Updated Titles for PC and Consoles
Updated Titles for PC and Consoles
Several remastered titles have launched, including Black Ops on Xbox One, Dead Island, and COD: 4 on the horizon. My concern is whether these releases are mainly about increasing revenue or simply adding a modest price bump after significant effort has gone into improving the original game for modern platforms. This perspective feels more relevant on PC, where older games are readily available without needing remastering, allowing developers to set a new price without altering the original experience. Personally, I appreciate remastered versions, but I understand they can sometimes feel like a quick profit move.
Usually a remaster has to be created from scratch, which means it can feel like a quick profit move. Still, it’s not entirely stealing because they’re rebuilding the game in a different engine. Although it’s a COD, the core engine has been around since around 2008, so this is more about taking advantage than a full takeover.
personally i think remastering old titles is always a good thing. though it's kinda hard to judge just how much work the devs put into improving a title they've already released. honestly remasters should only be done if there's demand for it, or if there's new tech available that can really enhance the game. i can think of a handful of titles that can benefit from a remaster
Comparing the remastered Tony Hawk cash grab to the Age of Empires poster child highlights distinct differences.
Remastering offers advantages from a development perspective as it lets creators become familiar with new hardware or engines they’ve previously worked with. This experience helps them concentrate on deeper system understanding and leverages their existing knowledge of how the software functions, making troubleshooting more efficient. Some remasters aren’t even compatible with today’s systems—such as the newly launched Odin's Sphere. Additionally, the Resident Evil re-releases might qualify as remasters because they were originally designed for the GameCube. In reality, many early current-gen remasters felt more like profit-driven projects.
A complete rebuild is necessary from scratch. A remaster demands enhancement of the original. Regarding the subject, it's a cash grab yet it also needs genuine effort—only if it's a true remaster.
They're clearly trying to cash in. Companies aim to earn profits by selling games. People only buy remasters when they sell well beforehand. The cycle continues with new releases driving remastered versions out again. It looks like a smart move from my perspective. I’d love to try the CoD4 remaster… definitely more so the 3rd version.