Why Are Current-Gen Developers Obsessed With the Past?

GeekParty writes: "I recently wrote a good-natured ribbing article about the announcement that Sleeping Dogs was coming to the Xbox One and Ps4. In it, I pointed out the staggering number of titles that have made the leap from last-gen to current. Add to the mix rumors Max Payne 3 is getting a facelift, and it seems this sudden craze has no end in sight."

[Neonridr]

because it's easier for a developer to enhance what has already been created, rather than them having to come up with new ideas. While certain games are worthy of facelifts, games that have released in the past year should not really be a focus.

Sleeping Dogs does not need to be remade, and I would argue that Max Payne 3 doesn't either.

[nX]

Also it's a good way to get accustomed to the new hardware and give it worthwhile releases. I'm not mad at remasters where it makes sense.

[Neonridr]

definitely where it makes sense. Wind Waker on the Wii U was a remaster of a 10 year old game, hence I was ok with it.

I can even make the stretch for the Last of Us, only because it was a critically acclaimed game, and a lot of PS4 users are new to Sony (myself included). So I was grateful getting to play this game for the first time on the PS4. But I do question some of the other plans for remasters..

[nX]

In my opinion there are quite a few where it made sense or where there was enough value:
- Last Of Us
- Metro Redux
- MGS HD Collection
- Kingdom Hearts 1.5 & 2.5
- Ico & Shadow Of The Collosus
- God Of War Collection
- GTA 5

But there are also some where I think it's either unneccesary or a cash-grab:
- Sleeping Dogs
- Tomb Raider:DE
- Dead Nation PS4

It depends on the game and on the timeframe, I don't think we'll see many remasters in 2015 and beyond.

[Baka-akaB]

Well Dead Nation was at least free on PS+

[Army_of_Darkness]

After playing the definitive version of tomb raider and the last of us, it appears like as if the ps4 versions were the versions that the developer's envisioned but last gen consoles held that back a little.

[Agent2009]

Did you know it took one year for Naughty Dog to make The Last of Us Remastered? One year, that could have been spent on making new games instead.

[Gohadouken]

i very much doubt that . It's obvious by the amount of differences (some but not earth shattering) between the two versions , that this was done with a small team and pool of ressources . It's ressources that would just sit around in between stuff , waiting for a next big project that wouldnt come any sooner

Seems more like the only thing you'd get instead with that kind of ressource , would be some small indie stuff (at best) , rather than a new big ip .

It's precisely why those "cheap" remaster are made . Hell half cases involve ports specialists on the cheap for those same reasons

[Ghost_Nappa]

Do you realize it was just a small team that ported TLOU to ps4, and not the whole studio?

[ATi_Elite]

Easy Money!!

remake or remaster an old game is EASY MONEY!

Gamers called out Devs/pubs about sequels in the teens so this is there response.

HD remake/Remaster.

[hollabox]

I'm guessing next gen hardware allowed the developers to make the game they truly wanted to make. Game designers and texture artist probably hated the memory limitation of the last two generation of consoles.

[bahabeast]

if its a good game that i liked or maybe didnt get to try i will buy it. everyone likes smoother and prettier games.

[uth11]

It takes years to develop new AAA for these systems. They are in development, but if they can get out a current-gen version of a previous-gen title to help fill the gap, why not do it?

[Robearboy]

John Connor from T2 couldn't have said it better - Easy money

[Roccetarius]

The move to make more remasters / remakes is getting close to the movie industry. Why should people buy the first version, if there are definitive editions later on?

[Gohadouken]

Because you dont even know wich games , side the few odds obvious juggernaut titles , are going to be remade , or even when , or even if the remaster will be even good (looking at silent hill HD) .

And because people forget part of the audience for remaster are people that missed those games when they were the rage and hype

[incendy35]

If I was working on those games I could definitely see the desire to update them as technology improves. At the time these games pushed boundaries, but now there are new boundaries to push. I will probably not buy very many of them, same as I rarely buy Bluray's etc because I have already experienced the content but as a creator I definitely see the desire to improve what you created and make it the best product it can be.

[Software_Lover]

For some odd reason, when I looked at that pic it instantly made me think of Condemned:Criminal Origins. Does anyone remember that game? Was it like TLOU but with a not so sad story? If Condemned had come out later in this gen do you guys/gals think it would be rated higher and played better?

[Inzo]

ND has established themselves as the top dog so if they want release remakes of some of their older games on the PS4 they have every right to.

[Macdaddy71]

Lol, I don't want to hear anyone cry over this, I hated that they made last of us n it sold so good they not going to stop now,
We going to have to play remade games...OMG hate it...
I want everyone that support this crap to go out n buy all the remade games, so they will keep making them,
Say bye bye to our new IP n next gen games

[Macdaddy71]

I or some of us did not spend $500 n $400 on new systems to play remaster games!!!!! This really upsets me, more so gamers support it....
Heck we been getting the same crap From EA n Madden for 25 yrs.... Do we want our next gen to go down this Road????

[mogwaii]

Because that was the golden age of gaming.

[N0gg1nsh0tz]

The past is awesome...... mostly :p

Loving TLOU Remastered!