In recent years, video game remasters have become increasingly popular, with publishers releasing updated versions of some of the most iconic titles of all time. Despite many of our favorites being reprised for newer platforms, many classic games have been left behind, with fans missing titles from the GTA to the Crash Bandicoot and Sims franchises
The study has analyzed the most in-demand video games and has asked GAME’s audience to vote on their most wanted remaster.
Fans’ Most Wanted Remasters
GAME asked their audience which titles they loved the most on Twitter through a series of polls in the ultimate battle to name fans’ favorite.
Fans named Simpsons Hit and Run as their most wanted remaster, beating 15 other titles, including Sims Urbs, Red Dead Redemption, and Tony Hawks Skater Pro in a head-to-head vote. The cartoon classic won 44% of the final vote, winning over 20% more fans than GTA San Andreas which came in second place.
Despite there being 27 Simpsons video game titles, we haven’t been able to play as the iconic family on PlayStation or Xbox consoles since the release of ‘The Simpsons Game’ in 2007, and it’s clear fans are yearning for Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, and Maggie to return over 30 years after their show first aired.
Famous titles, Metal Gear Solid and Bull,y also made it into the final four.
The Most In-Demand Video Game Remasters
The study also analyzed several factors, including Google search volumes, the number of articles on each title, average engagements with articles, and search trends to discover the games that fans are most desperate to play on modern consoles.
| Rank | Game | Yearly Global Search Volume | Global Search Trend | Number of Articles | Avg Activities | Love Reactions | Index Score |
| 1 | GTA San Andreas | 753600 | 123% | 449 | 268 | 67% | 403.3 |
| 2 | Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 & 4 | 60500 | 173% | 371 | 214 | 71% | 384.0 |
| 3 | Red Dead Redemption | 146400 | 84% | 95 | 620 | 53% | 366.0 |
| 4 | Bully | 57400 | 50% | 40 | 104 | 91% | 329.3 |
| 5 | GTA Vice City | 452200 | -18% | 498 | 198 | 74% | 344.3 |
| 6 | Tomb Raider | 20400 | 50% | 110 | 8 | 93% | 303.1 |
| 7 | Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64) | 4620 | 52% | 178 | 97 | 84% | 305.7 |
| 8 | SSX Tricky | 5740 | 51% | 11 | 33897 | 79% | 298.6 |
| 9 | Simpsons Hit & Run | 52700 | -33% | 55 | 17059 | 77% | 311.2 |
| 10 | Sims Urbz | 1280 | 133% | 50 | 47 | 92% | 289.5 |
GTA San Andreas comes out on top. Released in 2004, the title is the seventh in the GTA series. The game was featured in the Xbox One Backward Compatible library in 2018. However, it is not currently optimized to play on the newest PlayStation or Xbox consoles.
The study reveals the title is searched for over 750,000 times a year on Google and has featured in 449 articles in the last year, which have bumped the title up to the top of the results.
Taking second place is Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3&4. After the successful remaster of the first two titles, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1&2, fans are desperate for the third and fourth installments of the games to be re-released. Google search trends for the title are up 175% and with 71% positive reactions to articles, the title has been boosted into second place.
Red Dead Redemption sits in third. Released in May 2010, the game was loved by critics and fans alike. The research reveals high demand for a remaster with over 146,000 searches a year for the title. Articles on the game average 620 engagements, meaning over a decade later, the game is still getting fans talking.
Tomb Raider and Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time also make the top ten, with searches trending upward of over 50% for both titles.
Classic titles Resident Evil, Fallout New Vegas, Chrono Cross, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer round off the top 20.
The Top 30 Video Game Remasters
The full study includes thirty titles from various publishers. From Sims Urbz to The Simpsons Game and Resident Evil, check out the full results below.
