Re-releasing old consoles - Worth it?

[Mouni]

Do you think it would be worth for some really special oldschool consoles to be re-released upgraded to current day tech?

For example. What if Nintendo came out with a Nintendo 64 V2. I've heard that the Nintendo 64 Cartridges could actually be upgraded to hold an insane amount of memory these days. Would it be at all technically possible for Nintendo to come out with N64-V2 console, that had cartridges that could hold say...100GB/200GB of memory...or hell even more...upto 500 or 1TB!

Is that technically possible? At least maybe within the next 5-10 years?

Imagine a Zelda game on a 100GB or 200gb or even more (500gb/1tb) N64-V2 cartridge that can run @ 7,680 × 4,320 Ultra High Definition...

That would be literally insane, if nintendo ever decided to do a re-release of the N64 using updated tech that could run @ such insane resolutions I'd SO buy it.

[Zyzzyx]

I really don't see the purpose here. Are you saying a Nintendo 64 with better graphics and the same games? The costs would be entirely not worth it. People don't play N64 games because they look great, they want the gameplay. They'll play new consoles and new versions of those games for better graphics. If you mean an amazing new system with huge capabilities and similar game types, that's what new consoles are for. Of course they won't make a console that supports 7,680 × 4,320 resolutions, because maybe .00001% of the population will ever get to own a viewing system that supports that kind of resolution. Goes back to the new console thing.

Guess I just don't entirely get the reasoning here. There won't be a 500gb-1tb game released on consoles until there's a reason to ever do so, which might take place in...100 years?

Edit: In case somebody wants to nitpick, 500gb games won't exist on PCs either for a loooong time. Biggest games I've seen are MMOs in the 25-30gb range? SW:TOR comes to mind. Huge client. 30+ gb WoW folders don't count, because they're multiple games and addons.

[aftermidnight]

I really don't see the purpose here. Are you saying a Nintendo 64 with better graphics and the same games? The costs would be entirely not worth it. People don't play N64 games because they look great, they want the gameplay. They'll play new consoles and new versions of those games for better graphics. If you mean an amazing new system with huge capabilities and similar game types, that's what new consoles are for. Of course they won't make a console that supports 7,680 × 4,320 resolutions, because maybe .00001% of the population will ever get to own a viewing system that supports that kind of resolution. Goes back to the new console thing.

Guess I just don't entirely get the reasoning here. There won't be a 500gb-1tb game released on consoles until there's a reason to ever do so, which might take place in...100 years?

Edit: In case somebody wants to nitpick, 500gb games won't exist on PCs either for a loooong time. Biggest games I've seen are MMOs in the 25-30gb range? SW:TOR comes to mind. Huge client. 30+ gb WoW folders don't count, because they're multiple games and addons.

As games become more and more esthetically pleasing over several decades, we also become more adept at compressing information.
I don't that there will ever be a need for more then 50GB of space for games.

[Deleted]

Well they could atleast do Reissues instead i know i would buy a new N64 and games if i could always wanted one and its awesome


Also dident they do this with the Commodore 64 computer ?
Ye here it is http://www.commodoreusa.net/CUSA_C64.aspx

I think its worth it atleast.

[Surfd]

Cough, emulators, cough.

Completely not sure what the point of re-releasing OLD consoles made with NEW technology would be, when they could just do what Sony does, and make their New console backwards compatable with the old games, or in the case of Modern Day Net enabled consoles, just make the old Games Downloadable for new Consoles.

The only advantage i could possibly see would be that you could probably make the main partos of a PS1 or Nintendo the size of an Ipod with modern tech, and would just need a way to hook the tiny new device up to a data reader capable of reading the old medium if you wanted something fancy to play your old games on.

[Pappahealar]

Virtual Console and emulators already exist. The only stupid part about it is the controllers. Not easy to get a N64 controller for example. And the classic controller for Wii is more of a Snes pad/PS2 controller.

But re-releasing old consoles is not worth it. Getting the games to virtual console as re-release with higher resolution and special controllers is probably worth it if it's the more popular games.

[Deleted]

Virtual Console, Emulators, PSN, Xbox Live.

The consoles are dead and gone, just hunks of plastic and nostalgia. There is a reason we dont use cartridges as well, Discs are just better. They hold more data, are tougher and more resilient and you don't have to blow on them every time you wanna play something.

[Amorac]

Also dident they do this with the Commodore 64 computer ?
Ye here it is http://www.commodoreusa.net/CUSA_C64.aspx

I think its worth it atleast.

But that's not a C64 upgraded, it's a x86 machine. All it really does is emulate the real C64. Minus tape deck of course.

And there's the "problem" with this idea. Emulating old hardware on modern machines is cheaper and even easier then remaking old hardware and be on par with current tech.

See also things like Minimig or Natami for Amiga based hardware projects. In order to run old software the timings of the hardware need to be as exact as possible. Building such hardware is costly.

[Ausr]

Virtual Console, Emulators, PSN, Xbox Live.

The consoles are dead and gone, just hunks of plastic and nostalgia. There is a reason we dont use cartridges as well, Discs are just better. They hold more data, are tougher and more resilient and you don't have to blow on them every time you wanna play something.

There's nothing like dusting off the ol NES, blowing into the cartridge and praying that it turns on though.

[Deviltry]

Cartridges are EXPENSIVE.

So a developer would sell it for:
more - well people would just buy way cheaper (and way way way WAY cheaper if cartridge would hold 500GB...) dvds/blurays - low sales on this platform and it would be soon abandoned.

same - way way way less profit - abandoned again.

Sure.

[Nosonia]

who plays games for graphics anymore??? Real gamers are there for the experience/gameplay, not the graphics.

FF3 anyone??

[Deleted]

We all know this is technically possible. Economically? I'm not sure there's a market for this idea.

Personally I'd love to have the chance to buy a shiny new 'oldschool' console.

[Grym]

Something that cartridge is ultimately better, is zero load time

The couple of seconds of blowing at start beats loading time as you play.

[Verdris]

If they decided to re-release certain old consoles, with no modifications or upgrades, as well as the original games (again with no mods or updates), I would gleefully give all my money to Nintendo.

[alturic]

Something that cartridge is ultimately better, is zero load time

The couple of seconds of blowing at start beats loading time as you play.

I might be a little too old at this point (only 27), but I'm almost positive there was loading with cartridges? Actually, I know for a fact there. Also the reason the load times were so much lower than optical media was because ROMs were basically the earliest version of flash memory compared to having to transfer the data into RAM on consoles/computers.

It's just like installing software from a CD compared to installing it straight from a image on your HD/SSD.

[Rukh]

There's absolutely no reason to rerelease old consoles. Old games sure, but you can already get all old games. Lots are on places like XBLA.

[Digglett]

I say there's no reason. Especially when you can emulate them/ get them from virtual console/ they are remade. (OOT 3D)

[LordPeter]

wtf you clearly have no clue what you are talking about!. 7,680 × 4,320 ? why ? i've never seen tv that goes higher than 1080

[Deleted]

wtf you clearly have no clue what you are talking about!. 7,680 × 4,320 ? why ? i've never seen tv that goes higher than 1080

1080 is a resolution... like 1920x1080.

1080 means the number of pixels in the vertical stack.

Have you ever seen a 30 foot billboard or even been to the cinema... They use a resolution much higher than 1080.

The original Star Wars has been released on Blu-Ray... You may ask how can they get it to 1080p when the quality of the original was so bad. They used the original footage that was used at the cinema which was more than 1080 resolution... Thats why the Blu-Ray Star Wars trilogy looks just as good as any HD film today.

[Kamikaze.]

Omg what are you talking about? Super Ultra High Definition? N64 games will still look bad. If you look on big polygones with high def they look the same.

A Cartridge is a flash drive, sure it is possible to have a 200gb cartridge but it will cost as muss a 200 gb ssd JUST for the cardridge with no game.

You dont need no more space than availiable on blueray at the moment.

If you like those games play them on the original n64.


And like always: When you look into you past you only think of all the good things. Games werent as good as they are today. I had a N64 and I enjoyed playing games on it very much. There were a lot of bad things about most of these games. Today Im older and I'm used to better games.