Much like film and TV, they're an important part of our cultural history - but even beyond that, they're just plain fun.Įverybody should be able to play games, but older physical releases being prohibitively expensive means gamers can be prevented from playing important titles. Remasters ensure games remain accessible - and as a byproduct, they also destroy the appeal of the reseller's market. Each game represents the culmination of hard work and talent from a range of global teams, regardless of whether you think of video games as art. It's important for historical preservation, but also so that everyone can play games regardless of age or rarity. With the remaster, there's now a simple solution that doesn't require gamers to fork out their life savings. While physical editions are important to collectors, the majority of people interested in copies of Project Zero likely wanted the game to actually play it. Why would fans fork out $220 ( or even $1,000) for a game they could easily nab for under $70 on Switch? © Provided by Kotaku Australiaīut resellers are currently contending with a very important player in the market: game remasters.Īt E3 2021, Nintendo announced Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water, a Switch port for the original Wii U version of Project Zero. With a single announcement, Nintendo shattered the reseller market for the game.
Got a copy of the original PS4 release of Fortnite from 2017? Reports say that'll net at least $1,300 on the resellers market. Want a regular copy of Cubivore: Survival of the Fittest for GameCube? That'll be $1,000. Want the special boxed edition of Uncharted 3? That'll be $400. The problem is you can't always get these physical copies.Īs games get rarer and resellers buy up remaining stock, prices get pushed up on even the most mundane titles. But physical releases guarantee ownership of a title you can't take away. For fans, collectors and developers, it's always a massive shame. When digital stores close, huge swaths of gaming history are lost.
Earlier in the year, a similar fate was set for PS Vita and PS3 users but huge outcry stopped the planned shutdown in its tracks. In the case of the Wii U, the official console eShop has already been shut in several countries.
Digital storefronts are fine for newer games, but they have an incredibly short shelf life. It appears you can still purchase the title online via the Wii U store - but this comes with a caveat. The Ten Most Expensive Games Cost More Than $2 Billion