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- Image from Deltarune courtesy of Toby Fox

Silksong Isn’t The Only Sequel That Took Forever To Release

Originally posted on Total Apex Gaming
By Danielle Porter | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 10:40 PM ET

Fans of Hollow Knight: Silksong waited eight years for an official release date of the sequel to the critically acclaimed Metroidvania. However, several games took longer to release than Silksong. Gamers of all ages may or may not be familiar with these games, but seeing how long some fans waited will make fans of Silksong glad they didn’t have to wait so long. The following games and their corresponding years are based on the release dates of the last game and the most recent game.

Streets of Rage 4 – 26 Years

Streets of Rage 4 is the 2020 sequel to Streets of Rage 3. Sega published Streets of Rage 3 in 1994 for the Sega Genesis. Streets of Rage 3 was known for its polarizing soundtrack, thanks to the Genesis’s weak sound card. Fans recall the significant differences between the Japanese and American releases of SoR3. The difficulty, the various endings and dark storyline left fans wanting more.

When Streets of Rage 4 was announced in 2018, fans were very hype for the 2-Dimensional and cel-shaded graphics. Composers Yuzo Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima returned and did not disappoint with the soundtrack.

Kirby Air Riders – 22 Years

Image of Kirby AirRiders, Courtesy of Nintendo

Kirby Air Riders is the upcoming sequel to the 2003 GameCube game Kirby Air Ride. Masahiro Sakurai is the director and is known for his work in Super Smash Bros. Kirby Air Ride had favorable reviews and has a grassroots competitive community.

Kirby Air Riders was the game that Masahiro Sakurai hinted at in his series about game development. The game looks promising, and I hope fans new and old will enjoy it. Kirby Air Riders is very adorable, with many characters from throughout the franchise.

Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines – 21 Years

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is not the faithful sequel I’d hoped to see, but maybe that’s a bigger marker of progress than it seems

Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 is the sequel to the 2001 game Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines. The games are based on the role playing game Vampire the Masquerade. Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 is set to release in October. I hope fans and newcomers to the series enjoy the game.

Shenmue III – 18 Years

Remember the hashtag #GiveYuTheShenmueLicense ? #GiveYuTheShenmueLicense was a social media campaign. The goal was to convince Sega to give director Yu Suzuki the licensing rights to the franchise. The campaign succeeded. Whether or not Sega should have given Yu Suzuki the licensing rights to Shenmue is left up to players. Shenmue III raised $6 million on Kickstarter, making it one of the most successful campaigns in 2015.

Duke Nukem Forever – 15 Years

Image of Duke Nukem, Courtesy of Sega

If there was a picture beside the term “development hell,” Duke Nukem Forever should be there. I’m old enough to remember when the game came out. Almost everyone hated it, and almost everyone believed it was not worth the wait.

DELTARUNE – 10 Years

DELTARUNE is the follow-up to the 2015 RPG Undertale. The full version of DELTARUNE took 10 years to come out and as a paid title. Creator Toby Fox began working on DELTARUNE as early as 2012. However, the game’s first chapter came out for free in 2018.

DELTARUNE is as whimsical and as funny as Undertale. Fans of Undertale have already played both games plenty of times. People are drawn to the world, the lore, the art and the music; especially the music. If you haven’t checked out DELTARUNE or Undertale, do so today. DELTARUNE is expected to come out for the Nintendo Switch 2 soon.

Conclusion-Silksong Isn’t Alone

Gaming has come a long way. Gone are the days where fans are left in the dark regarding most of their favorite franchises. The Endymion space craft and the boss Schwarzgheist from Einhänder were included in Kingdom Hearts III. NiGHTS from NiGHTS into Dreams is playable in Sonic Racing: Crossworlds. The eight years fans waited for Hollow Knight: Silksong weren’t as long as the games listed. Fans can hope that one day, their favorite franchise will get a sequel. Except for Mega Man Legends; let it go.

This article first appeared on Total Apex Gaming and was syndicated with permission.

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