"If there's a single trend that's dominated the last decade of media, it's attempts to harness nostalgia. Disney has endlessly pursued live-action remakes and the glories of old Star Wars adventures, and TV shows like King of the Hill, Scrubs, and Malcolm in the Middle are all getting revivals. Video games are also no strangers to capitalizing on nostalgia, as this year alone has seen well over two dozen remakes or remasters."
"In particular, something Larry Kuperman, VP of business development at Nightdive Studios, said has really stuck with me. "There's always been an emotional element to games, right? Games as art forms have always been capable of evoking emotions from us," Kuperman says. "I think that, when you look at remasters [and remakes], in a period of uncertainty and change, there's true comfort in playing something that is both familiar and new.""
The past decade has seen a strong cultural turn toward nostalgia across film, television, and video games, with numerous revivals, remakes, and remasters. Remakes and remasters combine familiar content with new elements, offering emotional comfort to both players and creators. Industry instability — including widespread layoffs, studio closures, and cancelled projects — has reduced enthusiasm for unproven concepts and expensive new hardware. Established franchises therefore present lower perceived risk and attract player investment more easily. The commercial appeal of nostalgia reflects both consumer desire for comfort during uncertain times and pragmatic industry strategies to mitigate financial risk.
Read at Inverse
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