In recent years, video game remakes and remasters have captured the attention of players worldwide, significantly impacting consumer spending. Analytics firm Ampere Analysis reveals that gamers are increasingly drawn to remakes over remasters, showing a clear trend in player preferences and spending habits.
Spending Trends in the Gaming Industry
Reports suggest that between 2024 and 2025, players invested heavily in remakes, with spending reaching twice that of remasters. Across major platforms like Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation, 72.4 million players contributed approximately $1.4 billion, including microtransactions, towards these revamped titles. During this period, 15 remakes and 27 remasters hit the market, with players spending on average 2.2 times more on remakes. The higher development costs of remakes often translate to higher purchase prices, whereas remasters, although cheaper to produce, tend to engage players less intensely.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered stands out as a remarkable exception, dominating sales charts and becoming one of the top-five best-selling premium games in the US in 2025. With over 9 million players, it has generated $180 million in consumer spending and boasts 7 million monthly active users across platforms.
The Strategic Balancing Act for Publishers
Katie Holt, a senior analyst at Ampere Analysis, highlights the strategic considerations publishers must weigh. As development costs soar, revisiting older titles for remakes and remasters becomes an attractive option. Publishers must carefully decide between full remakes and remasters, taking into account factors like franchise strategy, financial risk, content age, and platform compatibility.
As the gaming industry evolves, the role of remakes and remasters continues to grow, showing no signs of waning. The future might bring shifts in how these projects are approached, influenced by ongoing research and market trends.