As time goes on, technology continues to expand, and with it, games grow, and limitations are broken down to the point where games look and feel next-gen. But with advancements, many old games have been lost and can’t be played, or, if they are, they are held back by the limitations of their era. That’s where remakes and remasters come into play, though many are on the fence about remakes, as players fear the game will not resemble its past self or that it’s just nostalgia bait. But with remakes like Dead Space and Resident Evil, many are warming up to them and are asking for other old games to get the same treatment. And on June 5, 2026, the Gothic 1 remake was released and took off, selling over 500,000 copies in one week and receiving an 85% “very positive” review on Steam.

Gothic Remake is a revitalization of the original Gothic, allowing new and old players to experience the game on modern hardware, as is the premise of the remake. The original Gothic was released in 2001 as an action role-playing game that was a huge success due to its “zero-to-hero” progression system and player freedom to explore the world and make choices. And now, 25 years later, we get the remake of this beloved game, and it’s been a huge success, selling over 500,000 copies and maintaining an 85% “very positive” rating on Steam. And on June 7, it peaked at almost 78,000 concurrent players on Steam. Both THQ and Alkimia Interactive issued a message about this major milestone.

“Alkimia Interactive and THQ Nordic are thrilled by this initial success and extend a heartfelt thank you to all players who have entered the Colony so far – and especially to all of the long-time dedicated fans who have supported the Gothic franchise over the past 25 years. This milestone would not have been possible without such a passionate community.”

As mentioned before, remakes have been a bit contentious in the gaming scene, as some have drastically changed games to the point that they no longer feel the same, or prey on nostalgia, baiting people into buying them. But as remakes like Gothic 1 are released, they are becoming increasingly well-received, with many players hoping to see some of their old childhood games receive the same treatment. Hats off to Alkimia Interactive on the success of the game, and I hope to see more from them in the future, as stated in this final message:

“This marks only the beginning. Alkimia Interactive will continue to support and improve the Gothic 1 Remake in the weeks and months ahead.”