PlayStation’s constant re-releases and remakes are a slap in the face

Remakes and remasters are nothing new to the video game industry. They have existed in some form almost since the beginning, with plenty of NES games getting remakes on SNES. Those remakes were distinctly different than remasters, despite the two terms feeling almost interchangeable in online discourse. That isn’t the fault of players alone, but publishers who have muddied the definitions. Remakes are meant to be completely transformative and rebuilt versions of a game, while remasters keep the same core but justify themselves in other ways. PlayStation is at least honest about what is a remake and what is a remaster but it is completely abusing its brand to sell us remasters for games that have no business being remastered in the first place.

Remasters have a specific place in the industry. It is one of those things where, as players and consumers, we can tell at a glance whether or not it is a justifiable move or a cash grab. Lately, PlayStation has been falling on the wrong side of that fence with its remakes and it is becoming disrespectful to its most hardcore fans. The announcement of a Horizon Zero Dawn remaster isn’t an isolated incident, and almost certainly won’t be the last. It’s time we voted with our wallets to show PlayStation what is and isn’t worthy of a remaster.

What you are paying for with remasters

It has to be worth your cash

When it comes down to it, remasters need to prove to the consumer that it is worth its cost. What is it giving you above and beyond the original release? There could be a lot of answers, such as new content, improved visuals, better framerate, or bringing the game onto a platform it wasn’t available on before. Typically, you’d want as many of those as possible, but it is up to each individual person on what is important enough to put your money on the line.

To use Horizon as an example, we have a game from 2017 that is bundling it its DLC (which was already available) and ran on PS5 with great graphics and at 60 FPS. What does the remaster offer above that? Upgraded visuals, though I can hardly tell the difference, 3D audio support, haptic feedback integration, and 10 hours of rerecorded conversations. Not exactly something I would pay even the $10 upgrade fee for, let alone the full price for a new copy.

The Last of Us Part 2: Remastered came out in January and had only marginally more to offer. Again, the base PS4 game looked and ran amazing on PS5 already, so what else could be added? Some director’s commentary on unfinished levels and a survival mode that was antithetical to the game’s message of ending the cycle of violence.

So why is PlayStation doing this? There are a few reasons, but it is mainly about synergy and appearance. With The Last of Us, and Horizon eventually since there was a bit of a snafu at Netflix, PlayStation is targeting new audiences that watch these shows and movies to convert into their ecosystem through the games. When those people decide to look into the games, PlayStation wants a premium, full-priced product on the current system to sell them. They’re not for us, they’re for people coming in fresh who won’t know or care that nothing of value was added. You can bet that a God of War (2018, not the original) remaster will be cooked up if that Amazon movie ever comes to light.

The purpose of a good remaster

We’re remastering the wrong games

Many people consider time a major factor in remasters, but it is really about access in my mind. Coincidentally, another remaster was recently announced for Freedom Wars. This was a PS Vita exclusive from 2014 that currently cannot be played on anything but that discontinued handheld. To me, that is what a remaster is for; a cheaper way to make an old game accessible again besides a full remake that can test the waters for a potential revival.

That’s what makes PlayStation’s remasters so frustrating. They are trying to sell us something we already have. Instead of breathing some life into older, forgotten games, it is looking for the lowest-risk bets possible. PlayStation was on the right track with these for a time, specifically the Uncharted collection which rescued that trilogy from the PS3. That’s just one series of dozens of games locked on the PS3 due to the arcane cell processor that makes it seemingly impossible to emulate. Those are the games people want remastered, just like the PS2 and PS1 classics are so celebrated now. What we’re getting now is based on greed, not value or preservation.