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gamesindustry.biz: Video game remasters are a win-win for publishers
- Thread starter LordOfLore
- Start date
The Spoony Hou
Member
No, win-win is to have fucking BC on the consoles and use your resources to actually make good games that people want.
NintendosBooger
Member
How's paying money to play the same shit only prettier a "win-win" for us?
No, win-win is to have every game on PC with arbitrary res and semi-automatic BC
It's a win-win for those that never played the original, no longer have access to the original, or only played an inferior version. Example of the latter being that a lot of PAL PS2 games were originally 50hz. In some cases remasters add new features that fixes major flaws of the original, like DmC Definitive Edition, or otherwise extends its life time and by extension the life of the community, like DMC4 Special Edition.
Bloodporne
Member
Yeah yeah, now give us Demon's Souls.
SolidSnakex
Member
Having BC isn't going to stop people from wanting remasters. For example, if the PS4 were BC with the PS3, you'd still have people that wanted a 1080p/60fps version of Demon's Souls. And BC couldn't give them that. Only a remaster could.
The Spoony Hou
Member
No, win-win is to have every game on PC with arbitrary res and semi-automatic BC
Amen.
Can't argue for the resolution, but if the devs thought 60fps would benefit the game, the original would be in 60fps. And, again, making new games is a better use of resources.
Thank you Microsoft.
I want the receipts on how Remasters somehow prevent New games from coming into existence.
Ohhh I'd pay good money for Dead Space 1 and 2 Remasters. They can keep 3 tho
Dead Space trilogy is playable on the XBone already. I get the sense that remasters are a thing because there's a platform without bc.
SolidSnakex
Member
Maybe they would've, but a remaster is the only thing that could possibly allow them to do that now. BC wouldn't be able to do it. And why is there a constant assumption that remasters or taking away from new games? Most remasters are handled by specialist studios who primarily work and games like that. And the rare times that isn't he case there's usually a good reason behind the main studio handling it. Like Naughty Dog handled the TLoU remaster in part because it helped them get their engine up and running on the PS4. In the case of Vicarious Visions, they've really been a Skylanders factory for the past several years. This allowed them to break away into something new. And now they'll likely be given a chance to make brand new Crash games.
AyaisMUsikWhore
Member
I love them mostly because they are bundling trilogies together which for some of us who are unable to find all the games in that series (due to them being super expensive, not being able to purchase anymore or scalped to death) helps with playing them all at once. It also has the added benefit of looking as nice as the current games you are playing on your system that you spent that much money to buy, including the fact that it is technically better than the previous games by using the new resources in the new systems to fix limitations that were present in the original version.
All of that for me is why they are worth it. One cheap price for the price of 3 or four games is pretty much unbeatable. I'd rather most, if not all essential games from the previous gens be remastered to the highest detail so we can relive them or for some of us, finally get a chance to play them for the first time. Also letting those who have the original copies, now having a very valuable game on their hands that essentially becomes a collectible.
All of that for me is why they are worth it. One cheap price for the price of 3 or four games is pretty much unbeatable. I'd rather most, if not all essential games from the previous gens be remastered to the highest detail so we can relive them or for some of us, finally get a chance to play them for the first time. Also letting those who have the original copies, now having a very valuable game on their hands that essentially becomes a collectible.
Sho_Nuff82
Member
BC can give you that, if the software environment is built around a sliding scale of hardware like PC, or what MS is doing now with Xbox.
I don't need a remaster of games when the BC experience already cleans up the framerate, screen tearing, and adds AA/AF. (or increases the resolution)
MatPiscatella
Member
So hey, I'm around for questions if people have any, or want to call me a fake gamer or something.
Remasters, remakes and ports have a more reliable and predictable rate of return on new product development at a much lower risk.
This type of development helps lessen the risk associated with new game development, making new games more likely, not less.
They don't. Having worked on greenlight forecasting and slate planning for 10+ years in publishing before I took this gig I know from actual experience.
Why not all of the above? It's not a zero sum situation. BC, Remasters, New Games, these require different specialties, different funding levels, all with varying levels of potential return. All can coexist.
Trying not to cut myself on the edginess of this post.
Indeed.
Heh.
Remasters, remakes and ports have a more reliable and predictable rate of return on new product development at a much lower risk.
This type of development helps lessen the risk associated with new game development, making new games more likely, not less.
They don't. Having worked on greenlight forecasting and slate planning for 10+ years in publishing before I took this gig I know from actual experience.
Why not all of the above? It's not a zero sum situation. BC, Remasters, New Games, these require different specialties, different funding levels, all with varying levels of potential return. All can coexist.
Trying not to cut myself on the edginess of this post.
Indeed.
Heh.
TGO
Hype Train conductor. Works harder than it steams.
There are ports with resolution differences are they not?
Thank you Nintendo!
Steve McQueen
Member
Remake, remaster, port.. I still end up playing the same games, which is fun sometimes, but in the end it feels like Xbox One BC, I thought I wanted it, but I hardy play it.
It's a remaster in everything but what they put on the box. As I said, there's nothing MK8D does that's different to, say, the God of War 3, Phantom Dust and The Last of Us remasters; the only real difference is that it wasn't advertised as such. That's why I'm so adamant that MK8D be called a remaster, because drawing lines arbitrarily on what the publisher decides to put on the box only makes the term meaningless.
A remaster isn't some special thing, it's just a version of the game released on a later generation of console/s with, at minimum, a resolution boost or minor graphical enhancements. I don't know why people get in such a twist when I call MK8D a remaster instead of a port.
levyjl1988
Banned
All I want to be remastered is The Mass Effect Trilogy and Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic. How come this isn't a thing yet? Yet the demand is there.
HA fucking knew it. I'm sick of hearing otherwise. Of course, idiots will still choose that hill to die on.
The original game came with 48 courses (including the later DLC that came out). So 8 more courses is approximately a 16.6% increase. So actually very close to 15%.
Nerdkiller
Membeur
Well, anything to get an older title's framerate up (yes, I'm describing WipEout 2048 here).
EYYYYYY! Right on!
Well, remasters are what give publishers the money and time to make new games. They pad out the schedule and are cheaper to make thana brand new game so with the profit from that they can fund new games.
MatPiscatella
Member
Yep. Also helps keep the lights on between major game releases.
As part of normal slate optimization, sure. Why is that a negative?
UnemployedVillain
Member
But they do have effects on lineups and release schedules of all games, original titles included
Mass Effect
Member
EA has literally never done a remaster.
So, unfortunately, never. Wish they would though. I'll take that ME Trilogy Remaster, SSX HD Collection, and Burnout Collection please. (Dead Space is good enough already on PC).
Wish people would stop with this faulty assumption. Getting remasters in lieu of original games is a problem that doesn't exist.
sixteen-bit
Member
You sound confident. What if the platform holders don't have BC to please pubs who want to continue profiting off remasters?
MatPiscatella
Member
Please tell me more.
What's your point?
Is it not an old game that has been released for a new modern audience?
One that is cheaper to make?
inpHilltr8r
Member
AAA gaming is doomed because of excessive growth in scope. It's been doomed like this for a good decade or two as well, so I'm surprised you're not clued in on that one.
/s
MatPiscatella
Member
Oh. We're back on the 'gaming is doomed' train again? It has been a few months since we've heard that one creep up. It's comforting in a way, like a warm blanket and a hot cup of cocoa.
Just want to add keep studios from closing by giving them work.
The costs for keeping AAA AAA are going up, it's not about scope, it's about the need for more detail as processing power increases which requires more manhours which requires more money. The sales (and prices) are not going up at the same rate.
It's been getting worse, the remasters probably help a little, but there is a finite number of games to remaster.
Mikey Jr.
Member
Take your sound logic, and GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE!
100% agree with you.
Remasters are why I have gotten into games I missed and are excited for the sequels.
MatPiscatella
Member
You're right. When including DLC/MTX spending, in many cases revs are increasing at a faster rate.
Bigger challenge is that the winners will be bigger winners, and losers will be bigger losers. Risk will continue to grow, but so will potential upsides. Also, the barriers to entry of these markets will increase.
The result will be fewer games over time fighting for this space, but with each "winning" game getting bigger and delivering more return.
GifGafIsTheBestGaf
Member
thanks for the insight Mat, it's always the same. people said the same thing for the PS360 gen, the current gen and you bet we will have the same outcry for PS5/XBOX2.
a rising tide lifts all boats, is my belief that it applies to this little segment of the industry as well since most remasters/remakes are outsourced creating and/or keeping businesses afloat. if anything it should be a win-win for everyone not just for the publishers