Reimagining the Familiar

Reimagining the Familiar

In the last few years, we have seen new viral games and experiences being built on top of longstanding traditions and concepts. Popular games like Echo Chess, Balatro, and Words with Friends have all innovated on the core games they are based on.

Echo Chess (Chess, 1400s): Echo Chess offered a new spin on the game of chess by adding a clever twist: after every capture, your piece transforms into the type it just defeated. For instance, if your bishop captures a knight, your bishop now becomes a knight, forcing you to constantly adapt your strategy as your pieces morph with each exchange. The result is a shape-shifting, logic-driven puzzle that keeps even seasoned chess players on their toes.

Balatro (Poker, 1820s): Balatro reimagines classic poker by blending it with the depth and unpredictability of roguelike deck-builders. While it starts with the familiarity of drawing cards and assembling hands, it quickly turns into innovative territory as you unlock unpredictable power-ups, create your own rules, and stack bonuses in ways only possible in a digital game. The joy comes not just from winning a hand, but from cleverly breaking the game’s logic. Users create combos and achieve high scores you would never see at a traditional poker table. This mix of strategy and chaos changes every round into its own thrilling puzzle, attracting both poker purists and adventurous gamers alike.

Words with Friends (Scrabble, 1931): Words with Friends took everything beloved about Scrabble (which is also a derivative of prior games, such as anagrams) and gave it a modern, social twist. By moving gameplay online, it tore down barriers so there was no need for a physical board or a live opponent, just your phone and a friend playing asynchronously, anytime, anywhere. With features like in-game chat and notifications, you are not just swapping tiles but also deepening social connections.

Each of the adaptations above of popular games brought in new players and added new ways for old players to engage. These games had been around for decades, if not centuries, and had seen almost no change in the core experience.

Banana Ball

A live event example of how powerful reimagining an old tradition (baseball) can be is Banana Ball. Created by the Savannah Bananas under Jesse Cole’s leadership, Banana Ball is an entertaining twist on traditional baseball. Major League Baseball had long struggled to attract younger audiences, despite Commissioner Rob Manfred’s attempts to modernize the sport through faster-paced games and flashier marketing (though it has recently begun to trend positively). But Banana Ball took innovation even further, blending athleticism with showmanship and making fans central to the action.

Unlike ordinary baseball, Banana Ball’s rules put fans in the spotlight. For example, if a fan catches a foul ball, the batter is called out. Fans also vote on in-game decisions, and many jump on the field for races and dance-offs. With perks like all-you-can-eat tickets, the ballpark becomes more festival than stadium, deepening every fan’s sense of belonging.

While this might initially seem like a gimmick to someone looking in from the outside, the results are impossible to ignore. Not only have the Savannah Bananas sold out Clemson Memorial Stadium (81k fans), Raymond James Stadium (65k fans), Angel Stadium (45k fans), Fenway Park (37k fans), and Bank of America Stadium (75k fans), but they are also expanding by adding more teams that will compete against each other (WSAV). They have sold out every game since their inaugural season, and the ticket waitlist has more than 2m fans from all over the world (Find Your Yellow Tux).

Their success demonstrates that even traditional in-person events can be adapted in ways that keep the core experience intact while introducing new aspects that attract new fans. Reimagining the familiar is not limited to digital experiences.

The Future of Games is Familiarity

The gaming industry is at a point where the most innovative game concepts do not always become the most popular. In fact, the prevalence of reskinned, slightly updated franchises like Call of Duty and Madden, alongside repetitive, ad-driven mobile games, might suggest a lack of innovation. However, we believe that this trend may actually be a reflection of consumer preferences.

While players do not crave the exact same experience repeatedly, they do seem to value familiarity. Recognizable games lower the learning curve, making it easier for players to try something new when it is built upon known foundations. Sometimes, adding new features or subtle gameplay changes to an established medium is enough to encourage players to give new games a chance.

Developers should continue revisiting established games or concepts that may have plateaued in popularity. By leveraging brand recognizability and introducing innovative mechanics, they can offer long-time fans something new while also attracting fresh audiences.

This approach benefits IP holders as well. Epic Games’ Fortnite is a prime example: through partnerships, limited-time events, bold gameplay changes, a constantly evolving environment, and the addition of Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), Epic has taken risks in gameplay and additional features (weapons, limited time events, etc) that many traditional studios would avoid. These risks have opened up unique opportunities for IP holders, enabling both current and new fans to interact with franchises in exciting new ways; however, it also emphasizes the importance of protecting your IP. If IP is increasingly your moat, protecting that moat is paramount.

Takeaway: In gaming, players do not necessarily want endless novelty, they crave a balance between what they know and meaningful change. The sweet spot is often found by thoughtfully remixing established experiences, leveraging brand recognition, and daring to introduce surprising new elements. This approach does not just breathe new life into old favorites; it strengthens fan loyalty, attracts new audiences, and opens up fresh possibilities for IP holders willing to iterate rather than simply repeat.