So for a while now the trend has been towards the dominance of multi-player experiences, from MMOs to Halo these are the titles that are at the top of the industry right now. Even games that you couldn’t imagine moving towards a multi-player stance, like Dead Space or Assassin’s Creed, are having success with integrating a multi-player component. We’re at the point now where EA are on record as saying they don’t see a place for single player only games going forwards. So the question is simple, is this the end of the single player experience?
As someone who rarely plays online I feel like I should say I really hope not, but then again my two biggest picks from last year (Halo: Reach and Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood) had compelling single player campaigns that were simply expanded by multi-player experiences if you chose to logon. I didn’t do that much, or at all with Brotherhood, but I didn’t really feel like I was missing out on anything by focusing on the solo experience. I still loved the titles; even without Brotherhood’s multi-player I still invested a good twenty to thirty hours in it.
I am, however, perfectly aware that my attitude to multi-player modes certainly makes me an outlier in modern gaming, the number of hours that players are now putting into multi-player games makes that pretty clear. Gamers collectively invest tens of millions of hours into multi-player gaming, so even though I bare no real love for going online with my games I can certainly understand why it’s cropping up in more games.
The real question is why do developers want you online with their games? Most titles are free to play from the developer’s point of view; although you may pay Microsoft for an Xbox Live Gold account that’s not being channelled to the developer or publisher when you play one of their titles. Of course the obvious answer is multi-player DLC. New maps, costumes etc… can easily be added into online modes without needing a huge amount of work put into getting it to fit with the single player campaign. Rather than writing a new story and making it work with what already exists, you simply slot in new content without worrying about how it interacts with the rest of the title.
The other reason, one that may actually be more important but is often overlooked, is to do with the “long tail”. Developers and publishers want you to still be playing their title months or years after release, even if you’re not giving them any money for the privilege. Why? Well firstly even if you’re not paying them anything, you’re helping to keep the game thriving and others may well buy something. Secondly it keeps the game fresh in your mind, and makes it significantly more likely that you’ll buy another one of their titles in the future.
Given these factors it seems logical for developer’s to focus on multi-player content over single player content. However I don’t think single player gaming is dead quite yet, more that it’s going through an evolution. It started with titles like Gears of War implementing drop-in, drop-out co-op throughout the game. Now titles like Mindjack and Brink are taking it a step further, with other players able to become not just your comrades but also you’re enemies.
This integration of multi-player into single player modes seems like it’s the natural next stop in gaming. Not abandoning single player altogether, but just pulling multi and single player experiences together into one cohesive experience. I don’t think we’re seeing the last hurrah of solo play, we’re just starting to see hints of what may come next.
jaberwocky_eidas
I don’t play online, having neither the time nor inclination to prat about with jaded CODers who play despite their increasing boredom with it, like smackheads who want to quit but can’t. Single player is a GAME, one human battling against the AI hordes, exploring alien planets and freeing goblins of their lives in dark and mysterious dungeons. Multiplayer online is an faceless mess of random people, pitching mike the tranny trucker from hull against jimmy the fray boy racist from Texas. No thanks. Single player involves crafting a complete other world, with voice actors and concept creation. Multiplayer lacks this extra grandeur.
R4U Eldave0
” pitching mike the tranny trucker from hull against jimmy the fray boy racist from Texas. No thanks”
I lol’d
R4U Eldave0
As much as I enjoy the occasional game or two with some mates online, I am definately a single player game for the most part. Games like Condemned 2 and Bioshock 2 were ruined by developers spending too much time squeezing completely pointless multiplayer modes into their games rather than focussing on their single player components. Occasionally there are exceptions such as Uncharted 2 and Dead Space 2, which are quite fun, but I would still prefer they didn’t bother and just spend a bit more time polishing the single player mode.
lukieboy1981
I am with tonycawley, I use “cool” a lot and I am 29 lol
ThatBoyTim
Here’s my opinion for what its worth:
Multiplayer is seen as a way of keeping customers, minimising the second hand market and maximising sales value.
I know that I will buy some single player games early in their release, but there’s no real rush as I don’t have to worry about playing catch up with fans that are learning maps inside out or unlocking all the cool weapons etc. Thus I can wait and save significantly on the launch price and get it when it’s discounted and slipping down the charts.
By adding multiplayer to games like Dead Space for instance the chances are more fans will buy earlier.
Even a good single player game today will find itself being traded in or sold on ebay. A good solid multiplayer will minimise this and maintain new game sales for longer.
Our money is precious and £40 is a lot for most people to justify these days so the more a dev & publisher can pack into the game the better value for money it appears to be.
ThatBoyTim
Note I said “appears to be”… Multiplayer is not always worth it.
Crazy_Del
I love singleplayer it feels like your in the story you are a lead actor/actress fighting crime or saving the planet. Most singleplayer games were very successful such the likes of Uncharted, DeadSpace, Resident Evil, Arkham Asylum and such. Online/multiplayer is great additional but it can bore as it pretty much repeats, i.e shoot, gain experience – upgrade weapon, shoot gain another experince and repeat. Also online can be broken and can ruin the fun – hackers/glitches/cheaters/quitters and multiplayer will frustrate players more than World at War on Veteran mode lol.
I’m more of a single player man myself along with co op.
Smartlover
And then there’s ea with the online pass thing… Bought moh second hand, and now have to pay to go online. I can see their point in wanting something out of the secondhand market, but for me definately no online moh.
jikomanzoku
Aside from MAG the only multiplayer I ever touch in games are co-op modes – we all get to be the hero, everyones a winner and everyone goes away happy. Just makes sense to me.