Have remakes outlived their use?

[Akashin]

I've never, at any point, wondered or cared whether or not a given style of game has 'outlived its use'.

I play games to have enjoyable, fresh experiences, and I am capable of equally enjoying a brand new game and a fresh take on an older one. I don't care about things like if a remake was needed to expand on Dex access, or anything like that; FRLG, HGSS and ORAS all offer fresh experiences relative to their original counterparts to varying degrees (and I'm probably an outlier, because my opinion of remakes gradually improved with each successive set until BDSP), and so I enjoyed them just fine. As Afieldofheathers noted, BDSP felt much more like a copy-and-paste experience, and while I was able to enjoy it for what it was to an extent, I can't say I think too highly of it.

If BDSP-style remakes are the future, then yes, I can't say I will care too much for them moving forward. But so long as a remake is capable of offering me a fresh experience, I will enjoy it just fine.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

That’s not exactly true. They could do a remake of BW and add the BW2 storyline as DLC.

The problem with that is that the Gym Leaders are different and are part of the story for BW2 and you play as a completely different character who goes through very different events.

 

[vondecayle]

It’d be easy to just use BW for the main game but then you’d also need to include the BW2 plot as well which happens two years after BW ends.

I think the BW remakes are going revolve around the events of the first game while ignoring any content added during BW2. Much like BDSP ignored Platinum’s content.

 

[Bolt the Cat]

I think the BW remakes are going revolve around the events of the first game while ignoring any content added during BW2. Much like BDSP ignored Platinum’s content.

Sad but true. BDSP isn't even the first time that's happened, ORAS pretty much ignored Emerald's content too. There's been a very disappointing trend of remakes starting to pretend that the third versions never existed in the remakes.

 

[Pokemon Power]

Dairy type addition or not, Gen 5 has a serious problem when it comes to talks about remakes: the story and timeline. It’d be easy to just use BW for the main game but then you’d also need to include the BW2 plot as well which happens two years after BW ends. Both sets of games have different Gym Leaders and they all have their importance in both sets of games and you really can’t cut out any of BW2’s content and just mash it into BW’s. And to make four separate games for remakes is just too much and too expensive to do as an option as you’d be looking at over $200 in total. It’s XY that deserve remakes as they are the only pair of main series games not to get a follow up third game or pair of games and so many things were left unresolved and unanswered in Kalos such as the Power Plant doors which are extremely detailed and would be a waste of time and resources if they were meant to do nothing and AZ’s Floette getting its very own Stats, signature move, 3D battle animation, and even Pokédex entry separate from its regular form.

That’s not exactly true. They could do a remake of BW and add the BW2 storyline as DLC.

The problem with that is that the Gym Leaders are different and are part of the story for BW2 and you play as a completely different character who goes through very different events.

I think the BW remakes are going revolve around the events of the first game while ignoring any content added during BW2. Much like BDSP ignored Platinum’s content.

Sad but true. BDSP isn't even the first time that's happened, ORAS pretty much ignored Emerald's content too. There's been a very disappointing trend of remakes starting to pretend that the third versions never existed in the remakes.

Alternatively, they could remake Black and White 1 first, then remake Black and White 2 either later in the generation, or during the following one.

 

[Bolt the Cat]

Alternatively, they could remake Black and White 1 first, then remake Black and White 2 either later in the generation, or during the following one.

They've felt no need to remake Emerald or Platinum shortly after ORAS and BDSP, so I don't think they'll remake BW2 after the BW remakes. Sadly, we're probably not going to get any BW2 content in any way, shape, or form aside from the BW2 form changes being tossed in.

 

[Sakuyamon]

For the most part yes. Remakes of old games are better off not happening and we should instead get direct sequels of those older games that take place in the same region but with new characters, storylines, Pokemon, etc. set many years later.

 

[Pokemon Power]

They've felt no need to remake Emerald or Platinum shortly after ORAS and BDSP, so I don't think they'll remake BW2 after the BW remakes. Sadly, we're probably not going to get any BW2 content in any way, shape, or form aside from the BW2 form changes being tossed in.

Emerald and Platinum were full-scale "third versions" of their respective counterparts with mostly the same plot, Black and White 2 had a brand-new story set two years later.

 

[Bolt the Cat]

Emerald and Platinum were full-scale "third versions" of their respective counterparts with mostly the same plot, Black and White 2 had a brand-new story set two years later.

The omissions had nothing to do with story though, they omitted things like extra side areas and side content/facilities, which could easily be added without interfering with the plot. They didn't though, which says they don't care that those things are missing. If they couldn't even be bothered to include smaller things like that for the sake of preserving the old content, what makes you think they're going to make an extra game? Don't get your hopes up for anything BW2, they've proven that they just don't want to bother.

 

[ShadowForce720]

The omissions had nothing to do with story though, they omitted things like extra side areas and side content/facilities, which could easily be added without interfering with the plot. They didn't though, which says they don't care that those things are missing. If they couldn't even be bothered to include smaller things like that for the sake of preserving the old content, what makes you think they're going to make an extra game? Don't get your hopes up for anything BW2, they've proven that they just don't want to bother.

I mean you say this is contradicted by the fact that they made Legends Arceus even though we were getting Brilliant Diamond & Shinning Pearl.

Like no matter how you try to argue it takes a lot more work to make Legends Arcues then it would making a Platinum remaking or making BDSP themselves and adding Platinum elements to it.


If I had to guess what’s probably going to happen with Black & White will probably get both Black & White remakes along with a new Legends game set in Unova, even though it would be easier and less work just to remake Black 2 & White 2 as well or just include elements of B2W2 in the Black & White remakes.

 

[Bolt the Cat]

I mean you say this is contradicted by the fact that they made Legends Arceus even though we were getting Brilliant Diamond & Shinning Pearl.

Like no matter how you try to argue it takes a lot more work to make Legends Arcues then it would making a Platinum remaking or making BDSP themselves and adding Platinum elements to it.


If I had to guess what’s probably going to happen with Black & White will probably get both Black & White remakes along with a new Legends game set in Unova, even though it would be easier and less work just to remake Black 2 & White 2 as well or just include elements of B2W2 in the Black & White remakes.

It's less a matter of "they don't want to put in effort period" and more "they don't want to put in effort to preserving third version content specifically". It's true that LA is a higher effort project, but it's its own original thing and not an outlet for Platinum content that didn't make it into BDSP. Similarly, we may get Legends Unova or something completely new and original, but whatever the case, don't expect it to include BW2 content. Their track record says they probably won't care about including BW2's unique areas, characters, and gameplay.

 

[Spider-Phoenix]

Depending on what's the marketing strategy is like, I could easily see them making a BW remake and, after a while, release BW2 as DLC