If you’ve been wondering why every major publisher seems obsessed with remaking classic games, Ampere Analysis just gave you the answer in one devastating statistic: players spend 2.2 times more on remakes than remasters. Between January 2024 and September 2025, researchers tracked 42 re-releases (15 remakes and 27 remasters) across Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam. The results show 72.4 million players spent $1.4 billion on these games and their associated microtransactions. But the money wasn’t spread equally – it flowed overwhelmingly toward remakes.
The Remake Revolution
Here’s what the data actually means. A remaster is essentially a graphics update and performance boost for an older game – think The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered or Gears of War: Reloaded. The developers take existing assets, polish them up for modern hardware, and release it. It’s relatively quick and cost-effective. A remake, on the other hand, is a complete overhaul. Silent Hill 2 Remake, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Dragon’s Dogma 2 are essentially new games built from the ground up using the original’s foundation.
The spending gap is enormous. A typical remake makes 2.2 times the revenue of a typical remaster. That’s not a small difference. That’s the difference between a game making $10 million and $22 million on average. Over hundreds of games, that compounds into billions of dollars. Publishers noticed this immediately, which explains why we’re suddenly drowning in remakes. It’s not just nostalgia – it’s economics.
But Oblivion Broke the Scale
Here’s where it gets interesting. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered absolutely destroyed expectations for a remaster. It hit $180 million in consumer spending with 7 million monthly active users. That’s not just above the average remaster. That’s above most remakes. A single franchise name and the right cultural moment apparently beat whether the game was technically a remake or a remaster.
What this tells us is that franchise power matters as much as development approach. Oblivion has the Elder Scrolls name behind it. It has decades of built-up lore and a passionate fanbase. It has crossover appeal. Most remasters don’t have that. They’re minor entries in less popular franchises or less-beloved games that publishers think deserve a second chance. Oblivion is the exception that proves the rule – a remaster with absolute mega-franchise credibility.
Why Gamers Prefer Remakes
The spending gap reveals what players actually want. A remaster says “we dusted off an old game and updated the graphics.” A remake says “we respected your favorite game enough to rebuild it from scratch with modern technology, storytelling, and design.” One feels like a cash grab. The other feels like love. Players can sense the difference, and their wallets reflect it.
Remakes also tend to be marketed more aggressively because they require bigger budgets. Publishers invest heavily in marketing for something that costs $50-100 million to develop. That higher profile and prestige attract more players. The remake gets coverage. The remake gets hyped. The remake gets streamers playing it on day one. Remasters quietly release to less fanfare because they’re not seen as major events.
The Investment Problem
Here’s the catch that keeps publishers up at night. Remakes require “substantially higher investment in development, marketing, and time” according to Ampere Analysis. They’re expensive. They take years. If a remake bombs, you’ve wasted serious money and time that could have gone toward new IP. Remasters are safer bets – faster turnaround, lower cost, but less engagement overall.
For publishers, the math is simple. Spend $80 million on a Silent Hill 2 Remake and make it back plus huge profits. Or spend $15 million on a remaster of a B-tier game that makes $5 million back. The remake wins financially if it connects with audiences. The problem is you can’t remake every game. You need to pick winners.
| Type | Development Cost | Timeline | Average Spending | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remake | $50-100M+ | 3-5 years | Higher baseline | High |
| Remaster | $10-25M | 1-2 years | Lower baseline | Lower |
| Oblivion Remaster | $15-30M estimate | 2-3 years | $180M exception | Depends on IP |
What Games Were in the Study
The research examined 15 remakes released between 2024 and 2025. The big hitters include Silent Hill 2 Remake, Dragon’s Dogma 2, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Most of these are remakes of beloved classics that people have been asking for modernization of for years. Some succeeded spectacularly. Others had more modest returns. But across the board, they earned significantly more than the 27 remasters examined.
The remasters included titles like Gears of War: Reloaded alongside The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. Most remasters are less famous titles getting polish updates. Gears of War is still a respected franchise, but a remaster of a 2006 game doesn’t command the same excitement as a brand new remake.
What This Means for Gaming’s Future
Publishers are learning that gamers want either new experiences or substantially rebuilt classics. Half-measures don’t work. If you’re going to touch a game, go all the way. Invest in making it feel new while respecting what made it great in the first place. That investment pays off because players recognize genuine effort and reward it with their money.
This doesn’t mean original games are dead, but it does mean publishers will continue mining their back catalogs for beloved franchises to remake. We’ll probably see fewer remasters in the future because the data shows they don’t generate enough revenue to justify their existence. Why make a remaster when a remake of that same IP would generate 2.2 times the revenue? The answer is: you don’t, unless the IP isn’t famous enough to support a full remake.
FAQs
What’s the difference between a remake and a remaster?
A remaster takes an existing game and updates graphics, performance, and controls for modern hardware. A remake rebuilds a game from scratch using modern technology and design while keeping the core story and characters. Remakes are essentially new games inspired by classics, while remasters are updated versions of the original.
How much more do players spend on remakes?
According to Ampere Analysis research covering 42 titles between January 2024 and September 2025, players spent an average of 2.2 times more on remakes than remasters. This breaks down to remakes generating significantly higher consumer spending across game purchases and in-game monetization.
What was the most successful remaster?
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered became the outlier, reaching $180 million in consumer spending and 7 million monthly active users. It outperformed most remakes, proving that franchise strength can overcome the remake versus remaster distinction.
Will publishers make more remakes now?
Likely yes. The data showing remakes generate more revenue will encourage publishers to invest in full remakes over remasters. This could mean fewer remasters being greenlit, as the financial incentive just isn’t there compared to remakes.
How much does it cost to make a remake?
Full remakes typically cost $50-100 million or more in development, with timelines of 3-5 years. This is significantly higher than remasters, which usually cost $10-25 million and take 1-2 years. The higher investment is justified by the higher consumer spending.
Are remakes better than remasters?
It depends on what you want. Remakes offer modern graphics, redesigned gameplay, and new creative direction. Remasters offer faster access to classics with updated visuals. Players clearly prefer remakes when they’re done well, but a poor remake can be worse than a quality remaster.
Will this stop original games from being made?
Not necessarily, but it does shift publisher priorities. The success of remakes doesn’t mean original games disappear, but it does mean publishers will continue mining their back catalogs because the financial return is proven. It’s a safer bet than betting on entirely new IP.
Conclusion
The data from Ampere Analysis tells a clear story: gamers are willing to spend serious money on remakes because they represent genuine effort and respect for beloved franchises. Remakes feel like investments in something players care about. Remasters feel like maintenance. The 2.2x spending difference reflects that sentiment perfectly.
For players, this means expect more full remakes of classic games you love. For publishers, the message is simple – if you’re going to update an old game, commit fully or don’t bother. Half-measures don’t generate half the revenue. They generate far less. The Oblivion Remaster exception proves that massive franchises can break the pattern, but for everyone else, the math is clear. Go big with remakes or go home with remasters that don’t move the needle. Gamers have spoken with their wallets.