rely on the past
Video games are one of the most lucrative forms of modern media, generating billions of dollars each year. But 2024 saw record layoffs and studio closures after the industry boomed at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. As game makers consider the future of the industry, they're starting to look to the past and mine guaranteed gold that can be extracted and polished again: remakes.
Remakes, remasters, and reboots are all technically different, but they all fall under the same basic umbrella: nostalgia. If you were to think of a video game as a car, a remaster would be a new paint job, a remake would be a brand new engine, and a reboot would be a car with a completely new look and feel but with the same name. All three games have skyrocketed in popularity over the past few years, selling millions of copies and making billions of dollars.
7 million: copy of resident evil 4 remake It sold in less than a year.
~30: Older games are expected to be re-released in remastered or remade formats by the end of 2024.
Under 4 years: Until the release The Last of Us Part II and The Last of Us Part II remaster.
$184 billion: Estimated global video game revenue in 2023.
Over 8,800: Since the beginning of 2024, the video game industry has been experiencing layoffs.
11-20 years old: The best time to restart your game, according to industry experts.
Alyssa's Recommendations
Recommended remasters, remakes, and reboots
Remastered: Think of it like a new paint job on your old Chevrolet Camaro.
- Mass Effect Legendary Edition
- Halo Master Chief Collection
- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
Remake: Think of it as giving your Camaro a new engine and optimizing it.
- resident evil 4
- Final Fantasy 7 Remake/Reverse
- Dead Space
Reboot: Think of these as completely reimagined Camaros with the same name and spirit, but with a new feel.
listen!
What was your favorite game? Be prepared to spend money again.
Quartz Obsession podcast host Gabriela Riccardi and Kotaku senior editor Alyssa Mercante discuss why new is better than new (at least for pockets of the gaming industry) in Episode 5 of Season 7. Video Game Remake: Resurrection of the Fittest.
🎧 listen now apple podcast | spotify | pandora
👓 Or read transcript
fun facts
Square Enix is in the midst of a major reboot of the '90s game, taking over the original title (final fantasy 7) into three large open-world games. The first two (final fantasy 7 remake and final fantasy 7 reverse) has already been released, and an unnamed third game is yet to be released.
pop quiz
How many copies final fantasy 7 remake Did it sell in just 3 days?
A. 1.8 million
B. 2.7 million
C. 3.1 million
D. 3.5 million
Get the answer at the end of this email.
Biography
1972: The first video game console, the Magnavox Odyssey, ships.
1985: Super mario bros. , The first game in what is likely to be Nintendo's most famous series debuts.
1997: final fantasy 7 Released for the original PlayStation. The game would later be rebooted as part of an extensive trilogy.
2020: final fantasy 7 remake It will be released on PlayStation 4.
2024: final fantasy 7 reversethe second game in the trilogy will be released for PS5.
Fun fact!
resident evil 4 remake It was (somewhat controversially) nominated for Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2023.
Look at this!
compare the last of us part 1 rEmaster version and remake version
The Last of Us Part 1 ” was released in 2013, and a remastered version was released soon after. However, after that, the PS5 version, which was also considered as a remake, was released in 2022. This video compares the two.
vote
What sounds most appealing to you? Remake, reboot, or remaster?
- remake
- reboot
- remaster
- none! Please give me something new.
Pause what you're doing and Please complete our one question survey!
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I wrote today's email Alyssa Mercante (If you accidentally dress like that, fall out Today's character) Editing and production morgan hefner (I'm more of a spectator than a video game player).
The correct answer to the pop quiz is D. Developer Square Enix Reported after just 3 days final fantasy 7 remakeUpon its release, it was announced that the game had sold over 3.5 million copies.