Yesterday, 05:44 AM
I keep seeing the take that "the industry has run out of ideas" because of how many remakes/remasters we're getting. Resident Evil 4, Dead Space, Silent Hill 2, Final Fantasy VII (x3), Metal Gear Solid Delta, The Last of Us Part I, Demon's Souls, Oblivion remaster rumors… the list is long.
But here's the thing — I went back and checked, and remakes/remasters were *everywhere* in the PS2/Xbox era too. Every major PS1 franchise got a PS2-era remake, a PSP port, a "greatest hits" re-release. The PS3/360 generation had HD collections out the wazoo.
What *is* different now:
- **Remakes are bigger in budget and scope.** The RE4 and FFVII Rebirth-style remakes are essentially new AAA games, not just texture packs.
- **They're front-of-house, not filler.** They headline showcases and get the marketing budget once reserved for new IP.
- **Preservation is a real crisis.** With delisted games, dead servers, closed storefronts (Wii Shop, PS3 store near-death, etc.), remakes are sometimes the *only* legal way to play a game on modern hardware.
- **Backwards compatibility is patchy.** Nintendo in particular; Sony mostly OK on PS5 for PS4 games but not deeper; Xbox leading here.
My two cents: remakes aren't the problem. The problem is when remakes *crowd out* new mid-budget IP, because that's where most of the industry's real innovation historically came from.
What's a remake you thought was genuinely excellent, and what's a game you *don't* want remade because the original's jank is part of the magic?
But here's the thing — I went back and checked, and remakes/remasters were *everywhere* in the PS2/Xbox era too. Every major PS1 franchise got a PS2-era remake, a PSP port, a "greatest hits" re-release. The PS3/360 generation had HD collections out the wazoo.
What *is* different now:
- **Remakes are bigger in budget and scope.** The RE4 and FFVII Rebirth-style remakes are essentially new AAA games, not just texture packs.
- **They're front-of-house, not filler.** They headline showcases and get the marketing budget once reserved for new IP.
- **Preservation is a real crisis.** With delisted games, dead servers, closed storefronts (Wii Shop, PS3 store near-death, etc.), remakes are sometimes the *only* legal way to play a game on modern hardware.
- **Backwards compatibility is patchy.** Nintendo in particular; Sony mostly OK on PS5 for PS4 games but not deeper; Xbox leading here.
My two cents: remakes aren't the problem. The problem is when remakes *crowd out* new mid-budget IP, because that's where most of the industry's real innovation historically came from.
What's a remake you thought was genuinely excellent, and what's a game you *don't* want remade because the original's jank is part of the magic?