's hardware constraints being a poor fit for the game's complex physics engine.
Initially developed for SNES/Super Famicom in 1995, revised and enhanced following a transitional phrase for the developer and released on PSX in 1996.
3DO and N64 ports were considered but soon dropped.
Developed for the Super Famicom, ported-to and finished to be released on the Saturn late into development at the publisher's request.
Started development circa 1993 for the SNES before moving to Atari Jaguar, PS1, and Saturn in 1994.
Was originally intended to be released on SNES CD but released on standard cart after the add-on's cancellation.
Was originally intended to be released on SNES CD but released on standard cart after the add-on's cancellation.
Started development on NES in 1988 before moving to SNES around 1989/1990 to increase the game's scope, may have started-out as an Adventure of Link-style sidescroller judging from early leaked assets.
Development started for Famicom/NES around 1989/1990 but quickly moved to Super Famicom/SNES to beat the Dragon Quest series to next-gen platforms.
SNES version was actually completed first on Famicom/NES, but was cancelled in favor of being a launch window game for Super Famicom/SNES. The NES version was leaked in 2018.
