Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
30 Things Hailed As “The Next Big Thing” That Ended Up Being Total Flops Instead
With technological innovations seemingly breaking the speed of sound, it’s easy to believe that we’re always on the verge of revolutionary breakthroughs. The hype machine tells us that thing X or Y is going to “change the game”, and, most of the time, many of us fall for it, especially at the early-adopter end of the bell curve.
Someone asked an online community, “What was supposed to be ‘The Next Big Thing’ but totally flopped?” and netizens didn’t hold back with their answers. From NFTs to Cybertrucks, here’s a collection of some of our favorites.
More info: Reddit
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Cyber truck.
WeeklyMath9 reply:
They’re just so ugly. I always felt like the design team stopped like 25% in and said “we’re done”
RELATED:
#2
Segway.
vikki_1996 reply:
SNL news once discussed the Segway launch by saying ‘this amazing invention is going to revolutionize…the way people get hit by cars.’
#3
NFTs.
Capt_Rons_Lost_Eye reply:
I still don't understand the purpose of them
Every few years, the world gets swept up in hype over something promised to be revolutionary. Whether it’s tech, fashion, food, or entertainment, anticipation builds, headlines scream, and investors salivate. Sometimes, however, the glittering future turns out to be fool’s gold, leaving us all wondering how we got so easily convinced.
Remember Google Glass? Tech media hailed it as the dawn of wearable computing, a sleek visor for the sci-fi generation. Instead, the device became a punchline. Privacy concerns, awkward design, and a sky-high price tag meant only geeks wore them. The dream of seamless augmented reality collapsed before our very... eyes.
#4
Facebook's MetaVerse.
prettythings87 reply:
Yes LOL I still think about the lame thumbnails they released to show what it looked like
#5
Y2K.
peternormal reply:
Y2k might have been the last time we listened to scientists as a society.
It happened, and it would have been bad, but we knew it was going to happen and put resources into fixing it ahead of time.
As someone who worked in banking software at the time. It was a big big deal, the fact that nothing happened was a testament to executives and the government actually believing computer scientists and spending money to fix the issue.
Ace 2 months ago
It was a great example of what happens when people do actually listen to experts and act accordingly. Sure, there was never any real risk to home computer users, but there were very many big systems used, for example in banking, that posed genuine risk of failure if they were not properly validated or updated.
#6
AI. Mark my words.
Tech companies are already tempering expectations.
wagwa2001l reply:
AI shares a lot in common with Flat Earthers - it doesn’t have the ability to distinguish good information from bad and so mostly just regurgitates garbage that confuses some people into thinking it’s intelligent.
Tabitha 2 months ago
The concept of AI is one of those things that sounds good on paper, but will take decades, maybe even a century, to perfect in reality—-only the greedy a******s who own AI companies are pushing it to be everywhere LONG before it’s actually ready, and that is dangerous. Already dangerous, tbh, as the lazy are using it in place of their own learning and thinking. I am far from a being a Luddite, but I really don’t want AI in my home or business until at least most of the bugs are worked out. I’m 64, so probably won’t live to see that day arrive.
In the late 2000s, 3D televisions were going to revolutionize living rooms. Studios raced to release 3D versions of blockbusters, electronics stores filled with bulky glasses, and marketers promised depth like never before. Reality? Headaches, clunky eyewear, limited content, and inflated costs. By the mid-2010s, companies quietly abandoned the gimmick as Netflix bingeing dominated instead.
Let’s not forget the Segway. Launched with grand secrecy and Steve Jobs-level hype, it was supposed to change cities forever. Instead of futuristic metropolises filled with self-balancing scooters, Segways mostly found homes in mall security patrols and tourist groups. Expensive, impractical, and uncool, it became proof that not every invention reshapes human mobility.
#7
As an American I was told we would be switching over to the metric system when I was growing up in the seventies. Never did see that really happen.
#8
Google+ was supposed to be facebook big rival.
BituminousBitumin reply:
It couls have been if Google hadn't fumbled so hard. It came about at a time when Facebook was making some very unpopular changes. The platform was actually really good.
Luke Branwen 2 months ago
Yeah, it was a pretty good site, something like Tumblr lite, and I've met some interesting people there.
#9
Windows phone.
Rikers-Mailbox reply:
Had one, loved it. I was so disappointed that MSFT whiffed the smartphone afte being the leader for so long.
When it comes to food, trends can burn out fast. Cronuts, the croissant-doughnut hybrid, had lines around the block in New York. Copycats popped up worldwide, and Instagram fueled the frenzy, but after the sugar rush faded, so did the obsession. Cronuts still exist, sure, but they’re more quirky pastry than cultural revolution now.
In fashion, Google’s Jacquard smart jacket promised to merge clothing with connectivity. Tap your sleeve, change your music. Swipe, and get navigation cues. It sounded futuristic but turned out clunky, overpriced, and pointless when you already had a smartphone in your pocket. It quietly disappeared, another reminder that not all “wearables” are, in fact, wearable.
#11
Russell Brand. When that dude hit the States he was shoved down our throats from all angles. Good to see he failed.
#12
3D tv.
dayofthedead204 reply:
Im still disappointed this didn't take off.
I still have 3D Blu Rays and a 3D Projector home theatre at home - and Jurassic Park kicks a*s in 3D. It's basically the only way you can watch 3D movies at home (unless I'm mistaken). And the only way you can watch a 3D movie is when it's in theatres.
Which is kinda disappointing.
The gaming industry has also had its fair share of flops. The Ouya console arrived on Kickstarter with massive fanfare: a tiny, affordable device to disrupt the giants. Backers celebrated. Reality? Weak hardware, bad games, and no reason to ditch PlayStation or Xbox. It just became another notorious example of hype crashing hard.
Even transportation gets swept into hype cycles. Hyperloop, Elon Musk’s high-speed vacuum train, was once sold as the future of travel. Yet years later, billions of dollars have been spent with little to show. Safety issues, cost overruns, and physics itself conspired against it. Today, Hyperloop feels less like tomorrow and more like vaporware.
#13
Self driving Teslas
#14
Virtual reality, like two or three times.
LordsOfFrenziedFlame reply:
I wouldn't say it flopped. It comes in waves, with each wave bringing progress
Uncle Panda 2 months ago
It comes in waves, each wave bringing a new type of nausea. Like many or most, mine now occupies a drawer full time.
#15
Betamax.
co0p3r reply:
Betamax flopped commercially but became the standard for professional use and had a very good run.
Hype isn’t always bad. It demonstrates our hunger for progress and imagination made real. However, these disasters remind us that not every shiny promise becomes reality. Some inventions stumble, some trends fade, and some are just ahead of their time. Either way, the “next big thing” is always waiting around the corner... until it isn’t.
What do you think of the famous flops in this list? Upvote your favorites and let us know if you’ve ever shelled out top dollar for something that didn’t turn out to be all that!
#16
Google glass.
kytheon reply:
Tried it, hated it. The idea is great, the e*******n was so bad that nobody else tried ever since.
General Anaesthesia 2 months ago
These days META-Rayban glasses have caused fights for the same reason Glassholes did then: people don't like the idea that they're being filmed without consent. As if Zuckerberg ever cared about privacy, or about anyone but himself and Trump.
#17
Olean was supposed to be the future of healthy potato chips.
Training-Athlete4348 reply:
I loved when they added the warning "do not assume it is gas".
Uncle Panda 2 months ago (edited)
Olean - This will go through you like shitt through a goose! Customers - OMG, this goes through you like shitt through a goose!
#18
Minidisk.
BlacksmithInformal80 reply:
Early 90’s my uncle took me out with him to rent some CDs (yeah you could rent CDs), and he pointed to some stand and said “those are the wave of the future. They’ll replace CDs in a few years”. They were mini disk. The first last and only time I had ever heard of them.
Philly Bob 2 months ago
I still have my 2 units! And a load of disks that have live recordings on them.
#19
Augmented reality glasses.
eac292625 reply:
They still have limited use in warehouses. We use them to quickly show item info and they’re really cool for that.
#20
Microsoft Zune.
TypicalDaydreem reply:
Haha I asked my grandma for an iPod for Xmas one year and I got a pink zune. 😂
#21
Democracy.
Carma_626 reply:
I wouldn’t say democracy failed. Of all the forms of government it seems to be the lesser of evils.
No regime is going to be flawless. As long as humans are involved, with their greed and self interest, it is virtually impossible to have a fair and equal government body.
If only the general population weren’t so completely stupid…
Apatheist Account2 2 months ago
People who say this rarely propose a better alternatives. Anyone who is capable of getting themselves elected should on no account be allowed to run a country; it doesn't matter what political system there is, those in charge are in it for themselves.
#22
Curved screen TVs. I thought I was in the future the first time I saw one of those.
#23
I would argue Blockchain never attained its promise of a transformative technology. I would not be surprised if Bitcoin ends up in the same place.
#24
When Radio Shack rebranded itself as "The Shack". It was one of the stupidest rebrands in history.
#25
HD DVD lost out to Blu-ray pretty spectacularly.
No-Author-2358 reply:
The picture quality of Blu-ray is amazing. So much better than DVD.
dean tirmizi 2 months ago
I heard, may not be true, but its mainly down to the P**n*graphy business that influences the winner of new media, like VHS / Betamax. P**n was distributed via VHS and that's what became the winner
#27
Those Apple 🍎 Glasses 👓
#28
I remember when I was in middle school during the Bush administration we were told about how great hydrogen fuel cells were going to be and how every car would run on them. Haven’t heard much about hydrogen fuel cells since.
#29
Dippin’ Dots.
Admiral_Ash reply:
I'm from Kansas and Dippin Dots are everywhere here. Still going strong.
#30
Crystal Pepsi.
rakozink reply:
It was better than regular Pepsi. Not a high bar but I did appreciate it.
What do you think ?
Lee Gilliland 2 months ago (edited)
Am I the only one ancient enough to remember the New Coke?
Zoe Vokes 2 months ago
Old enough and American. I don’t think they released it anywhere else. I’ve only heard about it by watching programs set in the 80s.
Load More Replies...
Raven Sheridan 2 months ago (edited)
What about the 2024 multi player game "Concord"? It was developed by Firewalk Studios and published by Sony. Apparently it cost at least 400 million dollars to make. The game lasted two weeks before it was permanently shut down. Insiders said that it failed due to the game being too woke. Every character had pronouns, something that turned off traditional gamers. There was also an environment of toxic positivity at the studios. The higher ups were convinced that this was going to be their Star Wars, the beginning of a billion dollar franchise. Staff weren't allowed to saying anything negative about the game, even if their concerns were legitimate.
Zoe Vokes 2 months ago
Concord is definitely one of the biggest flops of all time financially. The arrogance before release, comparing it to Star Wars when there are so many live service multiplayer games to compete with, that had been released years earlier and already had established fan bases. Your game has to be amazing to stand out in a crowded market. And the no negatives during production is an insane rule.
Load More Replies...
Lee Gilliland 2 months ago (edited)
Am I the only one ancient enough to remember the New Coke?
Zoe Vokes 2 months ago
Old enough and American. I don’t think they released it anywhere else. I’ve only heard about it by watching programs set in the 80s.
Load More Replies... Raven Sheridan 2 months ago (edited)
What about the 2024 multi player game "Concord"? It was developed by Firewalk Studios and published by Sony. Apparently it cost at least 400 million dollars to make. The game lasted two weeks before it was permanently shut down. Insiders said that it failed due to the game being too woke. Every character had pronouns, something that turned off traditional gamers. There was also an environment of toxic positivity at the studios. The higher ups were convinced that this was going to be their Star Wars, the beginning of a billion dollar franchise. Staff weren't allowed to saying anything negative about the game, even if their concerns were legitimate.
Zoe Vokes 2 months ago
Concord is definitely one of the biggest flops of all time financially. The arrogance before release, comparing it to Star Wars when there are so many live service multiplayer games to compete with, that had been released years earlier and already had established fan bases. Your game has to be amazing to stand out in a crowded market. And the no negatives during production is an insane rule.
Load More Replies...
Related on Bored Panda
