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While it’s fun to guess and debate what the next big thing will be, regardless of whether it’s technology, political or social situations, or any other aspect, it’s much more fun to take a look at the things people said would be the next big thing that never did.

Reddit has recently been discussing just that—all of the things that people thought would be huge, but that most of us have now forgotten (or didn’t even know) about.

The online community’s user u/LineOfDeath (very appropriate given the question) asked people “What was supposed to be ‘The Next Big Thing’, but totally flopped?” and over 50,000 comments later, the AskReddit post blew up with over 76,000 upvotes in under a day.

Bored Panda invites you to take a look at the things people answered in the list below. And while you’re there, vote and comment on the best ones. Well, OK, not the best ones, but you get what I mean.

More Info: Reddit

#1

Here Are 30 Things That Were Supposed To Be The Next Big Thing, But Ended Up Forgotten, As Shared By People Online Not entirely relevant, but I liked the trend where everybody wanted the smallest cell phone possible. For 20 years cell phones got smaller and smaller. Often being the main selling point of the phone.

Then all of sudden you could watch videos on your phone, and almost overnight the trend reversed to “larger is better”

Buttsquish , Unknown Report

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Andrew Gibb
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like the reversion to Nokia burner phones- not being pestered by the internet. Snake in colour

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#4

Here Are 30 Things That Were Supposed To Be The Next Big Thing, But Ended Up Forgotten, As Shared By People Online The Segway. It was supposed to change the way everyone lived. The invention of the century or something like that. A really big deal.

xxzzxxvv , David McKelvey Report

#5

Here Are 30 Things That Were Supposed To Be The Next Big Thing, But Ended Up Forgotten, As Shared By People Online Airship travel. These were the next, awesome way to travel long distances; in fact the spire on top of the Empire State Building was meant as an anchoring point for airships.

The Hindenburg kind of put a damper on it, though

Creative_Waltz_9462 , Unknown Report

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#7

Here Are 30 Things That Were Supposed To Be The Next Big Thing, But Ended Up Forgotten, As Shared By People Online 3D TV

colin_staples , Wikimedia Commons Report

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Aurelia!
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

why would you want to feel like YOU are getting attacked by zombies every time you watch the walking dead? The point is to enjoy OTHER PEOPLE getting attacked by zombies.

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#9

Here Are 30 Things That Were Supposed To Be The Next Big Thing, But Ended Up Forgotten, As Shared By People Online Hoverboards? I remember in a span of 3 months everyone had them and showed them off and then they just disappeared.

tashasei , JrTech Report

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Shelby P
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

because they break down so easily and quickly after purchase

Mangelo Il Fumatori
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These were *never* hoverboards, in my eyes. A real hoverboard would be like the one in "Back to the Future 2".

John Montgomery
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My thoughts exactly. It felt like they were trying to capitalize on back to the future fans but in name only.

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Bonnie Walsh
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How is that even a hoverboard?? It's a motorized modified skateboard

Lucca Wenner
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of our neighborhood kids has one. He was riding around on it with a big stick in his hand....no kidding...weird kids.

Jods
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The batteries kept exploding or bursting into flames.

VulcansAreSexy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I never understood what was so innovative about them. Aren't they just motorized skateboards? I mean maybe there's something going on technologically that I don't know about but even if it has a dilithium reactor the end result is still just a skateboard that might burst into flames. Plus, now if we ever get actual hoverboards, we'll have to come up with another name because "hoverboard" is taken by boards that do not, in fact, hover.

Alexis Draskinis
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Probably because they kept catching on fire when you tried to charge them...

2023James Roberts
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“Hoverboards”... pfft. They don’t hover. They’re little skateboards but harder to use.

JennyLaRue
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When they made them illegal to ride on public roads and pavements in the UK it killed the trend off pretty quickly here.

BlockDog02
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember as a child thinking they were like actual hoverboards, like from back to the future (2)

Vasana Phong
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cause 3 weeks in a roll, AFV was showing all the accidents associated with it

Marcellus the Third
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fidget spinners etc --- this is irrelevant in this topic, nobody thought hoverboards would change transport etc; everybody bought it as a kids toy.

James016
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I saw something similar a couple of weeks but it had 3 wheels and you sit in it.

CatWoman312
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People still have them. Usually kids and usually they’re annoying and get in the way with them

Charlotte Shortt
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i have one but it throws me off of it every time... never tells me when its about to die and have not rode it in 1 year.. lol

King Joffrey
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They disappeared because most countries legislated against using them on public roads and pavements.

Lynn Morello
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The disappeared because every now and then, one would catch fire.

Mia right
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ok ok hover boards have NOT been forgotten it fact they are the most popular electrical riding thing I have one myself so I don’t know WHAT you talking bout

Haunting Spirit
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In our country they disappeared quickly because you are not allowed to ride them on public roads, only at your own terrain. The 90 euro fine withheld a lot of people/kids for riding them in public.

John Baker
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of them broke and ended up in the trash before they were a month old.

Pamiro
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My daughter got one - she's doing a dance/fighting choreography on it 💃🤺

QueenMiri
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because every third one went up in flames

Don't Look
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish they had disappeared. Everyone in my neighborhood under the age of 10 has one. It’s bloody annoying.

Rae Reyn
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of the kids in my son's class rides his hoverboard to school everyday.

Arthur Waite
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Still feature frequently on 'Funniest Home Videos' program. Mostly people falling off - - -

Scagsy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Still pretty popular with the kids over here in the UK. See them all the time on our estate.

Emily Stanford
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Everyone's saying that theirs broke down after a few months but I've had mine for a few years and It still works great-

Nikki Hilton
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or because the batteries exploded into flames at unexpected moments.

ARandomPerson
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

they're so stupid people literally use them to move 10 ft down to their friends house instead of using their f*****g feet

surprised pikachu
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People figured out they were a pain in the butt to ride, they also caught fire alot.

*me*
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

YES one of my friends got this when they were popular now it’s rotting in his garage

Niffler_13
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These didn't flop, at least not where I live. They're still one of the most demanded toys by kids, more than half the kids in my sisters school have one.

Jill Tremblay
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I bought 3 for my 3 grandaughters. They are going strong (2 years now) and are really fun! They love them and so do the adults that play with them. I have used mine in the kitchen cooking before. Great for balance, motor skills and uses muscles in your legs that aren't normally used. They're Great!

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#11

Here Are 30 Things That Were Supposed To Be The Next Big Thing, But Ended Up Forgotten, As Shared By People Online The area 51 raid.

NuclearBreadLauncher , Wikimedia Commons Report

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Chillace
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

ah i remember me and my friends were joking about going there even though we were like 1000 miles away

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#13

Here Are 30 Things That Were Supposed To Be The Next Big Thing, But Ended Up Forgotten, As Shared By People Online This one might be a bit obscure just because I've only ever met one other person familiar with it, but Google's Project Ara modular smartphone was looking like it could've been the end all be all of smartphones.

Based off the Phonebloks idea of having a Lego-like hot-swappable module phone, the idea was that you could switch out any components of the phone on the fly. Camera, fingerprint scanner, even different quality screens. Conceptually, it really looked like it could take over the phone market, as it would lead to people not having to buy whole new phones anymore, but rather replacement or upgraded parts to a phone they already liked, thereby reducing costs and increasing utility.

You don't want a phone with 5 cameras that inflate the cost unnecessarily? Just buy a one camera module. You want a 1440P Super Amoled screen to replace your 720P regular screen? Buy one and swap it in.

However, like many Google projects, it died off for myriad reasons and the longstanding era of $1000 dollar smartphone slabs lived on.

ShartinMyKrelis , Maurizio Pesce Report

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JLH
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a PC guy, this was the holy grail, but noooooo, we can't have nice things.

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#15

Here Are 30 Things That Were Supposed To Be The Next Big Thing, But Ended Up Forgotten, As Shared By People Online What ever happened to those curved televisions? I remember seeing one on an advert a few years back bit havent seen or heard about them since.

having_a_nosey , Wikimedia Commons Report

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tomruns12
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They are still out there and someone what popular with videophiles but IMO its just a gimmick to make TV's more expensive.

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#16

Here Are 30 Things That Were Supposed To Be The Next Big Thing, But Ended Up Forgotten, As Shared By People Online The "Dark Universe" cinematic universe, starting with 2017's THE MUMMY.

JSanzi , imax Report

#17

Here Are 30 Things That Were Supposed To Be The Next Big Thing, But Ended Up Forgotten, As Shared By People Online Asbestos

Technically it was a hit! Right until it flopped when people figured out the whole 'inhaling rockfibers is not healthy' thing...

Th3Cooperative , Wikimedia Commons Report

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GirlFriday
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is still one of the most effective insulations and flame retardants of all time. It is just that whole "poking holes in your lungs" thing that killed it.

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#18

Here Are 30 Things That Were Supposed To Be The Next Big Thing, But Ended Up Forgotten, As Shared By People Online Dip N Dots...



Been the "Ice Cream Of The Future" for 40 years now it seems.

T-Rex3131 , newwavegurly Report

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Mifa
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be fair Dip N Dots were luxury items in elementary school. I remember begging my friends for money on field trips so I could get one.

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#20

Here Are 30 Things That Were Supposed To Be The Next Big Thing, But Ended Up Forgotten, As Shared By People Online Xbox Kinect

mr_bigbadjas , Jung-nam Nam Report

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Chillace
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

aaah memories. i remember they were trtying to be lik the wii

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#21

Lazer discs the size of records.

RootbeerEyedDog Report

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Tim Haight
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember those. Few places sold them. Everyoine sold and rented VHS tapes. And people could program their VCR to tape their favorite show.

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#22

QR Codes.

After so many years, they're finally getting some traction during Covid. I wonder if it will last.

Quesabirria Report

#23

Here Are 30 Things That Were Supposed To Be The Next Big Thing, But Ended Up Forgotten, As Shared By People Online HD DVD

Still remember half the movies being blue and the others red.

BigMilk0 , Wikimedia Commons Report

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Matt Du
Community Member
3 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

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#24

Amazon’s shopping buttons. They pushed really hard for those and I never saw the point.

GarrettSLB Report

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#25

The 2010 live action avatar: the last air bender movie

agentjakethedog Report

#26

Here Are 30 Things That Were Supposed To Be The Next Big Thing, But Ended Up Forgotten, As Shared By People Online At the time video calling with your phone completely flopped because 3G couldn't support it. There was so much advertising about this thing that was meant to be huge but the tech really didn't work yet. But it did blow up later on with 4G, better phones, wifi in more public spaces.

clockworkapple14 , Karl Baron Report

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Andrew Gibb
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

video calling is doomed to fail. I have to admit that zoom and skype are tedious.People like to do other things while speaking to others, which is why people still phone each other.

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#27

Hydrogen cars were a promising new form of motorized vehicle. They were supposed to be incredibly good for the environment, emitting only water as the exhaust. They exist, but not like how some people imagined. I was a pretty big hydrogen car believer at the time. There are some hydrogen stations, but mostly centered around California. Thing is that the hydrogen is quite expensive and not very efficient compared to smaller engines, hybrids, and EV’s. The hydrogen is also somewhat inefficient to produce, store, and distribute as well.

You can actually get a hydrogen car though, they’re out there. The Toyota Mirai is a really good example. Out of all hydrogen cars, that one is definitely most popular. In fact, Toyota pays for $15,000 worth of hydrogen in your first few years of ownership since it’s so expensive. This means that for your first 3-ish years of owning one, you might not have to pay a penny in fuel. As you can see I’m still a hydrogen advocate. Don’t expect to be able to take it very far from your nearest hydrogen station though.

Yung_Onions Report

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#28

Here Are 30 Things That Were Supposed To Be The Next Big Thing, But Ended Up Forgotten, As Shared By People Online Elizabeth Holmes.

DudeFromSaudi , Wikimedia Commons Report

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Easily Excitable Panda
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Read "Bad Blood." She not only conned hundreds of people, she single-handedly set back the credibility of women in the tech industry.

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#29

The Wii U

Leontetops123 Report

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Romery Wells
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

YES. i still have my Wii U pad and all the acceseries to this day. and they work perfect

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#30

hat streaming service that lasted like two months. ‘Qubi’ or ‘Qupi’ I think?

Even bad timing aside (a mobile based streaming service at a time when no one could really leave their house) the marketing was just horrible. I saw ads for it for nearly a week before I realized it was a new video streaming service, and by that point was so annoyed by the ads untrusting everything I didn’t care at all, just out of spite. Also I mean it was just YouTube you have to pay for and got worse content.

EDIT: it was Quibi. It made so little impact I couldn’t recall at first.

Disreiley Report

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#31

Zune

-eDgAR- Report

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tuzdayschild
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I loved my Zune. Remember the day they went offline world wide. It was like a day of dysfunctional unity.

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#32

Here Are 30 Things That Were Supposed To Be The Next Big Thing, But Ended Up Forgotten, As Shared By People Online Google Wave. It was supposed to replace email with a more collaborative approach. Essentially it was like a dynamically-created discussion board you'd share with select people and you could have a more readable discussion than one with a bunch of forwards and CCs and the like.

I thought it was a good idea, but it flopped big time and Google got rid of it after a few years.

jahvidsanders44 , Elias Bizannes Report

#33

Sega’s Dreamcast

davidtheartist Report

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Guy MacGregor
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well... The dreamcast is technically the first XBox... So it does have a good legacy

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#35

Quadraphonic entertainment systems in the early 1970s, were supposed to replace stereophonic systems. Now they are chiefly remembered for inspiring the name of The Who's second rock opera.

TheSanityInspector Report

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M O'Connell
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The concept still lives on in the form of 5.1, and 7.1 surround systems. But those are being surpassed in availability by Atmos, which automatically mixes to best fit the speakers you have.

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#39

Ouya and microconsoles in general

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Jill
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We still have our Ouya for one reason only, BOMB SQUAD! It is the most fun and well done party game ever. The developer never sold it to any other platform and doesnt make any money from it. Win-Win! (Except for him, I would really love it if he had made some money on it.)

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#40

Smart diapers!

I’m pretty sure Pampers sells them but imagine it won’t be long before they’re discontinued.

It’s an idea that’s been posted on Mommy blogs, childcare forums, magazines, news articles. Every so often I’ll see a story online while doing some childcare research.

I don’t know a single parent, nanny, early childhood educator, caregiver that has or wants to use a smart diaper. The only way I could see it being useful is for night or for a special needs child.

The idea is still being pushed as a “luxury” item for millennials but it’s just nonsense. What’s even funnier is that the tech is almost backwards. Cloth diapering has become insanely popular!

cleaning-meaning Report

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Shelp
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Smart diaper? What a b*llshit... Just use cloth instead, it works perfectly and you don't have to buy anything "smart" that probably costs an arm and a leg. Plus, I don't need a smart device to notice that the baby has soiled themself.

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#41

Mixer, Microsoft's Twitch.

Failed spectacularly.

bama_braves_fan Report

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ARandomPerson
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

when they payed 40 million for ninja and then gave up on mixer a couple days later

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#42

Solar roadways

PhiladelphiaFlyr Report

#43

P.T. demo

shiro_cat Report

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RoseTheMad
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's not that it flopped, it's that Hideo Kojima ( main developer of P.T. and what would have become Silent Hills) left Konami, and Konami thus cancelled Silent Hills in favour of making pachinko machines. Honestly, since that move, Konami has gone downhill and has, imo, certainly flopped as a company. Silent Hill however, is still popular and many wish for a reveal of a new entry to the series someday, and there have been a few hints over the years but so far nothing, and the SH following has been dissappointed. (but honestly the Silent Hill games, especially 1-4 are some of the best horror games ever made imo)

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