Cost Effectiveness

Remastered titles are a cost-effective way to get hours of playable game time. They are usually sold at a cheaper rate than new releases, or more frequently sold in bundles at the industry standard $60. It’s smart money for developers as well. The price and time to develop new games continues to climb--Grand Theft Auto V notably cost a staggering $265 million to make. Developers can quickly upgrade old games, sell them for a quick profit and reinvest in new games. A successful remastered classic could be what funds the next new hit.

Bridging Generations

Remastered games not only rekindle lost passion for gamers who remember the original, it allows for a whole new generation to enjoy them, and on consoles they’re familiar with. Games like Crash Bandicoot had a profound impact on gaming culture some 20 years ago, and now they can reach a whole new audience by bringing their specs up to speed. What’s more, developers are starting to remaster games, like Halo and the Legend of Zelda, with a feature that allows gamers to toggle between old and new graphic displays.

Popular for a Reason

Gamers are voting with their wallets that they will buy old games updated for new consoles. That’s why there is no end in sight for which pixelated games of yester-year will next appear in full 1080p. The top selling video games released in 2016 features a Hall of Fame-type list including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Ratchet and Clank. And the enthusiasm isn’t all about the memories. A frequent complaint of new video game releases is dwindling story modes Older titles, where more effort was put in to crafting an engaging solo campaign, can still provide gamers this need.

Overkill

The popularity of some remastered titles has led to an overabundance, where every game that once enjoyed success is being repackaged for new consoles. Repeatedly releasing updated games erodes the charm of the original creations. Does every game need an update every few years? Did the 2013 edition of Tomb Raider really needed a reappearance for next generation consoles in 2014.

Easy Way Out

Instead of investing the money, time and manpower on a remaster strategy, developers should focus on finishing long awaited new releases or fixing issues with current popular games. There is plenty of sequel opportunities for legacy titles like the Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts series, or even the recently upgraded Minecraft, that developers opting to remaster old games instead are taking the easy way out.

Digging Up the Past

For some remastered games, anticipation for its release rivals titles that are making their debut. Some gamers are wondering if the abundance of old classics will take attention away from games that one day in the future could be considered this era’s legacy titles. Some consider it unfair that the hottest new releases of last year have to compete for attention with remastered games like Halo and Zelda, which have years of building a brand awareness.