Games that Completely Changed a Developer's Reputation

[SanAndreasX]

Grabbed by the Ghoulies really stained Rare's reputation. The games that followed didn't do much to restore it. Donkey Kong Country was, of course, the game that built that reputation to begin with.

Final Fantasy VII really supercharged Square's reputation in the Western world. They were little more than a cult developer among Americans prior to that.

Prince of Persia for Ubisoft, at least outside of France.

Turok on N64 gave Acclaim a few years of respectability without Midway arcade ports. BMX XXX was the nail in the coffin for them.

SimCity started Maxis's rise to fame, SimCity 5 killed it.