Remakes and remasters are popular, but Benson Russell, a designer on Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune at Naughty Dog, has said he’s not interested in a new one for the 2007 game.
Speaking to FRVR, Russell said he’s not against the idea of remakes and remasters generally, but he said Uncharted is “still in the zeitgeist” and available on modern platforms. “What’s the point of remastering [or remaking] it?” he said.
Instead of a remake or a remaster, Russell said a better idea might be to do what fans have been clamoring for: make a new one. “Take the lessons of Uncharted 4 and make a new game …” he said.
Russell went on to say a remake or remaster of the original Uncharted could feel “more like a cash grab” than something that people was thought was “necessary” to bring it up to modern standards. He would like to see Naughty Dog “take the spirit” of the franchise and make a new game.
Bloomberg previously reported that Sony considered remaking or remastering Uncharted, but decided against it because it would be “expensive and require too much added design work.”
While Uncharted never got a remake or remaster, Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us and The Last of Us 2 both had remastered versions. As for a new Uncharted game, a new entry in the series was reportedly planned some years ago and fans now believe Naughty Dog is teasing a new game.
The original Uncharted game is playable today on PS5 and PS4 via Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection–this also includes Uncharted 2 and 3. These include updated, remastered versions of those three games.
A lot of people embrace and enjoy remakes, while others say developers should instead spend more time and resources on entirely new games. Gaming legend Shigeru Miyamoto, for his part, defended remakes and remasters, saying they are good for a number of reasons, including to help younger generations experience games they might have missed. Additionally, money from remakes and remasters can fund future games, he said.