The demand for retro gaming continues to fuel a wave of remakes, remasters, and re-releases, but bringing classic titles to modern platforms is far from a simple process. Implicit Conversions,a studio specializing in thes revivals – including titles like Fear Effect and the Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection – is shedding light on the often-hidden complexities and financial risks involved. In a recent interview, CEO Bill Litshauer detailed the numerous hurdles facing developers seeking to recapture gaming’s past, from technical challenges and licensing nightmares to unpredictable market performance.
The resurgence of remakes, remasters, and ports has led many to believe any classic game can be revived – a trend exemplified by recent releases from Nightdive Studios and Limited Run Games.
However, the process of bringing these older titles to modern platforms is far more complex than it appears, according to experts in the field. Implicit Conversions, a studio specializing in these types of projects, has firsthand experience with the challenges involved.
The studio has been instrumental in restoring titles like Fear Effect and the Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection. Now, the company’s CEO is detailing the hurdles inherent in these conversions. The growing market for retro gaming highlights the demand for preserving and updating these influential titles.
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Implicit Conversions CEO Explains the Risks of Reviving Classics
Bill Litshauer, CEO of Implicit Conversions, explained the obstacles involved in creating updated versions of classic games in an interview on the Mystic YouTube channel.
Publishers often review their back catalogs and seek out a specialist capable of transforming a game from 20 or 30 years ago into a functional product for platforms like Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, or PC. This demand reflects a broader trend of nostalgia and a desire to experience classic games on modern hardware.
Developers typically receive a specific title, a deadline, and a list of features to implement, ranging from widescreen support to rewind functionality.
“The second model is a revenue-sharing agreement,” Litshauer explained. In this scenario, the team selects a game, assesses its commercial potential, and presents a proposal to the license holder.
If the publisher lacks the budget to revive the title – or simply doesn’t want to invest – they may agree to a deal where the studio funds the development and then receives a share of the sales.
This sounds promising, until the financial realities set in: if a title only sells a few thousand copies at a price of 10 euros, the months of work may not be profitable.
Every decision impacts the budget, including quality assurance costs and platform-specific fees. More than one commercially viable game has been scrapped due to the cumulative effect of these “extras.”
Technical issues also present a significant challenge, requiring code reconstruction, the replacement of obsolete functions, and the reinterpretation of existing systems.
Even with emulators, each title presents unique hurdles, often requiring so many engineering hours that the project becomes unfeasible before it even begins.
For Litshauer, fragmented licensing is the biggest obstacle: the music may be owned by one agency, the voice acting by another, or a legal document from the 1990s may be lost.
According to the CEO, there are completed games that have never been released because a single element – a song, a logo, a minor character – could not be cleared for re-release.
Adding to the complexity, not all platforms are equally appealing. The studio focuses its efforts on the original PlayStation, which remains the most in-demand, while simultaneously developing technology for the PS2.
The idea of emulating PS3 is on the table, but not a current priority: the investment only makes sense if there is strong market demand, which is not yet the case.
Despite these challenges, the developer insists that the community is key to reviving classics, and their input is crucial. “If enough noise is made, there’s a possibility,” Litshauer concluded.
