Lemmings, developed by DMA Design and published by Psygnosis, became a massive gaming phenomenon in the early 1990s, ported to over 20 platforms and achieving mainstream cultural acceptance. However, the franchise squandered its early momentum through a series of strategic missteps, beginning with Lemmings 2: The Tribes (1993), which added complexity and abandoned beginner-friendly tutorials, alienating casual players who had fueled the original's success.