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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Video game franchises reinvent themselves in different ways: a reboot can reset a series, a remake can rebuild one game, a new entry can change the formula while preserving continuity, or a later installment can deliberately return to the series’ roots. The examples below are not a ranking. They show how those different approaches can reshape what a franchise feels like to play.
Using “reinvention” to mean a major change in a franchise’s core play loop, perspective, structure, tone, audience, or production approach—or a purposeful return to an earlier identity—six examples have clear support. The available evidence is not strong enough to responsibly name eight, so this list avoids padding it with unsupported picks.
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What counts as a franchise reinvention?
Not every new direction is a reboot, and not every remake resets a series. The distinction matters: it tells you whether a game changes the franchise’s continuity, rebuilds a single earlier title, or shifts its design while carrying its history forward.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches- Reboot: A new start for a franchise, often with a reset or substantial reworking of its established framework. Xbox Wire explicitly identifies Doom (2016) as a reboot.
- Remake or reimagining: A rebuilt version of one game, rather than a reboot of the whole franchise. Resident Evil 2 (2019) is described by its developers as an all-new version that retains the original’s survival-horror identity.
- Formula shift: A major change in how a new entry plays or presents its world, without necessarily discarding continuity. Santa Monica Studio described God of War (2018) as a new beginning, not an origin-story retelling.
- Return to roots: A later entry deliberately foregrounds an earlier series identity after experimentation or change. Assassin’s Creed Mirage renewed the focus on stealth and parkour.
Six franchises that changed direction in distinct ways
1. God of War: a new beginning without an origin-story reboot
God of War (2018) made a dramatic change in direction while retaining Kratos and the franchise’s past. Santa Monica Studio said the team changed every aspect of the game, but did not want to “simply reboot the franchise, starting over with a retelling of the origin story.” The result is best understood as a continuity-preserving new beginning: a major shift in the game’s approach, not a clean break from what came before. Santa Monica Studio’s account of the changes.
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2. Doom: a franchise reboot
Doom (2016) is the clearest reboot in this group: Xbox Wire’s Bethesda and id Software roundtable explicitly uses that label while discussing the effort to modernize the franchise. That makes it distinct from a remake of one earlier game or a sequel that simply continues an existing installment’s story. Xbox Wire’s discussion with Bethesda and id Software.
3. Assassin’s Creed: evolution, a major refresh, then a return to stealth
Assassin’s Creed has changed repeatedly rather than relying on one defining reset. Ubisoft’s 2018 retrospective traces its beginnings to ideas connected to Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, then describes a faster, edgier, more realistic direction. It notes how Assassin’s Creed II developed fighting, navigation, and social stealth, alongside further experiments in later entries. Creative director Jean Guesdon said Origins needed a “big-league refresh.” Ubisoft’s series retrospective.
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Mirage then brought stealth and parkour back as stronger gameplay pillars. Ubisoft’s creative director and lead producer characterized it as an homage and a “remoot,” positioned between remake and reboot. That description captures its particular kind of reinvention: not a franchise-wide reset, but a deliberate return and redefinition of an earlier play identity. Ubisoft’s interview about Mirage.
4. Resident Evil: rebuilding one game while keeping its horror identity
Resident Evil 2 (2019) is a substantial remake and reimagining, not a reboot of the entire Resident Evil franchise. In a developer feature, PlayStation Blog describes the goal as an all-new version with deeper gameplay—not merely a texture-focused remaster—while preserving the survival-horror roots that define the game. Its reinvention is concentrated in one title rather than the series as a whole. PlayStation Blog’s developer feature.
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5. Tomb Raider: reinvention for a modern audience
The GDC Vault session titled “The Reinvention of Tomb Raider” describes a project to renew the iconic franchise for a modern audience, including changes to creative vision and production techniques. That supports calling it a reinvention at the level of the franchise’s development approach and intended audience. The session description does not, by itself, establish specific mechanics or story changes, so those details should not be inferred from it. GDC Vault’s session description.
6. Final Fantasy VII: reinterpreting a landmark game
The Final Fantasy VII remake project offers a different kind of change: a reinterpretation of one beloved installment, not evidence that the entire Final Fantasy franchise was reinvented at that moment. Square Enix’s developer interview discusses Final Fantasy VII Rebirth as part of that story-driven project, including how its world and minigames are handled. This makes it a useful example of revisiting and reshaping a specific game’s experience, rather than a franchise-wide formula reset. Square Enix’s developer interview.
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How these reinventions differ
| Franchise and example | Scale and type of change | Continuity or intent |
|---|---|---|
| God of War (2018) | Major change across the game; formula shift | Preserves Kratos and the franchise’s past; described by the studio as a new beginning, not an origin-story reboot |
| Doom (2016) | Franchise reboot | Xbox Wire’s roundtable describes it as a reboot and discusses modernization |
| Assassin’s Creed Origins and Mirage | Iterative series evolution, a major refresh, then a return-to-roots entry | Mirage re-emphasizes stealth and parkour; Ubisoft calls it a “remoot” and an homage |
| Resident Evil 2 (2019) | Substantial remake of one game | All-new version with deeper gameplay, retaining survival-horror roots |
| Tomb Raider | Franchise reinvention for a modern audience | GDC session description cites changed creative vision and production techniques; detailed design changes are not established there |
| Final Fantasy VII remake project | Reinterpretation of one installment | Developer interview discusses changes to the world and minigames; not a claim about the whole franchise |
Why the label matters
Calling every dramatic change a “reboot” obscures what actually changed. A remake may preserve a game’s identity while rebuilding it; a formula shift can carry continuity forward; and a return-to-roots installment can respond to years of experimentation without erasing them. These six cases show that reinvention is a spectrum, not a single model—and that the most accurate label depends on the scale of the change.
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