Nostalgia and retro gaming is an important feeling for many players. Guest author DevilRon explains here why he even sees retro gaming as the future of the hobby.
What is it about? Retro gaming, everyone has heard of it, everyone knows what it’s about. For some, this term refers to the first “Mario Kart” game for the Super Nintendo, others associate it with the first Tekken, and still others think immediately of the Game Boy, the Dreamcast, or the Commodore 64.
Which game or console can be referred to as a retro product is controversial. There are no clear boundaries; rather, retro gaming represents a feeling like: “Ah, I used to play that after school with friends!”
But why do I believe that retro gaming is becoming increasingly popular and important? Here are a few examples.
1. Retro gaming and pop culture
The most obvious thing to start with: Video games have arrived in society. That was different, for example, 15 years ago, at least for us.
While in countries like Japan home consoles became incredibly successful, in the USA, many video games spread in arcade houses in the form of arcade machines. It could be observed sporadically in Europe as well, but only in the last 10 years has there been a significant upswing in home consoles.
There are many reasons for the rise of consoles: Among other things, with Nintendo’s Wii, for the first time in the history of video games, every age group was specifically addressed. Sports and party games dominate this console – fun for the whole family!
Pop culture is lending a helping hand: Successful series like Big Bang Theory revolve almost exclusively around retro culture. The protagonists show that a life as a “nerd” can also be incredibly cool and funny.
The online stores of the respective consoles should not be underestimated. With their help, players gained easy access to long-forgotten video games.
How did the series begin? With the growing interest in current titles and consoles, players also looked into the past. Suddenly it was no longer just about Link from “The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess”; they wanted to learn about their origins, play and own old parts of the series.
2. Retro Markets
The flea market is booming: The trend towards classics can be easily observed at so-called retro markets, i.e., flea markets for old video games. These markets are booming, becoming fuller, trendier, and more popular.
I have met people who traveled 500 kilometers just to visit such a market in Oberhausen. There, passionate collectors hunt for rarities and complete editions, often leaving hundreds of euros there just to be able to complete and expand their collections.
People want to play, not just collect: However, many gamers are not really interested in acquiring something truly rare, like a elaborately decorated collector’s edition, but rather standard editions in good condition.
Anyone who has held a “The Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time” (N64) packaging knows what I mean. The packaging feels high quality, the golden lettering along with the logo match perfectly with the black background, and there is no huge rating logo that spoils the overall package.
People want something to touch
Manuals are in demand: Furthermore, the game includes a user manual. This not only explains the controls but also the world, various characters, and quests. A look at my PS4 collection reminds me how much I miss these aspects.
It was nicer back then: No matter how much I love Nier: Automata, Destiny, or Elex, compared to the boxes of the past with instructions, these heartless standard plastic packages simply cannot compete.
With a bit of luck, these may include a sheet with DLC codes and rarely a reversible cover without a rating logo; however, nothing more, unless I pay an additional 100 euros for the collector’s edition, or in the case of Nier: Automata or The Witcher 3, an entire month’s rent.
Quality in terms of packaging and design has a clear price today; that was not the case before.
3. Download vs. Retail
Download or physical version? Another aspect that speaks for retro games is the growing number of games that can only be downloaded. No question, there are many advantages, like the Final Fantasy series, which can’t always be easily found at flea markets; however, for how long?
Example PSP: Let’s take the Playstation Portable, or PSP, as an example. Since 2016, I cannot acquire games directly from the PSN Store and load them onto the PSP. It is still possible through roundabout ways, but I need either a computer or a Playstation 3, and believe it or not, not everyone owns either of those items, and if they do, it remains a tedious process until I can pull the game onto my PSP.
What if Steam goes offline?
Players without rights? How will this be in the future for the PS4 or Steam? At the moment, it is unthinkable that these stores might one day disappear; however, I also have no guarantee for this and, in some cases, not even any rights to claim my virtual games.
Yes, of course there are always some modders and programmers who obtain source code or recreate the game from scratch. However, I would prefer not to operate on illegal ground or grey areas.
Owning is better than having a license: When downloading a game, I always feel uneasy. Because I know that I only own the license to play, nothing more and nothing less.
In other words: I can think of two or three cartridges and CDs that I dropped and got damaged to the point where they could no longer be played. In contrast, I can immediately think of 30 online games that were shut down and disappeared from the scene. A reunion is hardly possible.
Companies satisfy the demand for “real” games
Movement for more physical editions: The fact that I am not alone in this opinion is demonstrated by an emerging trend that is gradually gaining ground internationally: Games that were previously available only for download are being pressed onto discs and sold by smaller independent companies.
Among others, “Limited Run Games” can be mentioned, a publisher that has set itself this very task. They have already released “Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD” on UMD for the PS Vita or “Firewatch” on Blu Ray for the PS4.
If maintained well, these games will likely still be playable in 50 or 60 years; however, I do not know if the PSN Store will still include them after such a long time, as it does not lie in my hands. By the way: Both examples mentioned are completely sold out at Limited Run Games.
4. Mini Retro Console
Back to the 90s: With the NES Mini and the Super Nintendo Mini, Nintendo not only made fans’ hearts race, but also generated significant revenue: According to the financial report of March 2018, the manufacturer managed to sell over 4 million units internationally. Further sales waves have since followed.
Old devices are in high demand: Given such success, it is no wonder that other manufacturers wanted to jump on this bandwagon and brought their mini retro consoles to market. For example, the iconic Commodore 64 also offers a mini variant with joystick.
Miracle device Raspberry Pi
A trend towards retro consoles and retro games is evident, especially in forums or on YouTube: If someone didn’t manage to get one of the above-mentioned consoles because they were quickly sold out, they build their own using a Raspberry Pi.
The Raspberry Pi is a single-board computer the size of a debit card. Various programs can be played on it, including retro games. But beware: Those who download licensed games and play them on their Raspberry Pi are on illegal ground and violate copyright!
Nevertheless, there are numerous guides on YouTube for playing on the Raspberry Pi. Notably, many videos only emerged once many mini retro consoles were already on sale. The interest in retro gaming was once again ignited.
Is Retro the Future?
Conclusion: First of all, I also believe that retro games will never displace current games. The interest in FIFA or Call of Duty is naturally higher, and that is absolutely understandable for me.
Nonetheless, I increasingly get the impression that there is a change in society regarding video games. It is not just nostalgia that touches many, but also quality and quantity.
A negative development in the market
Early access and patches didn’t exist back then. Anyone wanting to release a game on the Super Nintendo had to ensure that the game ran smoothly. Of course, this did not always succeed, especially when I think of games like “Superman” for the N64, which was virtually unplayable.
Nevertheless, I can access retro games more carefree than I can with new releases for current hardware.
The cloud is not for me: I must admit that I am not a fan of cloud technology. While I am aware that it offers many advantages, the disadvantages clearly outweigh them for me. If the internet provider has problems, if a storm comes along and damages some line, I won’t be able to play.
During maintenance, I won’t even be able to touch offline titles as they have to be streamed. Furthermore, I won’t be able to sell my games or buy them on the used market.
Yes, that is the future: Used games for 10 euros, which may not even be that old, will be forgotten.
Are we to blame?
Users favor a negative development: We must not forget that we as consumers bear the responsibility. We tolerated DLCs, and they have now become firmly established, while simultaneously complaining about the extremely high prices of these expansions. We were the ones who accepted microtransactions, and the outcry only came with “Star Wars: Battlefront II”. Will this mistake be repeated in the near future with cloud technology?
Retro as an alternative: I can definitely understand why the retro market for video games is booming right now. For some, it’s nostalgia; for others, perhaps some of the aspects mentioned above are essential, but the fact remains that retro gaming is gaining significant traction and more and more people are getting involved with it. But where this will lead is something I do not know.
What do you all think? I would be very interested in your opinion on this topic.
This guest contribution comes from our reader DevilRon1989.
