As video game developers seemingly run out of ideas for new titles, the industry has seen a game remake boom in recent years, with studios banking on the power of nostalgia by revitalising older titles for the modern audience.
And it’s no wonder, since gamers are spending more on older games than new ones. According to a September 2025 report by insights consultancy firm MTM, 90 per cent of PC and console gamers have played a remaster or remake in the last 12 months.
For those wondering about the distinction between a video game remake or a remaster, a remake serves as a reimagining of an original game, but is built from scratch with updated graphics, gameplay and even story, while a remaster is merely an enhanced version of the original game, with improved visuals, sound effects, and voice recordings, but with no changes to the core gameplay.
Which means that unlike remasters, which tend to provide a mere boost in resolution or framerate, remakes are far more exciting, as titles are often built from the ground up while preserving the original’s core gameplay experience, meaning players don’t just get to experience older and less accessible titles, but a fresh spin on a classic title with overhauled visuals and sometimes even new content, allowing players to fall in love with them all over again.
And it’s not the appeal of nostalgia that brings older gamers to older classics, as MTM’s research indicated that 85 per cent of those who played a remaster or remake in the last year never played the original, which means they were attracted to the classic title based on reputation alone.
Lastly, the research also shows that 76 per cent of 1,500 console/PC gamers in the US and UK (750 in each) indicated their desire for remakes and remasters by saying these games were appealing, which explains the likes of Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 hitting shelves in 2025.
But are remakes and remasters the same? According to a November 2025 report by entertainment research firm Ampere Analysis, which tracked data from January 2024 to September 2025, video game remakes produced around 2.2 times the amount of consumer spending as remasters did during that time frame
Take Xbox, for example, which recently announced Halo: Campaign Evolved, a remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved’s (2001) campaign, now rebuilt from the ground up with high-definition visuals and cutscenes, alongside adding new content. Furthermore, the Halo franchise’s second and third games are also set to see remakes of their own, at least according to insider leaks, signalling a shift in the studio’s strategy to bring the classic shooter series to a new generation.
Of course, Halo is far from the only video game franchise set to see a revival, as here are 10 remakes to keep an eye out for in 2026 and beyond. Let’s just hope that these titles won’t end up worse than the originals.
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined
Release Date: 6 February 2026
Original Release: 26 August 2000
Developer: Square Enix, Hexadrive
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 1 & 2, PC
Framed as a reimagining of the original 2000 JRPG instead of just a mere remake, like its name suggests, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined overhauls the classic 2D experience into a new 3D hand-crafted aesthetic, bringing the characters designed by the legendary Akira Toriyama to life in a whole new light alongside a charming diorama art style.
It isn’t just about looks, though, as gameplay is set to receive a much-needed modernising with battle speed adjustments, an auto-battle feature, and a new Moonlighting mechanic to assign characters with two vocations at once. The original title’s notoriously complex narrative will also be streamlined, making the journey more accessible to newcomers.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 + Dark Ties
Release Date: 12 February 2026
Original Release: 26 February 2009
Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
RGG Studio is finally set to give perhaps the weakest entry in the Yakuza franchise the modernising it so desperately needs, as not only will Yakuza Kiwami 3 feature the same overhauls seen in past Kiwami titles, it’s getting a bunch of fresh content too.
Leading man Kazuma Kiryu will now have two fighting styles at his disposal, a revamped version of his original The Dragon of Dojima Style, alongside a new Ryukyu Style, which arms him with eight different Okinawan weapons. What’s more, the game is also set to launch with an entirely new chapter, Dark Ties, which shines the spotlight on fan-favourite villain Yoshitaka Mine in his own prequel adventure.
Halo: Campaign Evolved
Release Date: 2026
Original Release: 15 November 2001
Developer: Halo Studios
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
The aforementioned Halo: Campaign Evolved is possibly the boldest move by Xbox in a long while, as the remake will mark the franchise’s first appearance on Sony’s PlayStation platform since its debut in 2001.
This means all console fans can look forward to experiencing the classic shooter, now rebuilt from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5 and boasting a ton of additions and reworks such as redesigned levels, gameplay and narrative additions to reflect later Halo titles, two-player splitscreen and four-player online co-op, and most notably, three brand-new missions set before the events of the game featuring Master Chief and Sgt. Avery Johnson.
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake
Release Date: 12 March 2026
Original Release: 27 November 2003
Developer: Koei Tecmo Games
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
As perhaps the most unique horror franchise of the early 2000s, Fatal Frame (also known as Project Zero in Europe and Australia) made waves for its signature photography-based ghost-hunting gameplay. The franchise might have quietened down in recent years, but that’s not stopping developer Koei Tecmo Games from revitalising the classic titles with remasters of both its fourth and fifth entries, Maiden of Black Water and Mask of the Lunar Eclipse.
Now, the franchise’s second entry, which is often lauded as one the its best, is getting the same treatment, but this isn’t a simple resolution boost this time around, as Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake will boast a complete overhaul from its graphics to gameplay system, updating the iconic Camera Obscura mechanic for a more engaging experience across exploration and combat. Oh, and the game’s sisters, Mio and Mayu, can now hold hands too, amazing.
Gothic 1 Remake
Release Date: Q1 2026
Original Release: 15 March 2001
Developer: Alkimia Interactive
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
When it launched back in 2001, Gothic redefined the RPG genre with its groundbreaking exploration, alongside being one of the first in the genre to feature fully voiced dialogue. It was far from perfect, though, heavily criticised for its bugs and poor control scheme, something Alkimia Interactive intends to address this with its upcoming remake.
Rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5, the Gothic 1 Remake is set to be a faithful recreation of the genre-defining title, which apart from the usual visual overhaul, will most importantly modernise its combat system to fix the original’s greatest flaw. Best of all, a playable prologue demo is now available on Steam, offering a glimpse of what’s to come.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Release Date: 2026
Original Release: 28 October 2003
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC
It’s safe to say that Ubisoft’s upcoming remake of its classic action-adventure title, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, has had a rough time since its announcement in 2020. Initially developed by Ubisoft Pune/Mumbai, things quickly fell apart upon the reveal of its first trailer, which was ridiculed for its unimpressive graphics.
Following two delays, first by two months and then indefinitely, development was subsequently taken over by the far more experienced Ubisoft Montreal, with an expected release date now sometime in 2026. Looking at the troubled remake’s track record and the recent kerfuffle with Tencent, it will honestly be quite a miracle if the title even meets this deadline, but for a series as loved as Prince of Persia, Ubisoft should just take as much time as needed to get it right.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Release Date: TBA
Original Release: 15 July 2003
Developer: Saber Interactive
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC
We are now heading into rather rocky territory, with a bunch of remakes that have simply been announced, but don’t feature any concrete gameplay details at the point of writing. First up is Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, the iconic RPG originally helmed by BioWare, which was announced to be receiving a remake back in 2021, with barely any news since.
Initially worked on by Aspyr, development soon stalled one year after its announcement, followed by reports that the project had switched hands to Saber Interactive, and then, nothing, like the game itself had fallen to the literal dark side. Cut to 2025, Saber studio head Matthew Karch came forward to reassure fans that “the game is alive and well”, so who knows when we’ll actually see a first proper look at the title.
Max Payne 1 and 2 Remake
Release Date: TBA
Original Release: 24 July 2001 (Max Payne 1), 14 October 2003 (Max Payne 2)
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Remedy Entertainment, a studio well-known for its expertise in making shooters with excellent narratives such as Control and Alan Wake, stirred excitement in the gaming community when it announced that it was teaming up with Rockstar to remake the first two games of the latter’s classic shooter franchise, Max Payne.
The remake is set to combine both games into a single package, and while details are scarce, the project was reported to be in “full production” as of August this year, with Remedy CEO Markus Maki describing that the game has been hitting its milestone goals in a recent quarterly investor report, so hopes are high that we will be able to learn more about the Bullet Time pioneers revival in the coming months.
Silent Hill Remake
Release Date: TBA
Original Release: 23 February 1999
Developer: Bloober Team
Platforms: TBA
Fresh from the success of its 2024 remake, Silent Hill 2, Bloober Team is set to give the horror franchise’s debut entry the same treatment.
Apart from its initial announcement trailer revealed during the Konami Press Start Showcase in June this year, which offered no other details other than the fact that the remake was in development, the only information we know about the upcoming project is that it’s currently in full production, with one of Bloober’s two internal first-party production teams being entirely dedicated to its development, meaning fans will just have to sit tight and wait for the fog to clear on the elusive title.
The Witcher Remake
Release Date: TBA
Original Release: 26 October 2007
Developer: Fools Theory, CD Projekt Red
Platforms: TBA
CD Projekt Red is certainly keeping busy, as apart from working on its massive RPG follow-up, The Witcher 4, the studio is also looking to the past and remaking the first game in the series.
Developer Fool’s Theory is in charge of the remaking efforts, with creative supervision from The Witcher series staff and CD Projekt Red, with the game built in Unreal Engine 5. Apart from that, nothing else is known about the title, so it remains to be seen how the studio will modernise the original game’s infamous rhythm-based combat system, or if it will forgo it altogether for a more standard system seen in later titles, but one thing’s for sure, with the unfortunate downward spiral of Netflix’s series adaptation, fans need a good Geralt adventure now more than ever.
Bonus: Splinter Cell Remake
Release Date: TBA
Original Release: 18 November 2002
Developer: Ubisoft Toronto
Platforms: TBA
This is one title that fans have been yearning for for ages, as following the release of Splinter Cell Blacklist in 2013, the iconic stealth franchise has remained in the shadows since, with Ubisoft seemingly ignoring fans’ pleas to revive what was once the studio’s flagship franchise, instead content with disappointing them by simply having protagonist Sam Fisher cameo in other games like Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six Siege.
Imagine fans’ surprise when it was announced back in 2021 that a remake of Sam Fisher’s first outing was in development, and now imagine their subsequent disappointment when the game would go radio silent for the next four years, with the only news about the remake after being the unfortunate exit of its director, David Grivel. With no indication of whether the project is even alive at this point, Ubisoft is really taking Fisher’s mantra of stealth and silence a little too far.
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
Si Jia
