Nightdive Studios wishes to remake the original Unreal game: What does this mean for the legendary FPS series?

Back in the late 90s, Epic Games released a sci-fi first-person shooter called Unreal. Based on the name of the engine it was created in (Unreal Engine), it was a pretty cutting-edge experience from a visual standpoint.

The game drew critical acclaim as well as several new installments, including the iconic Unreal Tournament series of multiplayer shooters. The original entry even gave ID Software's Quake II some very tough competition due to its almost generational leap in visual fidelity.

Aside from that, Unreal was marveled at for being solid from a gameplay perspective. With expansive environments to explore, different enemies to fight and unique weapons to find, it was a true evolution of the 90s retro FPS design with narrative-driven set pieces.

With the series leaving a lasting legacy upon developers and gamers alike, many fans have been wishing for a brand new modern remake. The good news is that someone is up for it.

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Nightdive Studios had approached Epic Games for permission to create a remake of Unreal

Nightdive CEO Stephen Kick recently tweeted that designer Cliff Bleszinski (aka CliffyB) tried talking to Epic Games about a potential revival.

While CliffyB is not a member of Nightdive, he is known for his work on several Epic Games-developed titles like Unreal, Jazz Jackrabbit and the Gears of War trilogy. So it would make sense for his affiliation with the company to make it easier for Nightdive to get the green light to bring the iconic FPS to a modern audience.

Unfortunately, it seems like nothing has come of it so far, or has it? CliffyB replied to the above tweet with just this:

This isn't a refusal, but it is not a confirmation either. If Epic Games turned down the idea, this response doesn't make sense. However, if they have figured something out, it wouldn't be surprising for CliffyB to keep things hushed.

Additionally, Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Epic Games, has not provided a response either.

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Could Nightdive Studios do justice to an updated version of the classic?

This is no small feat, considering the game lives in players' hearts to this day. It is, in short, a sacred franchise. However, considering Nightdive Studios' portfolio is about enhancing older gems, the answer is a resounding yes.

They were responsible for last year's exceptional remaster of the original Quake, the revolutionary FPS released in 1996. Their other works include DOOM 64's modern ports, Shadow Man Remastered and an updated version of System Shock 2 for modern operating systems.

Speaking of the latter, Nightdive fully owns the System Shock IP and is working on a remake of the original cult classic. It is the first game they're building from the ground up based on existing design, so it remains to be seen how that one turns out.

This does put a potential Unreal remake in untested waters. However, given their mantra is all about retaining the spirit of the experience and trimming the excess, they definitely seem to know what they are doing.