Why Are There So Many New Video Game Remakes?
With PlayStation announcing a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3, you can’t help but think that the gaming world is running out of ideas. Every generation of games has a trend that it follows, but it seems that this new generation is focused on remaking classic video games instead of new ones.
For some people, this isn’t an issue. However, many gamers are starting to see these remakes as pointless- especially if they still have the original copy to hand. So, why are so many video games being remade in the modern day? Let’s find out.
There Is Already A Back Catalog
It may seem obvious at first but one of the main reasons why so many video games are being remade is because there is already a back catalog to explore. A classic video game doesn’t achieve this status overnight. It takes time and distance from a release to establish whether it was a success that people are likely to want to return to.
As such, the constant stream of video games is not a lack of new ideas. Rather there is a collective fondness for a generation of video games that have long since passed.
Low-Risk High Reward
The thing that you must remember about video game developers is that they are in the industry to make money first and foremost. Therefore, they will release titles that they expect to make money.
A previous video game release already has a built-in fanbase. As such, a video game company views the fans of the original game as a list of potential sales. It is almost like the thought process that goes into making decisions at the best online sports betting site. The public buy things based on brand recognition. Unfortunately, new games do not come with this level of recognition, but older games do. Therefore, slapping a new coat of paint onto an older game is more cost-effective but can yield high sales numbers from the original fanbase.
Advertising Future Instalments
Another part of the sales tactics of video game developers is establishing a franchise. The thought process behind this is the same as establishing a brand that people can trust. If gamers enjoyed one game in the series, then the chances are that they are likely to invest in another.
The main problem with this practice is that newer generations may not be as familiar with past successful franchises. Therefore, they are less willing to jump on board with the idea of a new game in the series. Releasing an older version of another game in the franchise can bring these people on board with the franchise and get them excited about future installments. As such, this practice can lead to more sales f a new addition to the franchise. Both the formerly mentioned Metal Gear Solid series and Grand Theft Auto Series have had success with this exact strategy.
Giving Games A Second Chance
A franchise can only grow into the familiar brand it is if there is a success with the first game. Unfortunately, this success is never guaranteed, even if the game is well-made.
This idea is best represented by Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning. This remake just eight years after the original the original game hit the shelves left a lot of people scratching their heads. However, the game released in 2012 was met with strong reviews and sales numbers. Only these sales numbers were not exactly as high as the developers wanted. Perhaps the massive release of a similar game in the same genre, Skyrim, overshadowed the release of Kingdoms of Amalur. Therefore, a remake if this game in a new environment was attempted to bring people on board to give the game a second chance at establishing a fanbase.
Making Use Of New Tech
It is no secret that some of the older consoles leave a bit more to be desired- especially in the graphics department. Some video game developers probably didn’t want their artwork shrunk into a blobby set of polygons. Alas, that was all the hardware at the time could manage.
Fortunately, gaming technology has come a long way since then. New hardware is able to render things so much better. As such, some older games are remade to give them a glossy new coat of paint so that they look and perform how the developers originally intended. It is a rather shallow reason to remake a game, but you can’t dent that the landscapes in Death Stranding are far more appealing than the faces in the original Harry Potter games on the PS1.
Conclusion
The endless stream of video game remakes may be annoying for the older generations. However, these re-releases do serve their purpose. It’s up to you whether you buy into the premise.