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We now know if new Dead Rising game is a remaster or a remake

Frank West on a helicopter in Dead Rising

Capcom just dropped a trailer teasing a return to the Dead Rising franchise, but is the new game a remaster or a remake?

The Dead Rising franchise entered a hiatus after Dead Rising 4 flopped commercially. Capcom expected two million units from the title within months of its release. Dead Rising 4 failed to even hit one million sales. That failure ended with the closure of Capcom Vancouver in 2018, the studio behind the franchise since its second entry.

After a disappointing slate of games in the early 2010s, Capcom finally shook off the rust with the release of Resident Evil 7. Since then, Capcom has been on a roll, releasing hit after hit from its iconic franchises. In 2024, Capcom looked into its vast library and decided Dead Rising deserved to be in the spotlight once more.

Is the new Dead Rising game a remaster or a remake?

Capcom has released a teaser trailer for the Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, but the update looks much closer to a remake than a mere remaster.  Capcom’s remakes of classic Resident Evil titles have proven to be a successful strategy. Fans praised the modern remakes for staying true to the original games’ spirit while feeling like uniquely new experiences. 

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, though called a remaster by its promotional material, looks noticeably better than the original. Frank’s polygon count looks way higher than his 2006 counterpart, far more than a typical remaster would usually show. For many, it looks like an outright remake. Controversially, the voice actor for Frank West is no longer TJ Rolo, which has already many fans of the original smarmy voice.

Frank West from upcoming Dead Rising remake
Frank West in original Dead Rising game

It’s also worth noting Dead Rising had already received an HD remake in 2016 for the franchise’s 10th anniversary. Still, the excitement for a new Dead Rising title after so long overshadowed much of the disappointment. How much Capcom will change from the original game to this remaster remains to be seen.

Fortunately, fans won’t have to wait long to revisit Willamette’s nightmare shopping mall. Capcom is looking to bring this revitalized experience to its fans much sooner than later.

What is the release date for Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster?

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster will launch with a 2024 release date for all modern consoles. Capcom has not yet specified exactly which modern consoles it intends to release this Dead Rising remaster that might be a remake, but the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC are likely landing spots. Whether “modern” extends to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch remains to be seen. 

The announcement of Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster has sparked hope among fans that Capcom will finally revive this fallen franchise. Although a remaster isn’t exactly the same as a full-fledged sequel along the lines of a theoretical Dead Rising 5, this new edition’s potential success could lead Capcom to develop a true follow-up game in the years to come. Conversely, its failure might put Capcom off of Dead Rising indefinitely.

Written by Gab Hernandez X Twitter Logo

Gab Hernandez has a particular love for video games that give players control over the narrative direction, such as Divinity: Original Sin 2 and Disco Elysium. Gab spends just as much time playing games as they do gushing about them online to anyone who will listen. Their work has also been seen on TheGamer, Gfinity, and Wargamer, and you can follow them on Twitter / X at @HardlyWorkinGab.

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