Single Player gamers, do you think the industry is moving away from you?

[Epona]

It seems companies are now beginning to abandon single player. Talk of Portal 2 being the last single player focused type of game from Valve. Blizzard's single player mode is basically to play an MMO by yourself. I would have preferred KOTOR III to another damn MMO and I would have preferred Age of Empires 4 to the Age of Empires Online.

Do you think that if this keeps up, you will lose interest in gaming in the near future?

 

[Renegade-pizza]

I'm not so sure about that. Many companies (like Bioware) still emphasize story , which is largely single player focused. CoD has brilliant multi- and singleplayer. Blizzard games have brilliant Single Player! Starcraft was rich and varied. I haven't played Diablo 3 yet, but its co-op is entirely optional.

So, no, games may be using more multiplayer, etc., but it doesn't have to affect singleplayer. Mass Effect 3's multiplayer is being developed by a completely different group from the SP team.

 

[Sonicron]

Let me contemplate your question while I keep counting the days until the release of Arkham City.

 

[agent_orange420]

i would prefer to get the single player cheaper separately, or go on-line and play multiplayer for free or a one off subscription. i have enjoyed playing multiplayer, but if i get a game, i don't want the single player be tacked on or shorter because the multiplayer is what is being championed

 

[Fanfic_warper]

I think that while there are still plenty of good single player games out there, there is evidence of games moving AWAY from single player.

Take Mass Effect. 2 games of a solid single player campaign.....now adding a multiplayer function....I'm a little dissapointed. I admired the game for a solid story even though I didn't care much for the game itself.

Halo had a half-decent story, but part way through the campaign, to me it felt like the designers dropped the story in favor of working on the multiplayer.

Finally, the fact that there are multiplayer EXCLUSIVES out there like MAG and DC Universe. Now while these aren't exactly game of the year quality (but I do like MAG and wish more people would fill the interdiction queue) they are evidence I feel that the industry is tinkering around more and more with multiplayer functions...I can only hope the idea of a good single player campaign will still stand.

 

[krazykidd]

I just wish multiplayer was sold separately. Sell us the real game cheaper. I would rather not pay for things I didn't use.

This . Split the cost ,60/40 for singleplayer/multiplayer, while having a copy of both at regular price.

 

[EHKOS]

I just wish multiplayer was sold separately. Sell us the real game cheaper. I would rather not pay for things I didn't use.

This . Split the cost ,60/40 for singleplayer/multiplayer, while having a copy of both at regular price.

This is a great idea. I hate Multiplayer, I never play it because my Xbox is in the other room, and I straight up don't play it. The only multiplayer game I ever play is TF2. I'm usually in a game for the story not a bunch of random firefights with people you wouldn't want to cross IRL.

 

[Som_kun]

I remember the days where i would spend 2 hours digging through the PSX area at the local blockbuster trying to find a multiplayer game that wasn't sports based, because I had a friend coming over for the weekend, and we couldn't coop in any of my other games because they were well made single player experiences. what happened to that? now every game has some multi aspect, which is the only thing people care about anymore. just because there's a handful of new games like that, doesn't mean that handful doesn't keep getting smaller every year.

 

[VoidWanderer]

I have nothing against multiplayer games, I just wish that games weren't padded with multiplayer content. If I wanted to be social with gamers I would go out and meet them. Making friends through digital platforms makes as much sense as struggling in a pool of quicksand. There are too many reports of kids mocking player skill because they got a lucky shot or something. It is just depressing.

 

[RagTagBand]

Yes, It seems that every game these days has to have some semblance of multiplayer, or co-op, or both, regardless of the game.

Don't get me wrong though, I dont care whether a Developer wants to add multiplayer or not, I only care if it detracts from the single player.

 

[Epona]

I'm not so sure about that. Many companies (like Bioware) still emphasize story , which is largely single player focused.

HA HA HA HA HA! Are you serious, Mass Effect is going from a single player, story driven experience to adding in multiplayer and we don't really know what that is going to mean for the single player portion. We saw the wonderful story emphasis of Dragon Age 2. Hell, these days I think Bioware wants to make either MMO's or dating sims.

Blizzard games have brilliant Single Player! Starcraft was rich and varied.

Are you talking about the original Starcraft released 13 years ago? That games doesn't belong in this discussion because we are talking about what the industry is CURRENTLY doing. If you are talking about Starcraft 2, the one that encourages you to play single player online, I wouldn't know as the DRM drove me away. BNET 2.0 isn't just DRM, it's also multiplayer centered and from here on out, it appears all Blizzard games will be always online. Remember, if you wanna play Diablo offline, you're doing it wrong.

CoD has brilliant multi- and singleplayer.

COD, as most shooters are, is mostly about the online multiplayer. If you pay $60 to play COD single player, you won't get your money worth.

So, no, games may be using more multiplayer, etc., but it doesn't have to affect singleplayer.

That's naive.

Mass Effect 3's multiplayer is being developed by a completely different group from the SP team.

I bet the group is working for free. None of the budget is going to pay for adding in multiplayer and without multiplayer, that group would not be working on the single player.

 

[TornadoFive]

Portal 2
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Batman: Arkham City
Skyrim

The games I have bought/will buy this year. All are single=player focused, indeed, only Portal 2 had any multi-player. All are either excellent, or are shaping up to be fantastic.

I'd say single=player isn't going away. Multi-player additions to a single player game just adds more features to draw people in.

 

[Windcaler]

If you take only the AAA side of the industry into account then I can see why some people might say single player is disappearing but to say that wholeheartedly seems at best ludicrous. Every year that are a ton of independent titles (that are often really good) which are completely single player focused.

Problem is, as the AAA side of the industry moves away from single player I think they will find themselves with less sales. There are only a few games I play for the multiplayer, everything else I buy to play the single player aspect. I might try it out due to curiousity like in the case of Space Marine but more then likely I wont be playing it very long

 

[Epona]

If you take only the AAA side of the industry into account then I can see why some people might say single player is disappearing but to say that wholeheartedly seems at best ludicrous. Every year that are a ton of independent titles (that are often really good) which are completely single player focused.

Problem is, as the AAA side of the industry moves away from single player I think they will find themselves with less sales. There are only a few games I play for the multiplayer, everything else I buy to play the single player aspect. I might try it out due to curiousity like in the case of Space Marine but more then likely I wont be playing it very long

Well, indie developers tend to make games that would run on an SNES but they use an art style to make them stand out. An art style that more often than not is ugly and there is a reason AAA games don't utilize such an art style.

If I want to play a side scrolling platformer, I won't play Trine, I'll play a Sonic or a Mario game. That's just me though.

 

[agent_orange420]

was awesome to be able to play micro machines 2 with loads of people (8 on 4 controllers?) or 4 player goldeneye. but at the same time, the single player in goldeneye was awesome. mltiplayer can add to the package, but if developers are moving to free online multiplayer versions (FIFA online, Need for speed), okies, be my guest, but give me the improved single player for less, not tacked on co-op or a multiplayer which reduces the playability of the main game.

 

[dickywebster]

If portal 2 will be the last single player focused game vavle release, what about half life 2 episode 3?
Or are they just hoping we've forgotten about that one?

Otherwise no, while theres a noticeable leaning towards multiplayer, single player is still going strong, though there are games where the single player plays second fiddle, pure single player games still outnumber pure multiplayer games.

 

[Epona]

If portal 2 will be the last single player focused game vavle release, what about half life 2 episode 3?
Or are they just hoping we've forgotten about that one?

Otherwise no, while theres a noticeable leaning towards multiplayer, single player is still going strong, though there are games where the single player plays second fiddle, pure single player games still outnumber pure multiplayer games.

Really, because most games have both these days and MMO's fall into the Multiplayer only group.

If you are going to count indie titles, well, I don't as I don't care to play most indie titles. The whole "it's a different art style" means less than nothing to me.