Older video games are getting remade to appeal to player nostalgia. Much like the remakes and remasters coming out of Hollywood, video game publishers are overhauling and rereleasing old-school games to tap into the existing (and nostalgia-hungry) fandoms for popular titles like The Legend of Zelda, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, and World of Warcraft. Meanwhile, some more niche titles are also getting revamped: while the 2003 SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom game wasn’t a huge hit, young-at-heart Millennials still love the little yellow sponge, giving the “rehydrated” version dropping this winter an instant audience all these years later. YPulse has long reported on Gen Z and Millennials’ ‘90s and Y2K nostalgia, which continues to be fed by brands across industries. But with gaming continuing to rise as a top pastime in their lives, adding a throwback element to their virtual world entertainment is a surefire way to capture their affinity. (NYT)
