Reviving Classics: GOG’s Journey with Resident Evil
In an unexpected turn of events, GOG.com has successfully resurrected the original Resident Evil trilogy for PC, much to the delight of fans. This revival was not only a surprise for gamers but also for Capcom, the franchise’s creator, who initially expressed reservations about making the 1996 classic available on the platform.
In a recent interview with The Game Business, Marcin Paczynski, GOG’s senior business development manager, shared insights into the retro gaming landscape and the company’s commitment to preserving classic titles for future generations. He emphasized GOG’s mission to provide nostalgic gamers with the opportunity to revisit their childhood favorites. When the conversation shifted to the Resident Evil trilogy, Paczynski revealed that Capcom was initially reluctant to support the project, favoring their modern remakes instead.
“I was one of the people that spearheaded this project,” Paczynski explained. “Capcom were like, ‘we have all of those remakes. It’s already the superior experience to those games.’ They didn’t really see the value in bringing back the vanilla versions.” Through persistent discussions, GOG managed to convince Capcom of the enduring appeal of the original titles, highlighting the demand from players eager to experience the games as they remembered them.
Ultimately, Capcom relented, allowing GOG to move forward with the launch. The response was overwhelmingly positive. “When we launched Resident Evil on GOG, the reception was absolutely phenomenal. We have 94% positive reviews on GOG for all of them. And that was also reflected in the sales. It proved that there is an audience for this. The classical versions, the versions we all remember from our childhood, they still hold a lot of value,” Paczynski noted.
Encouraged by the success, Capcom subsequently approved GOG’s plans to release Dino Crisis and Dino Crisis 2, which debuted on the platform this past January. All five titles have undergone enhancements, incorporating several “quality of life improvements” and ensuring compatibility with modern computing systems.
These games are also part of GOG’s new Preservation Program, designed to guarantee that these classics remain accessible for years to come, making them as forward-compatible as possible. For those curious about GOG’s work on the original Resident Evil, further insights can be found in Aaron’s reflections on the project.
