Remake vs Innovate: Is the past the future of gaming?

Is the past the future of gaming?

PRESS STARTLEVEL ONE

From Hollywood to culture to gaming, nostalgia is taking over3

Remakes & Remasters are an ever-increasing and important part of the
gaming industry’s release schedule
4
Source: *Kotaku ** Gamespot
Remakes or Remastered
titles released since 2012.* Remakes or Remastered
titles scheduled for
released in 2025 alone.**
A drop in the ocean
compared to the
thousands of games
released annually on
console or PC, but their
commercial success is all
but guaranteed.
200
~30

Remakes and Remasters are far out-selling their original release 5*https://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/news/html/e250425.html**https://www.gamesindustry.biz/the-elder-scrolls-4-oblivion-remastered-tops-april-sales-becoming-2025s-third-biggest-selling-game-us-monthly-chartsResident Evil 4 Remake (2023)sold about4 million copies within two weeksof release and within 2 years became the fastest selling title in the series.*Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy (2017) rebooted a dormant franchise, with sales far surpassing the original games. The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered (2025). Topped Circana’s US games chart and outsold original game.**Sold +10m units within 2 years of releaseSold 20m units worldwide by 2024Sold more units in 1 month than the original did in 15 months

From the developer and publisher
side, the benefits of Remakes &
Remasters are clear
proS
§ Remakes & Remasters offer financial
stability and reduced risk by leveraging
established IP with a proven/known
fan base.
§ In some cases, studios can expect
stronger sales compared to launching new
IP, which carries higher financial risk and
uncertainty.
CONS
§Games are more expensive tha n
ever to make, and the releas e
cycle can take years.
§ New IP, especially, comes with
huge risks. Hundreds of millions of
dollars are at stake.
6

Beyond pure commercials, Remakes & Remasters offer a combination of creative and strategic advantages7Nostalgia and cross-generational appealAttract older gamers who played the original, while introducing classics to younger audiences.Franchise revitalisation and expanded universeSuccessful Remakes & Remasters canrevitalise dormant franchises, sometimes leading to new sequels, spin-offs, or expanded universes—keeping IP relevant.Technological upgrades and accessibilityAllow studios to bring classics to modern platforms, improving graphics, performance and controls, whilst also modernising mechanics andgameplay or fixing flaws in the original.Cultural and industry preservationHelp preserve gaming history and make classics relevant for both legacy and new players, as technologies change.

Other entertainment media, including Hollywood, is also
relying on nostalgia to keep audiences locked in
Hollywood has been nostalgia-obsessed for years, but 2025 is only
accelerating the trend. The industry is turning to tried and tested IP
across genres to aim to recapture a golden age of film.
§ TV and movies experience the same financial pressures as gaming —
the need for commercial success is intense.
§ Pixar original, Elio, gave the studio its worst ever box office opening
despite positive reviews, whereas the Lilo & Stitch remake was th
e
first billion -dollar box office earner of 2025, and Happy Gilmore 2
broke Netflix records.
§ TV and movie fans share the same nostalgic desires as gamers.
§ Remakes or sequels to childhood classics allow grown -ups to
rediscover their youthful favourites, while new audiences get to
discover beloved franchises that they weren’t old enough to
experience the first time around.
8
Same pressures, different media
Discovery and re- discovery
8

Game over for the ’30-year rule’: culture cycles moving faster than ever beforeSocial media allows instant re-discovery of cultural trends and content from the past. Trends and eras are becoming rapidly retro due to the rate of content creation. Divisive politics, war, cost of living crises and a pandemic has led people to crave for simpler times…even yearning for early COVID lockdowns.9Rapid retroSimpler times

Developers and publishers love Remakes & Remasters. But what do gamersthink? Nostalgiais king

MTM ran research to find out. Here’s our survey methodology
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•1,500 online interviews
• Monthly console/PC gamers
• US & UK (750 in each) •
16 x 30 -minutes follow- up AI
assisted qualitative interviews
• US & UK (8 in each market)
For the purposes of the survey,
MTM used the following
definitions:
Remakes: Reimagining of an original game, built from scratch
with updated graphics, gameplay mechanics and sometimes
story elements.
Remasters: An enhanced version of the original game
improving visuals, sound, and performance without altering
the core gameplay.
Quantitative
survey* Player
interviews Definitions
MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.
*In partnership with our fieldwork supplier, Rigour Research

GAME ONLEVEL TWO

Almost all gamers have played a Remake or a Remaster and most find them appealing 13MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.Base: All gamers (n=1,500). C1. Which of the below best describes your experience with relaunched games? C3. How appealing do you find relaunched games?Of gamers have played a Remake or a RemasterFind them appealing1%3%3%17%45%22%9%Extr emelyappealingVery appealingAppealingNeithe rappealing norun app ealingUnappealingVeryun app ealingExtr emelyun app ealing90%76%Strength of appeal of Remakes & Remasters

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“Sometimes it feels like a safe
choice for studios instead of
making something new,
which I guess can get
repetitive. ”
“
Me personally, I wouldn’t go
out of my way to buy the
relaunch because it feels too
similar to the original, and if
you’re gonna spend money on
a game, I’d rather just spend it
on a new game that I haven’t
played yet.”
“
I think relaunched games
can be pretty appealing .
Games like the Resident
Evil 2 Remake took that
thrilling experience from
the original and made it
feel fresh while keeping
the story intact. But on the
flip side, I do worry that it
sometimes comes at the
cost of creativity . It also
makes me wonder if we’re
missing out on new
stories and experiences
that could redefine
gaming.” “
Yeah, I don’t mind relaunched
games, but they don’t have a
ton of appeal to me .”
§ Do retro games simply do a job
rather than fully excite gamers?
§ Does the lack of creativity impact
appeal?
§ Will gamers get bored and crave
new experiences?
Developer
beware!
MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.
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Despite some reservations, overall, gamers see Remakes & Remasters as increasing their engagement in gaming15Attitudes towards Remakes & Remasters MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.Base: All gamers (n=1,500). C11. Which of these statements do you agree with most about game relaunches?“Whilst it can come across as lazy, on the whole I’m positive towards them. They offer a different experience than new games and I use them for moments when I want familiarity in my gaming life.”Game relaunches make me more engaged in gamingI agree with both equally53%36%Game relaunches make me less engaged in gaming11%15

BEHIND THE CONTROLLERLEVEL THREE

17Connection to the pastSharing the loveDiscovering classicsThe Three Golden Ages of Nostalgia MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.

Connection to the past: Nostalgia is core, promoting an emotional connection to, or comfort in, the past18“Nostalgia for me in the context of Remakes & Remasters is really about that emotional connection to the past.”“Nostalgia means reconnecting with the feelings that I had when I first played the game.”“Just thinking about the classics I grew up with brings back all those memories, and it feels comforting to revisit those worlds.”MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.Base: All gamers (n=1,500). C8. How much do you agree or disagree with the statements below about game relaunches?Agree that “Remakes & Remasters are comforting and nostalgic”Agree that “I like to use Remakes & Remasters to re-play and enjoy my old favourite games”80%78%

Sharing the love: Avaluable way to introduce beloved games to a new generation of gamers19“It’s great to share experiences from my childhood with my children. I get to play a classic game that is now modern, they get to play it from the first time, and then we all get to experience it together—that is cool.”MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.Base: All gamers (n=1,500). C8. How much do you agree or disagree with the statements below about game relaunches?Agree that “Remakes & Remasters are a good way for me to share old favourites with others who have not played them”71%

20Discovering classics: Gamers discover classic titles for the first time 20MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.Base: All gamers (n=1,500). C8. How much do you agree or disagree with the statements below about game relaunches?C2. Thinking about all the relaunched games you have played, which best describes you?“I was too young to play some of the early Resident Evil games. Now they have been remade I can play them and experience it for the first time.”“I think it’s a nice way for newer players to experience the classics that they might have missed because they weren’t born yet or maybe they weren’t into games at whatever age.”Agree that “I like to use Remakes & Remasters to discover old games for the first time”Have played a Remake or Remaster game when they didn’t play the original67%85%

Powered byMinimum specsLEVEL FOUR

Improvements in tech—visuals, controls, mechanics—are central to enjoyment of Remakes & Remasters 22“With advancements in technology, it’s really cool to see how developers can leverage modern graphics and gameplay capabilities to enhance those experiences.”#1MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.Base: All gamers (n=1,500). C9. Which of the following statements best reflects your opinion on game relaunches?“It’s really nice to see classic titles get updated with modern graphics and gameplay mechanics. Games like the Resident Evil 2 Remake really took that thrilling experience from the original and made it feel fresh while keeping the story intact, which I totally appreciate.”Ranked number one by 30% pointsThey are a great way to experience classic games in a modern way

23MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.“What I like most is that when a Remake or Remaster adds modern controls or visuals, so it makes the game feel fresh in terms of design, but it doesn’t lose what made it feel great in the past.”“Better graphics are the most important thing. If the story was already in depth, but they’ve updated graphics and controls and how the game flows—this is the best thing for relaunching games.”“The most important part would be utilising the technology we have and the controllers we have now making it easier to control. Those Resident Evil original games had tank controls. So I imagine a lot of gamers of a younger age would probably struggle with that sort of thing. But the new ones have controls that a lot of people are used to in other modern games.”Gamers expectMajor graphical overhauls, updated controls and improvements to mechanics“What I like most is that when a Remake or Remaster adds modern controls or visuals, so it makes the game feel fresh in terms of design, but it doesn’t lose what made it feel great in the past.”

But there is a tension between changes to narrative or gameplay, versus staying completely true to the original24MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.Base: All gamers (n=1,500). C11. Which of these statements do you agree with most about game relaunches?R& R are better w hen th eychange narrative o r gameplay elementsAgree with both equallyR& R are worse wh en th eychange narrative o r gameplay elements35%35%30%Attitudes towards changes to narrative or gameplay elements in Remakes & Remasters

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MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.
§ New levels, stories or
characters
§ Breathe fresh life into old IP
§ More than a simple rehash §Best of both worlds
§ New content for devotees
§ Faithful to the original for
first timers §No new stories
§ No new characters
§ No compromises
“ If they add new content, it feels
like a real improvement; just
updating graphics often feels lazy.” “T
he best Remakes & Remasters
balance retaining the original
spirit with relevant improvements
and creative additions .”“W
hat I like most is that when the
game keeps the heart of the
original, but it adds modern
controls/visuals. So it makes the
game feel fresh in terms of design,
but it doesn’t lose what made it
great in the past .”
New content Balance
True to the
original
The spectrum of change
Where do you stand?

POWER-UPLEVEL FIVE

27MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.Base: All gamers (n=1,500). C6. Now think about your perfect game relaunch experience. Which of these do you want to see most in a video game relaunch?What should developers and studios do?Factors that make a perfect Remake or RemasterImprove graphics and visualsMake general improvements i.e. better accessibility optionsBe faithful to the original gameImprove controls/ gameplayEnsure no glitches/ bugs or fix glitches/bugs

Gameplay guidelines:28MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.Power-up 1 Glow up the graphics and visualsBetter graphics are the most important thing.Better graphics and visuals is the absolute minimum.28Higher resolutionMore detailed texturesSmoother/improved animationsBetter VFXImproved lightingConsistency across improvements

29Gameplay guidelines:Use modern tech to improve accessibility and fix bugs and poor controls from the originalPower-up 2 Modern games have so many options to personalise your play or adapt it based on your needs—this is essential in a Remake or Remaster.29MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.Improve accessibilityVisual adjustments, customisable subtitles, audio options, cognitive assistance are often overlooked in Remakes & Remasters Allow for personalisation/customisationUse features such as remappable controls to promote inclusivity and allow for personal preferencesFix bugsUse modern tech to remove persistent bugs or glitchesFix poor controlsRedesign or streamline unintuitive controls for modern player expectations

30Modernise gameplay mechanics thatenhance the original Power-up 3Gameplay guidelines:It’s amazing to see it with updated controls, because going back to those old mechanics can feel a bit clunky.Take an old game where mechanics haven’t aged the best, then just give a more modern polish or introduce new mechanics from later games in the series.30MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.Upgrade camera systemsFix frustrating fixed or awkward camera anglesEnhanceNPC intelligenceSo allies, enemies, and neutrals behave more realistically/dynamicallyStreamline progression/save systemsModernise levelling or progression mechanics to reduce grind/repetitionAdjust challenge curvesEnsure gameplay is accessible to new players and those with experience

31Core story: “Keeping the storyline the same because usually that’s the most nostalgic part of it.”Characters: “Don’t change which character did what or which character dies.”Core mechanics: “You need to stay faithful to the original gameplay In terms of its core mechanics.”Artistic style and original soundtracks: “Keeping the original art style and original soundtracks, as they are core to memories.”Gameplay guidelines:Stay true to the essence of the originalPower-up 4 It’s all about finding that sweet spot where improvements are made, but the heart of the game remains intact.I want it to be faithful to the original—not changing the full theme and concept of the game, but just making a few changes to run with the trends.Keep the combat system the same, keep the story the same. The preservationist in me wants the game to be identical to an extent of the original, but updating the visuals.31MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.

32Authenticity is kingNew content must feel authentic and not undermine nostalgiaExpansion, not replacementNew content should feel like “bonus material”Stay true to toneAdditions should match the style, humour, and atmosphere of the originalDon’t contradict the storyNo retcons or fundamental changes to beloved characters/narrativeIntroduce new content as long as it doesn’t overwrite the original story or charactersPower-up 5 Gameplay guidelines:Keep faithful in terms of story and structure, but make like side quests or new missions, which don’t impact core gameplay.One thing I really like is when they expand on the original source material or give us more backstory. For example, in the Resident Evil 2 Remake, they added new areas and, like, fleshed out character arcs that really made the game feel more complete, which was awesome.32MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.

33Balance your content strategy between new IP and Remakes & RemastersPower-up 6 While I totally enjoy relaunched games, there should be a balance between giving old favorites a new life and creating original content. If all the focus is on Remakes & Remasters, it can stifle innovation and we might miss out on some amazing, unique experiences.While it’s awesome to see these classics return, I hope it doesn’t overshadow the need for new and fresh ideas in gaming.Ultimately, I just hope the industry keeps pushing forward with both relaunches and original concepts so gamers can have the best of both worlds.33MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.Original IP is essential for industry growth and creative innovation, introducing new narratives, mechanics, and player experiences that keep gaming at the forefront of entertainmentWhile nostalgia sells, gamers increasingly seek originality and innovation as well. Industry success hinges on listening to gamers and balancing familiar franchises with bold new titlesRemakes & Remasters can elevate the industry standard, bringing experiences to old and new gamers alike, whilst simultaneously funding new projects that push boundaries

34MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025.Base: all gamers (n=1,500). C12. What price range do you think is fair for a game relaunch compared to a new game? 26%48%20%6%Same priceSlightly cheaperSignificantly cheaperFre e or included in subscriptionI’m just not willing to pay that amount of money to buy a game that I’ve basically already played before.Pricing expectations for Remakes & RemastersCarefully consider your pricing strategy—Remakes & Remasters command lower pricesPower-up 7

I don’t like when Remakes & Remasters are released very soon after the original game. If the original game still looks good then the remake doesn’t look that much different to me, so I feel like it is a bit pointless.35MTM Remakes & Remasters 2025. Base: all gamers (n=1,500).C5. How long after a game is originally released is the perfect time for a game to be relaunched?4%14%32%28%11%11%Les s than 2 y ears3-4 years5-6 years7-8 years9-10 yearsMore than 10 yearsIdeal timing between the original and relaunchSpace out the original and relaunch—re-releasing too soon will turn off your core basePower-up 8

36Level up your game development strategy with our recommended power-ups:One more turn…Improve graphics to modern standardsPromote accessibility and fix poor controls/bugsUse modern mechanics to enhance gameplay experiencesStay true to the game’s rootsIntroduce new content, but not to the detriment of the original story/charactersBalance content strategy between new IP and Remakes & RemastersConsider lower pricing than new IPKnow the time to Remake and Remaster

The final bossNostalgia is a powerful driver; those reliving their past, sharing their experiencesor those completely new to the gameBut approach with caution: gamers are concerned about the stifling of creativity and may tire of the ‘safe choice’Ultimately, they want the best of both worlds: the authentic remakeAND the inspired remakeThink carefully about how, when and why you remake, to climb to the top of the leaderboard37Remakes & Remasters can take your game development strategy to the next level, but nuance is key:

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About MTM
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