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

[V8 Ninja]

A few years ago, I would have said "Maybe", but right now that's not happening. I actually think there's been a bigger emphasis on single-player content in the past year-or-so, with lots of games trying to have a better quality single-player experience or at least trying to make their solo campaigns last more than 4-6 hours. Now, if we're talking about developers/publishers rewarding and forcing players to play online to benefit their single-player experience, that's a whole other discussion. As in a "Everyone who is associated with a big-name game is trying to do it" discussion.

 

[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.

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.

Well i could just be missing out whole stacks of games entirely, but ive got a few games lately where multiplayer barely gets a look in.
Im not on about games with both here, but games with either only single or multiplayer, which as far as im aware has single player outnumbering multiplayer. (i count wow as one game, expansions are expansions not whole new 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.

Well i could just be missing out whole stacks of games entirely, but ive got a few games lately where multiplayer barely gets a look in.
Im not on about games with both here, but games with either only single or multiplayer, which as far as im aware has single player outnumbering multiplayer. (i count wow as one game, expansions are expansions not whole new games).

I see single player franchises having multiplayer added, like Mass Effect and KOTOR went from single player RPG to MMORPG and we even have an MMORTS now which is about as pointless as it sounds instead of getting a proper sequel. This is the kind of stuff I am talking about.

 

[Dr Jones]

Short answer: No
Long answer: No, but...

I feel as most multiplayer oriented games still have good singleplayer components. Also, Deus Ex is a singleplayer only game, and it came out more recently than Portal 2 (Skyrim is coming out aswell, singleplayer only too). I think people are taking the whole "omfg Sp is dying" a bit too seriously. Singleplayer will be just fine.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

A few years ago I would've probably said yes, but now? No, I don't believe so since as of late I've played some really great single player games like Deus Ex: HR and Catherine, yeah the latter has co-op in puzzles but it was mainly sold for the single player experience.

Plus there are a lot of games coming out that are known for their single player experience, like Batman: Arkham City, Skyrim and Mass Effect 3 to just name a few. So, I think there has been more of an emphasis on SP as of late because companies are starting to realize if you're gonna add MP then it better be good otherwise people aren't going to bother with it and stick with SP.

 

[Alakaizer]

Short answer: No.
Long answer: Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Long serious answer: Not the entire industry, certainly. Many companies still realize that not everyone wants to play with a bunch of people they don't know in places too far away to smack them for playing stupidly. Insomniac, Sucker Punch, Volition, and others still launch primarily single-player games, and will likely continue to do so, because those games are what have made those companies as incredible as they are.

I think some genres are sliding more towards a multi-player focus, possibly because the developers of those games are running low on ideas, but playing games with a friend can significantly alter the experience enough that it increases the value of the game. For instance, Portal 2's single player was really only worth one rental, since I plowed through it in about 5-6 hours, but the co-op testing will keep me coming back as long as they keep adding new levels.

 

[TakeyB0y2]

Single-player? No. Co-op? Hell yes. There are just not enough co-op games out there, and by co-op, I mean OFFLINE co-op. Sure, Left 4 Dead is great and all, but having to haul both my Xbox and my computer monitor (which can be used as a TV as well) over to my friend's house just so we can have 4-player is incredibly asinine.

 

[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.

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.

Well i could just be missing out whole stacks of games entirely, but ive got a few games lately where multiplayer barely gets a look in.
Im not on about games with both here, but games with either only single or multiplayer, which as far as im aware has single player outnumbering multiplayer. (i count wow as one game, expansions are expansions not whole new games).

I see single player franchises having multiplayer added, like Mass Effect and KOTOR went from single player RPG to MMORPG and we even have an MMORTS now which is about as pointless as it sounds instead of getting a proper sequel. This is the kind of stuff I am talking about.

Aaaaaah i see. Well in that case yes i would probably have to agree with you. But then i also seem to be one of the few who think the mw2 and black ops single player were weakened by a main focus on multiplayer. Also i have noticed a few games have a bad habit of leaving the single and co-op campaigns unchanged so it becomes a pain without a second player...

 

[Dusk17]

So if portal 2 was valve's last single player game then have they officially given up on half life?

 

[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.

Well i could just be missing out whole stacks of games entirely, but ive got a few games lately where multiplayer barely gets a look in.
Im not on about games with both here, but games with either only single or multiplayer, which as far as im aware has single player outnumbering multiplayer. (i count wow as one game, expansions are expansions not whole new games).

I see single player franchises having multiplayer added, like Mass Effect and KOTOR went from single player RPG to MMORPG and we even have an MMORTS now which is about as pointless as it sounds instead of getting a proper sequel. This is the kind of stuff I am talking about.

Aaaaaah i see. Well in that case yes i would probably have to agree with you. But then i also seem to be one of the few who think the mw2 and black ops single player were weakened by a main focus on multiplayer. Also i have noticed a few games have a bad habit of leaving the single and co-op campaigns unchanged so it becomes a pain without a second player...

I have been playing games for 30 years now and I can only think of a few games that I enjoyed playing local multiplayer and those were all on the SNES or earlier. I have never liked online multiplayer (I don't understand the appeal of playing with strangers) and that isn't going to change now but if my favorite franchises keep moving to multiplayer focus or multiplayer only then I will be left behind. I see the industry moving away from me which I guess is fine because if the future of single player is always on DRM so I can instantly switch to multiplayer then I want out anyway.

 

[Frozen Donkey Wheel2]

Uncharted 3
Skyrim
Mass Effect 3
Bioshock Infinite
Assassin's Creed Revelations
Batman Arkham City
Modern Warfare 3 (Watch this before you object to that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdKgDVruHfo )


Answer: No. Nice to see the Escapist agrees with me, and disagrees with Yahtzee. For once.

PS: I know some of these games have multiplayer components, but that doesn't actually mean anything about the quality of the single player. You know what other game had multiplayer? PORTAL 2. Yeah, that's right. So shut the hell up.

 

[StrixMaxima]

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.

I'd embrace this business model in a heartbeat. I seldom play Multiplayer titles, and when I do, I play titles that cater exclusively to multiplayer, such as League of Legends or many MMOs.

I feel that, while SP games will never disappear, they will become less and less prevalent, because multiplayer is quite easy on the developers: throw some maps, give people weapons and boom, you don't need a solid storyline anymore, just tight gameplay.

This is why the TES series is my favorite game franchise since forever. They understand what their public wants. You can complain about bugs and unbaked games, but they cater to a very specific market, SP and modders, and they do this gloriously.

 

[ZeroMachine]

No.

... Seriously, I've made this argument so many fucking times, that from now on, I'm just going to say "no".

If we really need to explain it THAT MANY TIMES, there's something wrong.

 

[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.

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.

Well i could just be missing out whole stacks of games entirely, but ive got a few games lately where multiplayer barely gets a look in.
Im not on about games with both here, but games with either only single or multiplayer, which as far as im aware has single player outnumbering multiplayer. (i count wow as one game, expansions are expansions not whole new games).

I see single player franchises having multiplayer added, like Mass Effect and KOTOR went from single player RPG to MMORPG and we even have an MMORTS now which is about as pointless as it sounds instead of getting a proper sequel. This is the kind of stuff I am talking about.

Aaaaaah i see. Well in that case yes i would probably have to agree with you. But then i also seem to be one of the few who think the mw2 and black ops single player were weakened by a main focus on multiplayer. Also i have noticed a few games have a bad habit of leaving the single and co-op campaigns unchanged so it becomes a pain without a second player...

I have been playing games for 30 years now and I can only think of a few games that I enjoyed playing local multiplayer and those were all on the SNES or earlier. I have never liked online multiplayer (I don't understand the appeal of playing with strangers) and that isn't going to change now but if my favorite franchises keep moving to multiplayer focus or multiplayer only then I will be left behind. I see the industry moving away from me which I guess is fine because if the future of single player is always on DRM so I can instantly switch to multiplayer then I want out anyway.

Ah so youve got twice the experiance, ive only been playing for 15 years, thoguh i do still enjoy (and spent far too much time playing on the bus) pacman. heck ive got a stack of games from the snes, n64, ps1 etc that i like more than a lot of modern games, but thats another issue. And yeah, i seem to be one of the few people around without a psn account, partly cause i dislike online multiplayer but also cause i dont like patches. As for series moving away, some it was a natural thing i think, like fps and tps games to some extent, rts as well, but theres some games that it does feel like the multiplayer was crowbared in cause its popular atm...
But then theres also some games where an added multiplayer can potentially something that expands the game play without the annoying need for other people (god that sounded cynical!), like infamous 2 where you can download new missions that other people have made, though i had to try that out on a friends one.

But back to the vague point i was making, while there is an increase in multiplayer, i dont think it will out single player, as popular as multiplayer is, single player is still popular enough to do a lot of damage if ignored, so i hope this trend of more focus on multiplayer will end soon otherwise ill have to start playing more of my older games.

Actually, might do that anyway ^^

 

[M920CAIN]

I'm against multiplayer becoming mainstream (which it kinda has). BUT I LOVE CAMPAIGN COOP ADVENTURES! Can't get enough of them. I like playing and experiencing stories while with either my brother or a friend who shares similar tastes. To me that's what gaming should be. Bonding... I do hope to see more carefully crafted single players in the future though

 

[Randomperson9999999]

i don't really think they are leaving us out yet

 

[The-Epicly-Named-Man]

To an extent. I still believe that multi-player = bad single-player, but unfortunately it seems some devs do. There are still some great single-player games being made, but it seems certain genres are moving away from that, such as FPSs.

 

[aba1]

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?

I think the real question is whether soon will you need internet just play games?

 

[Epona]

No.

... Seriously, I've made this argument so many fucking times, that from now on, I'm just going to say "no".

If we really need to explain it THAT MANY TIMES, there's something wrong.

If you aren't going to explain, why post here?

 

[Hipsy_Gypsy]

I wouldn't be particularly bothered, of course certain games would need to be single player, surely, however, I'm deterred from online gaming because of the attitudes of many other gamers. So, that being said, I tend to prefer playing online games with people that I actually know. I like to avoid the arse holes as much as possible basically, lol.


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