The Definition of a Retro Game is a Personal Choice
There is no set date between retro and old school games or even antique. The debate has and will always go on, and will only get harder to narrow down as new generations of consoles are introduced to the market.
New consoles and new games will continue to stretch the gap between what is new and old in gaming. The idea that if a game is older than 15 years will cause games of today to be retro in 15 years from now. If you look at many of the ultra realistic games today, it is hard to believe that in 15 years they could be classified as retro.
Why Debate the Idea of a Retro Game Anyways
Big Game companies try to sell nostalgia at full price and only try to sell the highest trending games from the 80’s and 90’s. Today there are many old school console emulators online that will give you every game there ever was and they do it for free.
There are players and there are collectors. Many old school, retro, and antique video games still exist and in working condition. Trying to sell retro games within the current market only makes those official cartridge based games worth more.
Before Social Media and YouTube
Back before 2004 we had what many call the 80's and 90's a time of video game awakening. Today they are now called retro and old school because of era and 16 bit graphics.
But there are many others that say retro is more simple than a date or an era, it is a style. With the limited color pallet and limited processing power games of that decade looked a certain way. They had a certain style. As time passed and new consoles began to show improved graphics, the term retro started to fade away. Proving that retro is a style rather than an era.
Is The PS1 Retro or Just Old School
Then the real question rests between the time of bits versus gigs. The reason for the debate at all is because there is a fine line at the point that games become retro. No one wants their favorite game to be in the category because it makes themselves feel old.
When we talk about PS1 or PS2 for that matter it changes the meaning of retro for people. Because the graphics went past the retro style and started the graphics revolution.
When the Next Generation of Consoles Come Out
The new PS5 and newest Xbox and the new VR headsets becoming a trend will stretch this debate even harder. The line between retro and current generation skews with every new game and platform that comes out. So does the style of games as new graphics capabilities grows.
Will VR Make All Games Retro
The fact that mobile phones did away with handheld consoles makes you pause for a moment and wander what VR will do to TV based games.
Blockchain, Metaverse, VR, AR, and many other video game trends are on the horizon. This well definitely change the style of gaming as we know it. It only makes you wander if this will cause the games of today to become Retro.
