Poll: Single-player only games vs Multiplayer only games?

[Chefsbrian]

The problem is that very few games have long lived multiplayer components. There's a few exceptions to this, like Red Orchestra, or ARMA, but they generally stay in place because their multiplayer component fills a very specific niche.

Otherwise, servers go down, the community moves on to the newest release, and all that old content goes fallow, unable to be enjoyed. Singleplayer, or even just competent bots, makes things vastly longer lived. Hell, I was playing UT2004 against bots a couple days ago, great time too, because the solo play options ended up being well fleshed out.

I voted singleplayer in the poll, obviously.

 

[Smooth Operator]

SP only is the preference because the game will have a story and a specific structure every time, I can also play it on my own time, my own pace and the way I want, and do not depend on the attendance of others. My experience will not depend on other peoples performance, will not depend on their behavior, their requirements of me, their internet access or mine, them cheating or me cheating,... and a million more dependencies you do not get with SP.

MP meanwhile hinges entirely on the community, if your matches are enjoyable or not is a complete random chance of events outside your control. And because they are community driven you also can't do story, you can't do structure, you do map after map of the same old repeating match, sure the dynamic will change but only within a very small window the mechanics allow, most of it is endless repetition.
And being online only you got a countdown clock looming over your head, when the devs call it quits your game is broken for good.

Not that one will be better always then the other, just that the number of undefined variables in MP make it 100x more difficult to work right. And I particularly despise these new full priced + DLC every week MP only games, because they barely come with content comparable to SP+MP games when they would actually need to come in with tons more to make up for the content gap, but no they give you the bare minimum and then use that shit as the DLC milking platform, you can shove that shit right up your ass.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Single player.

I dislike being hooked online in order to played multiplayer especially when I have connection problem. The only exception is the split screen back in the good old days of multiplaying.

 

[EscapeGoat_v1legacy]

Single player without a shadow of a doubt. Multiplayer-only games hold absolutely no interest for me. I don't mind if a game is multiplayer-focused but has a single player campaign though but yeah, I much prefer single player games to anything multiplayer-only.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I strongly prefer playing on my own. If I do play multiplayer, I only really play locally. I've never had the best experiences with online multiplayer...Splatoon is as good as it's ever been for me when it comes to online multiplayer. In general I just don't trust my internet connection. It's hardly stable enough to maintain a long youtube video so online gaming isn't really an option for me even if I was more interested.

 

[balladbird]

Gotta throw my lot in with the majority, this time. Nothing makes a game less palatable to me than having to play it with random strangers online, plus multiplayer focused games take their multiplayer status as an excuse to be even MORE half-assed with their stories, and videogame stories struggle enough when they're trying.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

I (like most people, I would imagine) like a mix of both. In any new game I look for a well rounded, filled out single-player campaign as - to me - gaming is a relaxing hobby I do to unwind. That having been said there are times I fancy hooning about with my friends and this is where the multiplayer element comes in; not as important as the single-player experience but still a factor ... I would say a 70/30 split in favour of single-player.

I think though, ultimately, I should come down on the side of single-player. I would've (for example) been royally pissed off if Skyrim had been multiplayer, and I am quite narked that Battlefieldfront is multiplayer only, so I guess when push comes to shove I prefer the individual experience.

 

[Nuuu]

Im going to shout against the crowd a bit because I voted multiplayer.

I have no issue with single-player only games, and i enjoy one every once in a while, but multiplayer and co-op is where games shine for me personally. Other players is what makes games re-playable and varied in each experience. Multiplayer games are what what hold most of my playtime. If i can spend over 1800 hours in one game, i can say it was a good purchase.

Of course saying that these can't exist together is silly. You can create an engaging single player mode as well as a fun multiplayer mode, the problem is when the developers aren't invested in one or the other and yet make it anyways.
It also doesn't help when multiplayer focused games with the same type of play style is released regularly.

 

[StormShaun]

Always single-player.
I like it for the story, plot, and characters.
These kind of games have always done better when it comes to these things... Yes, some multiplayer only games do have good story and such, it is just that I would rather stick to single-player games... Especially when we consider the quality of my internet and computer.

 

[Lufia Erim]

5 years ago i would have said single player only. Back then i didn't care for online multiplayer at all. But somehow i got weaned on multiplayer and now most of the games i play are multiplayer games. I like the competition i guess. However. I do not voice chat. Ever. Talking through txt is fine, you'll never hear my voice.

So my answer is multiplayer only.

 

[Sn0wGl0be]

Single Player for many reasons, but I don't think it's fair to vote for SP or MP "only". I'm a SP gamer all the way any day of the week, but I'd prefer to support games everyone can enjoy. Keep a balance, and if a game is focused on say MP to start with (i.e Planetside 2, or Chivalry: Medieval Warfare), then SP or even PvE would be welcome for sure, but I wouldn't want to ruin the experience for fans who explicitly bought that title for online MP (and vice versa). Uncharted is a good example where you can do both well and welcome both crowds.

From my experience however, there are many selfish online MP addicts who will not return the favor, believing everyone should conform to "their" particular preferred method of gaming (not all of them obviously, and I'm sure there's SP fans like that too). I.e You get a group of them on one fanbase together and once they learn they're the majority, they're no longer willing to compromise, because they know they don't have to. They know, even in a series that has always been about both MP and SP (and even if SP simply means PvE, i.e Battlefront 2's Instant Action), or even just SP, that companies like the "The Worst Company In America" two-time award winner will be all too eager to ditch the latter for the sake of more online-dependence and control. Killing off the best SP has to offer, a solo experience, the ability to test the maps or hone our skills without being harassed, playing according to our preferences and our timeframe, eternal replayability, and along with it many core fans, all so they can have another online game all to themselves.....Anyone who wants to experience the full game without needing other people, or play it after it's no longer the flavour of the month, are SOL.

There's nothing wrong with options, especially ones that benefit everyone and respects both audiences. "You pay us $60 so you can play our way until we decide to shut off the servers on you" becoming the norm these days is a real shame, to say the least.

 

[Lufia Erim]

5 years ago i would have said single player. But as time goes on, i kind of appreciate the social competition of multiplayer games.

I don't know when it happened, but i think i was weaned onto multiplayer. Hell i haven't played a single player game in months.

 

[Ogoid]

I've been gaming since the only way multiplayer was even an option was to have people beside you holding controllers number 2 through 4, and even then I didn't particularly care for it.

Making a game multiplayer-only is a sure-fire way not to get my money.

 

[Barbas]

Locked to ward off evil spirits. Please do not practice necromancy.