Meta: Many games are now being remastered and re-released for players to enjoy again. Why are we seeing this happen more often? Find out here.
In the world of gaming, there are some titles that just stand the test of time. Every few years, we see a plethora of remasters emerge on the market as the studios behind these games try to make updates to please old fans and a potential new audience alike. Why are these remakes becoming so common? Let’s take a look.
The Nostalgia Factor
If you have been a gamer for any length of time, there will no doubt be some game title that pops into your head that you used to play back in the day. Though it might have been quite some time since you last looked at it, the temptation to explore that world you once fell in love with will often prove to be too much for some players to resist.
The original games might be long gone from online stores, and if the game is old enough to have been on disk, it might be difficult to pick up a copy even from a site like eBay. Those who want to explore their favourite games once more might be disappointed but a remake gives them the chance to find that beloved game again.
Not every game warrants a remaster. Though they are becoming very popular, we still only see big names that are either part of massive franchises or have gained a cult following since their release. The studios who decide to release these remasters are banking on nostalgia to bring back old fans just as much as they want to appeal to a new audience of potential players.
A Much-Needed Update
The world of gaming has advanced rapidly, particularly in the realms of graphics and music. We all have a game that we can remember as looking utterly incredible and completely realistic. However, when we do decide to revisit it, it can look incredibly dated compared to modern releases.
It doesn’t matter what style of game you might be looking at here. When looking up popular slot machine tips to win your games, you may find that there has been a remaster of your favourite slot right alongside your favourite first-person shooter or puzzle game. Game design has improved across all sectors of the industry, and there are multiple game developers who are putting out high-end games that look and sound unbelievable.
Even if the old game is one of your favourites, comparing it to one of these sleek new games can be a little underwhelming. A remaster allows a game studio to give their treasured titles the makeovers that they deserve. They can choose graphics and music that might have been created using limited resources and capabilities and elevate them to the standard expected by the wider industry. All of this can be done without touching the core capabilities of the game. The mechanics might be exactly the same as when the game was first released – all the developers have done is give it a nice coat of paint.
Paving the Way for Remakes
Of course, there are some developers who are choosing to take things one step further and make more improvements to their games. There are many titles out there that are considered classics and have loyal fanbases, but there are still those within those groups of fans who will admit that parts of the games feel clunky and have aged badly.
Just as graphics and other aspects of game design have advanced, so have the engines used to construct and power games. Rather than choose to just remaster the game, some developers are taking things right back to the building blocks. They don’t want to change the fundamental mechanics of the game, but they do choose to make some smart updates that could help to make it run a little smoother.
This can be good if the company wants to attract new interest in the game. Players who are used to more modern titles might become frustrated if using an old game’s clunky controls. A remake can be the perfect solution. It is still the original game at its heart, perfect for those returning fans, but it has updated mechanics and processes that help it stand up as a great introduction to those discovering it for the first time.
A Chance to Fall in Love Again
A remastered game is the perfect way for an old fan of a franchise to fall in love again with a game they once enjoyed. With the larger developers releasing remasters, we might soon see it becoming more common amongst smaller companies too. Who knows, a company might even buy the rights to a popular franchise from a company that has ceased trading – creating a remaster and releasing it to the delight of fans and critics alike. This is a brilliant way to bring some of our most-loved games up to modern standards. If there is a remaster of a game you once loved, you should definitely check it out.
