Why Metallica abandoned their massively announced project
In 2003, Metallica was building a multi-million dollar masterpiece, and then they murdered it.
It was called Damage Inc., a brutal post-apocalyptic combat game that looked like Mad Max on steroids, had the voices, the music, and the full backing of the world’s biggest metal band, yet never saw the light of day.
So today, let’s take a look at the game that failed and why Metallica actually abandoned their possibly most ambitious digital project to date. Here you go!
00:00 – The buried masterpiece
00:34 – The massive 2003 announcement
02:15 – Damage Inc: gameplay & Metallica characters
03:32 – The “Lost” Metallica song & video
04:07 – Why was the project cancelled?
06:27 – Should Metallica try gaming again?
——–
🤘 Become a Patreon and support the show – https://www.patreon.com/metal_pilgrim
…or become a YouTube Channel Member – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC06AP7y6naJahDNepxTeCsw/join
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT!
👕 Metal Pilgrim merch for your next concert – https://metalpilgrim.net/
📷 Instagram – https://instagram.com/metal_pilgrim/
👍 Facebook – https://facebook.com/MetalPilgrimOfficial
🆇 Twitter/X – https://x.com/MetalPilgrimOFC
🤖 Discord – https://discord.gg/5NK3pdgfnU
🎶 Metal 365 Playlist – https://metalpilgrim.net/Metal365
🇺🇦 Support our volunteer efforts here on the ground in Ukraine by donating to Steel Wings Foundation (I am the founder and personally responsible for every penny spent) – https://steelwings.net/en/
——–
Links to products posted here are usually affiliate, meaning that I may earn commission from them.
——–
Background music: “Uberpunch” Alexander Nakarada (serpentsoundstudios.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
——–
All content falls under fair use: any copying of copyrighted material done for a limited and “transformative” purpose, such as to comment upon, criticize, or parody a copyrighted work. Such uses can be done without permission from the copyright owner.
Comments
Latest news
@MetalPilgrim
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
Do you think Metallica should remaster the old game, or make a new one with a soundtrack from their latest albums? Would you play that one?
@OffgridGamingInBearCountry
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
At least the long sought after MUTULLIKA comic book came to daylight that was infamously hand drawn by Lars himself on a roll of toilet paper in a one session sit on he's golden shadow seat 😂😂😂😂
@wayneforthewin
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
I bought St. Anger around when it released and I remember it was one of those CD-Enhanced discs which had a tiny CD-ROM portion to advertise this. Then I heard nothing more about it after that
@paulfaulkner2855
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
Why is this a story worth making content about? Never knew about it & don’t care.
@EMDrecs1
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
The game game is crazy, if a game is bad, it’ll get trashed by everyone
@archan1s
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
I really hate that in GTA series there is no Metallica soundtrack at all. Thanks rockstar that i can at least in GTA IV put my songs on radio (its really cool to drive Liberty City with Death Magnetic, Garage inc, Reload and St. Anger and other metallica stuff)
@jameschavez6400
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
I think the Lars vehicle should be not a truck but a kickass tank with Gatling guns on each side👍❤️
@IanMcLean-ez7ou
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
I remember watching the trailer on the St anger disc in 2003 and thinking it looked a bit lame. Climax's wheelhouse was always ports and budget titles, I doubt that the game would've been terribly interesting if it had been finished
@jamesmcaulay4656
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
Metallica are boring in most ways . Knowing them you get the video game and it would filled with garbage songs from load reload and st . Anger
@Tirpitz721
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
2:54 Ahh yes, and this is where Gearbox discovered the inspiration of Mordecai for Borderlands. I don't care if it's not true because – eff Gearbox lol.
@marcsmodelrailways
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
I think Maiden got lucky with their game, content and timing. Metallica mistimed things and it was unfortunately in the st anger era.
@XxMyNameIsTAOxX
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
🤘 🤘
@Vorticy135
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
Sounds like the Metalocalypse game that was canceled.
@christophergase1468
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
I've been a Metallica fan since childhood, but I've never heard of this game😅
Thanks for the video.
@andryosz
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
I didn't know this! It would be very cool playing a Metallica's game
@RickKing06
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
That i got to know that something i didnt know which is Crazy. This when i find out was like Holy Moly What!! And i looked it up just a few months ago so what timing and i didnt expect this video from you. Im Shocked. This could've been a game with Guitar Hero Metallica which happened little years later which shows too that Metallica wanted to make a game and there we have a reason why they with the makers of Guitar Hero made Guitar Hero Metallica and that was also the reason i came in to metal for the absolute first time and heard Metallica and the riffs in For Whom The Bell Tolls before the verse just Got Me Hooked In 🤘🔥and now i am where i am today with my metal music with all of the best bands. Iron Maiden, Priest, Metallica, Megadeth, Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, Exodus and Testament etc. And i couldnt thank guitar hero enough 😊🤘🔥❤️. I wonder what songs could've and was suppose to be on this game we know The Shortest Straw and of course Damage Inc from the trailer but i guess we would never know but this is like the hardest thing to find to so everybody search on the internet with the "concept art" and Very hidden trailer. This was fun and with you doing research i learned a new thing and that is crazy that a new song was supposed to be made specifically for this game and now i just wanted to know what song that was if we just could make Metallica make it and we just get a new song. That would've been Sick to find a new Metallica song that is actually an unheard one. This video i really like and it was just a short one so this is what i wanted to say from this 👍🤘
@PiratePrincessYuki
August 22, 2026 at 12:28 am
St. Anger is the album that should not be. They made St. Anger and went into hiding for like 8 years because it was so terrible.