We're in the era of the perennial game: plan accordingly | Opinion
How old does a game have to be before it becomes "retro"?
To answer that, of course, we need a working definition of the term "retro." For the sake of argument, I'd suggest that it implies a game which, while quite possibly fondly remembered and even beloved, has now fallen outside the window of what might be considered a contemporary game, thus becoming a historical curiosity rather than an entertainment product competing for attention with this month's new releases.
Lots of people go misty-eyed at the mention of their favourites from the 8- and 16-bit eras or the original PlayStation, and some may even go back to play them every now and again – but nobody expects those games to compete with modern games or to be judged on the same criteria. We understand that they're outside that window.
So, returning to the original question; how wide is the window? How much time must elapse before a new game ends up being considered retro?
Depending on your age and a few other factors, you may answer that question very differently. For a very long time, console hardware generations gave us a decent line in the sand; within a few years of the PlayStation appearing, the 2D games of prior generations seemed obsolete, while the PS2's vastly improved visuals made PS1 games look outdated.
The line was never perfectly focused, but each console created a step change in consumer expectations that shoved the previous generation's games out of the "contemporary" window.
Today, that mode of thinking seems outdated to the point of being retro itself. We're in the fourth year of the PS5's lifespan, and the notion that a PS4 game could be considered "retro" – or even on the way to earning that label – is nothing short of baffling. Even the vast majority of the PS3 / Xbox 360 era of games is still more or less within the "contemporary" window, especially when given a slight digital lick of paint thanks to things like Microsoft's high quality backwards compatibility systems.
You have to reach back to
Read more on gamesindustry.biz
