Lunchtime Discussion: Multiplayer Modes

Your usual host for Lunchtime Discussion is having a hectic day so I’ve been asked to step into the breach and hurriedly come up with a subject. So how about this then: Do you prefer your Multiplayer to be an offline affair, where you have your opponents in the same room, or would you rather be playing against people on another continent in online Multiplayer?

Personally I prefer to be in the same room as my opponents for most games. Obviously there are considerations to be made. I often find a split screen distracting for racers or shooters but it can sometimes be worth putting up with for the benefits of being able to throw coasters at your mate’s head when he spawn-camps.

Some games, like the upcoming MAG and, to be fair most other shooters, simply wouldn’t work in local multiplayer but would you like to see a standard option to have two local players taking on the multitudes of the internet, essentially a mix of the two?

As I said, I usually prefer local games with actual friends but there is a lot to be said for online multiplayer. Making friends, always having access to a game against a human opponent and learning new ways to play all immediately spring to mind. Is it worth putting up with the endless small-minded insult-culture that has invaded online gaming for the benefits it provides?

Well, this is a discussion, let us know what you prefer, why and if there’s anything you’d like to see in the future of Multiplayer.