Growing up in the 90s, the world of PC gaming was a vibrant landscape, marked by the transition from the MS-DOS era to the dawn of consumer-friendly Windows operating systems. Iconic titles such as DOOM, Quake, and Rise of the Triad defined a generation, and companies like Nightdive Studios have taken it upon themselves to revive this nostalgic era. Recently, they have released a series of modern ports and remasters, including the much-anticipated ground-up remake of the 1994 classic, System Shock. Their website proudly proclaims: “Bringing lost and forgotten gaming treasures back from the depths.”
Reviving a Classic
At RPG Site, our focus is naturally on games with rich role-playing elements, making System Shock and its sequel particularly noteworthy since Nightdive acquired the license nearly a decade ago. This acquisition essentially marked the inception of Nightdive Studios. During GDC 2025, I had the opportunity to experience an early version of the System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster, engaging in discussions with Larry Kuperman, the VP of Business Development at Nightdive, and producer Grover Wimberly about this long-awaited remaster.
Despite acquiring the System Shock license over ten years ago, the remaster of System Shock 2 has taken considerable time to materialize. Kuperman elaborated, “We started off with our focus on the remake of System Shock 1. That project took longer than we anticipated, but we were thrilled with the outcome. It won awards, which was gratifying. However, Nightdive has been approached by various companies for other projects, requiring us to shift resources. We’ve worked on DOOM 1 and DOOM 2, as well as Quake 1 and Quake 2. Those were no-brainers for us, so our plate has been quite full, but this game has been in production for some time.”
Unlike the original System Shock, which was entirely rebuilt, the sequel is receiving a remaster treatment. Kuperman shared Nightdive’s philosophy on remastering such cherished classics: “We aim to ensure that players experience the original emotional resonance of the game. It has a profound emotional impact, especially in its horror elements, and we want to preserve that. Our mantra is that our games should play as you remember them, not necessarily as they actually played on a 14-inch CRT monitor.”
Modern Touches
As someone who never played the original System Shock 2, I recognize its significant influence on later titles like Bioshock and its broader impact on the immersive sim and horror genres. Yet, experiencing the remaster felt comfortably familiar, reminiscent of the best aspects of 90s gaming.
Kuperman emphasized, “We stay true to the original DNA of the game. For those who played the original System Shock 2, this will feel familiar.” But what new features can players expect in the remaster? While gameplay content remains largely unchanged, the challenge of adapting a classic PC-exclusive title for modern consoles is substantial, particularly regarding controls. Wimberly explained, “The original System Shock 2 was a PC-only game, played exclusively with mouse and keyboard. We’ve optimized it for controller support for the first time with this remaster. We’re not just targeting PC; we’re also releasing on all current consoles. Everything you could do with a mouse and keyboard needs to be accessible via a controller.”
Nightdive recognizes that remastering classic games involves more than merely porting old ROMs to platforms like Steam. Staying true to their mission of “bringing lost and forgotten gaming treasures back,” the 25th Anniversary Edition will feature a Vault, a collection of media related to the game’s original creation. Kuperman noted, “The Vault will include images and the historical legacy of the game, which we believe is crucial for preservation.”
Preserving the Essence
Nightdive is committed to maintaining the integrity of the original design, avoiding changes that could alter the beloved qualities that fans cherish. Kuperman remarked, “In those days, it was assumed that players would figure things out without explicit guidance. You might have picked up four coffee cups just because you could, quickly learning to manage limited resources. The original game didn’t have waypoints or hand-holding. Players were expected to rise to the challenge, and we believe they will do so again. We want to recapture what was essential about the game back then while ensuring modern players can intuitively engage with it.”
As I continued to navigate the demo of the System Shock 2 Remaster at GDC, I noticed Kuperman chuckling softly, clearly intrigued by observing how newcomers approach the game.
The System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is slated for release on June 26 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam, Epic, GOG).
