The video game industry needs more meaningful remakes

In recent years, the video game industry has produced a lot of remakes. The focus has shifted more toward offering these releases than new games, which leads to developers using their resources to remake older games. While such launches give the new generation a chance to experience classics in a modern style, they also lower the scope of developers working on something new.

Remakes are also seen as an escape route for developers, as by selling a new version of an old classic with improvements, fans of the original are most likely to buy it, which is why they sell like hotcakes. The 9th generation has suffered because of a lack of games, as most titles released these days are remakes of older titles such as Resident Evil and Final Fantasy.

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Do we need remakes of older video games?

The game was already remastered once for the PlayStation 4 (Image via Naughty Dog)

With time, it becomes harder to gain access to original versions of games, which can result in players never getting the opportunity to play them. This reason alone suggests we need remakes. Additionally, the outdated control schemes and graphics seen in older titles also encourage developers to remake them. This way, newer generations can experience old games in a modern way.

However, not every title needs a remake. Let's take a look at The Last of Us Part 1 to see what kind of games don't need it.

Is The Last of Us Part 1 (Remake) worth it if I have the remaster? byu/Due-Direction4394 inthelastofus

The original 2013 game for the PlayStation 3 was remastered for the PlayStation 4 in 2014 and could even run on the PlayStation 5 through backward compatibility. The title was only nine years old when its remake came out in 2022. This version supported 60 FPS and 4K resolution on the PS5.

However, the 2014 version ran just fine on the PS4 and PS5. Even with a perfectly decent remaster of The Last of Us, Naughty Dog still went ahead with the remake, even though the game didn't need it, as the original graphics and controls still hold up to this day.

The remake boosts the game's graphics to match The Last of Us Part 2, which looks gorgeous, but the resources could have gone to a game that deserves a remake, Uncharted Drake's Fortune.

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What makes a video game worthy of a remake?

The original Assassin's Creed deserves a remake (Image via Ubisoft)

A remake is made to cater to newer audiences who have never experienced the original game. Players nowadays have standards for what their games should look and play like, which is something the classics cannot meet. This is why developers choose to remake their best video games so that the updated versions meet the new generation's standards.

However, not every video game deserves a remake. The original should have made an impact for it to be worthy of getting one. Video games like Assassin's Creed (2007) and God of War (2005) were immensely popular and influential, which is why both have turned into franchises. This makes these two titles worthy of being remade.

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A game may also warrant a remake when its original version is no longer accessible to today's audience because of outdated control schemes, the unavailability of the device the title was available on, etc.

Such reasons can become the backbone of a remake, being developed to match today's quality of games with an updated control scheme, realistic graphics, a mature storyline, and motion-captured performances.