Games that Completely Changed a Developer's Reputation

[Bofferbrauer2]

DonFerrari said:

SanAndreasX said:
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.

Wasn't being bought by EA that killed Maxi's?

Not at the time. Keep in mind they got bought up in the mid 90's, when EA was still one of the best publishers. Under EA leadership Maxis first brought out Sim City 3000, then the first Sims, both very acclaimed titles. It's only with The Sims 3 that it began to tarnish