Preserving Cancelled & Unreleased Video Game History Since 1999
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.
GTW Highlight No.16: In May, we uncovered 7 NES prototype builds of The Addams Family: Pugsley’s Scavenger Hunt (1993 Ocean)- including an early version with cut content and different room layouts. A fascinating glimpse at the game in development.
https://www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/05/the-addams-family-pugsleys-scavenger-hunt-nes-prototypes/
GTW Highlight No.15: In May, we were honoured to give a talk at Zzap! Live about Games That Weren’t and 25 years of uncovering unreleased, cancelled, and forgotten games with a C64 focus. Here is a link to the full talk:
GTW Highlight No.14: In May, we uncovered a PC DOS-era prototype called ShelShock from Finlay Munro. Possibly a pitch for a game or just its engine. Think Damocles, but with mouse interaction and a village to explore. Now preserved at Games That Weren’t:
GTW Highlight No.13: In May, we took a deep dive look at the SEGA Master System development of Tintin on the Moon. It nearly made it in 1992 but was sadly cancelled. Now after 32 years, lost Matt Furniss music & SFX intended was also recovered!
GTW Highlight No.12: By April/May, we had recovery and release of Anco’s Tip-Off for NES + SNES. You can now experience early developments of the game, and also hear the long-lost David Whittaker NES music, compiled from source.
GTW Highlight No.11: Switching focus to the SNES in April, we preserved the unfinished Mechanoids 2: The Final Conflict. An early side-scrolling mech fighter planned for 1993. We recovered two prototype builds you can check out and play:
https://www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/04/mechanoids-2-the-final-conflict/
GTW Highlight No.10: No April Fools when we recovered a full game for a console that never was. Magician’s Apprentice (1993) was for the mythic Multi-System 2 (successor to the Konix Multi-system), and is now emulated + playable thanks to SavourySnaX !
https://www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/04/magicians-apprentice/
GTW Highlight No.09: In March, we also had a massive discovery with the release of the long-lost god sim Populous for the NES. A full conversion lost for 33 years – which now you can finally play.
GTW Highlight No.08: A huge surprise in March, when we recovered a previously unknown NES conversion of Sensible Soccer. A complete conversion that had been missing for 32 years, and which you can now finally play. Go be a goal-scoring superstar hero! ⚽
GTW Highlight No.07: In February, we were honoured to give a talk at Retro Collective about Games That Weren’t and 25 years of uncovering unreleased, cancelled, and forgotten games. Here is a link to the full talk:
DISCLAIMER: We are a non-profit digitisation project, aiming to digitally preserve software and history which would otherwise be lost for good. If for any reason there is anything that you do not wish to be on the website, please contact us for removal.
Games That Weren't® is the registered trademark of Frank Gasking.
