Blade Runner’s 1997 Game is Being Remade!

Did you know that there was a Blade Runner PC game? Admittedly, releasing back in 1997, I daresay that many of you reading this may not have even have been born when it came out. Trust me when I say though that I consider it to be one of the greatest adventure games ever made. Albeit, something of a flawed masterpiece.

How much do I love this game, though? Well, I own two physical copies of it (long story) as well as the recently released version on GOG.com. I love it that much!

If the mere mention of it has already tickled your nostalgia bones, however, then I have some amazing news for you. Yes, Blade Runner 1997 is being remade (or remastered, depending on how you view it) and, better still, it will release for PC, Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch!

Blade Runner 1997 is Being Remade

In a report via HollywoodReporter, it has been confirmed that Nightdive Studios, a developer well associated with remaking older games, has successfully obtained the rights to remaster the original 1997 PC gaming classic.

So, at this point, you might be wondering why this has taken so long? Well, put simply, when Westwood Studios (the original developer) moved following its acquisition by EA, the original source code was lost. As such, a true remaster or remake was rendered practically impossible or, at the very least, more than a little tricky.

So, what has changed to now make it possible? Are they remaking the game from the ground up? Well, the team developing the remake has essentially found a means to reverse engineer the files. As such, they are now back into a state in which they can be modified and upgraded. It does, therefore, largely sit as both a remake and remaster.

What Do We Think?

To say I’m delighted about this news would be a huge understatement. Despite not doing particularly well in sales when launched, Blade Runner 1997 was a huge technological achievement for the PC. While I won’t go into the details, one of the most stand-out aspects of it was how amazing it looked. Yet, and this is the mind-blowing part, it did not require a dedicated graphics card (or 3D accelerator as they were known back then). In addition, the game also included multiple endings giving (although not always achieving) a non-linear feel.

While no exact release date has been disclosed, Blade Runner is expected to release before the end of this year. As such, you can bet your boots I’m going to be all over this when it lands!

What do you think? Have you ever played Blade Runner? Are you looking forwar to this remake/remaster? – Let us know in the comments!