Delisting original games for the sake of their "better" versions

[mαrkαsscoρ]

There's a few examples I have for this so you can know what I'm talking about. Dragon Quest 11 came out on PS4, then an improved version came out on Switch called Dragon Quest 11 S: Derfnrt4hfthurfbvgve Edition. That version then came to PS4, but when it did, the original DQ11 was delisted.

To go a little more extreme, when The GTA Trilogy Derfnrt4hfthurfbvgve Edition and Sonic Origins came out, the original versions of those games were then delisted (granted in Sonic's case, only on certain stores it was removed). Reason this is extreme b/c many fans were not happy w/ how both remastered compilations came out, so it's just an anti consumer move.

To go a bit further, remember when Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze and Pikmin 3 were coming to the Switch? Nintendo delisted those games on Wii U making it so people's main option to buy them would be the "improved" Switch versions.

And lastly, I was thinking about Persona 5, where I wonder if there would be backlash if they were ever to delist the original version on PS4, despite many people believing that Persona 5 Royal is the derfnrt4hfthurfbvgve version of that game.

That's what led me to make this thread. Is it ever ok to delist the original game if there's a remaster or expanded versions available? I certainly feel like the middle examples with the remasters and Switch versions were wrong and anti consumer, but what about the case w/ Dragon Quest 11? Was it justified to get rid of standard 11 when 11 S is the exact same game with more content? Would it be justified if the same were to ever happen with Persona 5 or any other games in the same situation?

 

[Fraxinus]

I've seen this happen with Dark Souls on Steam, where the cheaper original version no longer exists so they can sell the more expensive remaster, and that feels particularly questionable when both versions are available on the same platform. At the very least they could bundle the original version with the remaster like how Bioshock did--free of charge. That way it's not nearly as much a rip off.

That said, remasters/remakes should be marketed more like a definitive way to experience something, but not the mandatory way to experience it. There are lots of reasons to keep the original versions around. Even for comparison's sake, to people who care a lot about the game, it'd be important to keep it available?

I think this is also a dumb business practice if you consider that it's probably going to encourage pirating. Delisting anything will encourage people to illegally distribute the item no longer listed, especially if it is available digitally, where it is easily replicate-able. Otherwise, hello scalpers. All they're doing is preventing themselves from making money off the old version when these are customers who probably aren't gonna buy the new version.

 

[Mikey the Moblin]

bad wrong
there are lots of dark souls mods that I can't try out because they're for PTDE and not Re

 

[twilitfalchion]

I don't think it's ever actually okay to delist the original versions. Always gonna be someone who prefers a certain version of a game, especially with how different games may patch out exploits and such across versions, or even for simple preferences with how a game looks.

It's just a bad move all around.