Which comes first, the games or the gamer? Every console launch sees a struggle play out between game-maker and gamer. Gamers want to see a quality library before they take the plunge on a new console. Game-makers want a sizeable audience at the ready for the game that they just spent $30 million dollars and the last 3 years on. HD gaming and multiplayer features served to greatly increase expenditure to game makers while game prices have virtually stood still for the past 20 years. Both camps have reasonable and acceptable demands. As a sort of compromise, game-makers have taken the opportunity to remaster or remake older titles in their libraries during the early years of console life. Okay, to be honest, they’re now doing it throughout the console lifespan, but that just proves another point- there are a lot of people who want these re-imagining of games.
Triple A games make most of their money in the first few weeks after launch. Some make up to 80% of their revenue in the first week after launch. It’s pretty understandable then that many avoid releasing very expensive games at launch. Added to this is the fact that the marketplace is extremely crowded with games, and prices fall hard and fast. A game maker cannot simple make a game and hope to make money slowly over time – unless they engage in some questionable price-fixing practices. No, a reasonable install base must be there before a game is launched. The issue of launch software is the reason why makers want to get rid of iterative hardware altogether, this is why services like PSNow are being invested in heavily.
In an effort to solve the issue of poor launch library, remakes and remasters serve to bolster the lineup. Aside from this, remasters give gamers new to your platform a chance to enjoy your past games with a level of production and quality that suits your new shiny hardware. Given the rampant sequelitis that plagues our industry, this can allow newcomers to catch up on your series and can even serve as a means of promoting your upcoming installments – cheap advertising if you will.
From the standpoint of the gamer, there are some benefits though. An example for me is that of Okami. I played this game years ago and back then, I was more focused on the mechanics and humor of the game. When the remaster was released, it caught my attention and encouraged me to revisit the title – something I may not have done if it had not gotten this soft re-launch. This time, I played the game with a greater appreciation for the artwork and music that was present. Those aren’t things that caught my attention in games when I was younger, and replaying games has brought me a greater appreciation for some of the older gems. It’s actually the remastering of games that encouraged me down this path and I’m glad that I took the trip.
It’s also nice when developers take the opportunity to fix some of the problems that may have been contained in the original release. Often, a game is a work in progress and is never truly complete at release. There’s always something that a maker would like to have had tweaked or included. The remaster gives a maker to correct some of the original sins and make a better experience.
Many believe that the remaster represents time that a dev could have spent on a new experience and see it as a lost opportunity. That’s fair, but honestly a remaster takes a small fraction of the time and cost associated with making a title from scratch. Their existence doesn’t bother me as much as others. I always like the opportunity to show off some of these polished, older titles to friends who may not be as forgiving when it comes to aesthetics as some of the more hardcore gamers are. If a fresh coat of paint can get people more interested in a genre and title, them I don’t see the harm. In fact, I see an opportunity.
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Many of these remasters can end up subjectively worse than the original with regard to graphics and soundtracks, e.g. the remodelled character faces and musical score in FFX.
Sometimes they can even end up objectively worse, when you have cut content and censoring etc where it's clear that no care was taken with it, e.g. Silent Hill.
I'm all for good remakes of good games that provide tangible improvement such as better framerate, but it's still a shame that no console has true backwards compatibility anymore.
It has made me appreciate the idea of PC gaming more. That COD MW2 petition must have seemed ridiculous to any PC gamer.
Well, i am currently playing Metro 2033 remaster on PS4. So happy, because i was never able to play it before, because i did not own a 360 or PC rig to game on . And i got a great price on it, during a Flash Sale around Christmas . The load times are very short, the framerate is much better than original version and the game is thick on atmosphere . So yeah, i really do not have a problem with remasters . Good blog .
i liken the gaming trend of remasters to that of the movie industry. when ideas are slim...there is always the previous work to fall back on. but when a generation has this illusion that it is becoming reliant on remasters... that is where the problem lies.
The old argument of, it gives those who never got a chance to play it... that is so tired now. the chance is still there. it isnt like all of a sudden these old games are gone, kaput, no more ever to be seen again. Everyone in the world has the opportunity to play the originals the way they were created.
And if the point is brought up about that person not wanting to have to get said platform to play it then... so be it. That is their choice. just as it is our choice to not buy into the remakes.
But where we don't have a choice is in the simple fact that companies will make them. with or without being requested. It's like when Lucas remasted the original Star Wars trilogy and in doing so...he basically ruined some things while improving others. His reasoning was... it was the original vision he had for them.
granted, advancements in technology open the doors for companies to revisit ideas that didnt quite meet the expectations. but when it is something that is as revered as a high profile game (or movie)... you have to wonder why. It isnt like a remake is going to surpass the original. And in rare instances does that happen.
Many would say that the $$ put into the project could go to something new and fresh but these companies are playing it safe. There can be no reward without risk. companies need to take risks to do something new just as consumers should step out of the comfort zone and try something new as well.
Far to many great games have gone undetected by gamers because they just dont want to spend the time or $$ to invest in something unproven. So how does something prove itself without someone first picking it up? It's like going to get a job. They wont hire you because you have no experience but you can't get the experience without the job.
One side needs to bow for the other to reciprocate.
If they remaster Battlefield Bad Company 2, I am on board. Easily one of the best MP games of the decade.
why are remasters an issue to begin with? hardware improves, so why not improve games along the way? we do it with music and movies, why not games? who wouldn't want a better version that sounds better, performs better and looks better?
remasters can gain attention for new fans. new gamers are added all the time. not everyone grew up with these games so re-introducing them to new people can give more interest. they can also help advertise new entries into franchises.
remasters may hurt collectors but who cares? the new remasters are not going to kill your older version. it may kill the excitement knowing a better version now exists but too bad so sad.
revenue from remasters can help fund new projects.
development teams can be hired to do these projects. that way the original team can work on new projects too and not slow down game development.
there are far more positives than negatives that come from remasters and remakes and as the old saying goes, if you don't like them don't buy them. see how simple that is?