Remakes and remasters seem to be everywhere, and they have undoubtedly made their mark on the gaming market in recent years. Like all games, different remakes spark varying critical and player response. Most recently,the newMediEvil remakereceived middling reviewsbecause the game was almost too close to the original, bar the visuals. In these instances, some may insist that backward compatibility would be preferred so that the original can be appreciated as a product of its time, while others enjoy reinvesting and seeing new changes. Interestingly, the next generation consolesPS5andXbox Project Scarlettare also divided on remakes and backwards compatibility.
There is plenty of conjecture about games which will be remade for the next generation of consoles, likeTony Hawk’s Pro Skater. It seems that there are already remakes aligned with the release of the PS5 and this follows the PS4’s current strategy of using remakes as flagship titles. Sony is capitalizing on a market where fans are keen to experience nostalgia with updated visuals.
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There areweekly demands from fans and writers for classic games to be remade. The issue with these requests is that they don’t necessarily translate to sales figures, not even if the original games are made available via backwards compatibility. At least, this has been the argument presented by Sony as the company has decided to not invest in its large back catalog, and instead, the company is carefully selecting titles to remake. Conversely, Microsoft is going in the opposite direction allowing players to buy old games, via the console’s backwards compatibility, rather than wait for a remake. Players may be faced with a choice of buying remakes or having access to a back catalog of games when the next generation of consoles are released.
Sony has already revealed its stance on backwards compatibility, and it seems that, like Nintendo, the company will focus on originals and remakes. This perhaps makes sense as PS Now hasn’t been received well, although its lack of content will make some question the conviction behind the service. Furthermore, PlayStation’s venture into retro gaming with the “Classic” flopped. This was not only because of a lack of interest in the games, but there was also a disappointing amount of modernization in the consoles infrastructure. Sony has made an impressive profit fromMediEvilandCrash Bandicootremakes and this seems to have confirmed the future investment of the company.
On the other hand, Microsoft is focusing on backwards compatibility. Phil Spencer, the Executive Vice President of Gaming at Microsoft, has claimed that the company is investing inbackwards compatibility to preserve an “art form”, and it’s hard to argue with that stance when part of what made classic games memorable is how they pushed the given technological boundaries. With this in mind, it looks like Microsoft will continue to build its back catalog in the future, and it has already gathered titles that used to be solely associated with Sony.
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The companies Microsoft and Sony are at odds when it comes to backwards compatibility. Sony has some beloved titles, and fans frequently ask for games likeMetal Gear Solidto be remade. Yet the Xbox One is the only contemporary console that allows fans to playMGS2andMGS3. Sony’s focus on remakes leaves room for games to be purchased by other companies who will then sell the beloved titles. For those who do not want a polished version of an original game, Xbox is providing a lot and testing Sony’s comments about backwards compatibility and its financial futility.
Digital Stores haven’t improved backward compatibility for Sony, and the future of the company’s consoles appear to be in remakes. This means players will have to repurchase games at full price, wait for studios to remake titles, and of course, want the inevitable graphics update. Microsoft look determined to pursue a large back catalog, which still requires a transaction, and won’t have any enhancements. It will be interesting to see how much old games attract players when they decide which console to purchase. There are of course other factors such as exclusives, console power, and cost which will help players decide on a console.
Remakes will be a huge part of the PS5’s marketing strategy as it has been for the PS4. In fact, rumors aboutDemon’s Soulsbeing remastered for the PS5have already surfaced. Whether remakes can sway the market towards the PS5 or a wide back catalog provided by Xbox Project Scarlett will tempt players, will be interesting to see. Both parties are investing in nostalgia, and both companies will hope that this approach can sell units of future consoles. The PS5 looks to provide plenty more remakes, while Project Scarlett will give players an expansive library and the occasional remake. The impact of these decisions will come to a head when the next generation of consoles are released next year.
PS5andXbox Project Scarlettrelease Fall 2020.
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