WHAT HAPPENED TO SPLIT SCREEN?

[signingupforgames]

I've noticed a trend. An annoying trend. A trend that is summed up in this thread's title.

So What game have you encountered that you believe should have had split screen that decided anyone who played multiplayer was obviously never going to be close enough to someone for the signal to reach(online)?

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Yeah! WTF man! I want my 4 player split screen back!

 

[Radeonx]

It kinda sucks, but I suppose there isn't much you can do about it.
That's why I've been playing tons of Perfect Dark and Halo 3.

 

[Dexiro]

Games these days are usually already pushing their console to the limits. Split screen is basically asking to process 2 lots of what's on-screen at the same time.

 

[sharpmanexe]

thats why i liked halo 3, it had 4 split screen

 

[Irridium]

Simple, online play happened. Specifically Xbox Live/Halo 2 was the start, but the Halo series have always had 4-player splitscreen.

Its sad to see it go. Borderlands and Left 4 Dead 1+2 really could use it. Its a damn shame Saints Row 2 didn't have some form of split-screen.

Ah well, I still have Timesplitters. Timesplitters is awesome. And it has bots which can be played with 4 player split screen. Timesplitters rules.

 

[Wolfy4226]

Simple, online play happened. Specifically Xbox Live/Halo 2 was the start, but the Halo series have always had 4-player splitscreen.

Its sad to see it go. Borderlands and Left 4 Dead 1+2 really could use it.

Ah well, I still have Timesplitters. Timesplitters is awesome.

Actually, Left4dead 2 has Split Screen Co-op.

 

[Gralian]

I always used to play split-screen with mates who came over. Now it's all online. Which is fine but my connection is sketchy at best. What i don't get is why games which clearly have co-op in mind or enabled for online don't have co-op locally. Example is Transformers: War for Cybertron. It'd be great in (two player at least) split screen, who why isn't it a feature?

 

[CK76]

Mod Nation Racers has it.

Sadly Burnout Paradise does not, and it makes no sense for a racing game to not have a least 2 player split screen.

 

[Johnnyallstar]

I would love to see Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood to have split screen multiplayer, but alas and alack, I fear it won't.

I think one of the big reasons why the split screen Multi-player is a dying trend is because of current hardware limitations.

lolwut?

Lets put it this another way. Most of the new games out there that aren't just everyday shooters have deep and complex engines with vast expanses of land. Take Battlefield: Bad Company 2 for example. The consoles just don't have the horsepower to run multiple points of interaction and view at the same time on such a massive scale as the average map in BF:BC2.

 

[Superfly CJ]

Simple, online play happened. Specifically Xbox Live/Halo 2 was the start, but the Halo series have always had 4-player splitscreen.

Its sad to see it go. Borderlands and Left 4 Dead 1+2 really could use it.

Ah well, I still have Timesplitters. Timesplitters is awesome.

Left 4 Dead in particular takes a massive hit in performance with 2-player split. 4 players would be asking for trouble.

Luckily, to compensate for the processing troubles, most games now support system-link. It's not optimal, but it's not like companies are ditching same-room gaming, merely working with what they've got.

Actually, Left4dead 2 has Split Screen Co-op.

As did Borderlands, but I think he was referring to 4 player split-screen, a la Goldeneye.

 

[migo]

It's criminal not to include it. Consoles come with support for between 4 and 7 controllers, why not actually make use of the remaining 3/6?

 

[darkfire613]

I really miss splitscreen. That's one reason my friends and I like Halo so much; it allows four-player splitscreen, and allows those same four people to go into matchmaking as well. Some of my best gaming memories are from four of us clustered around my TV, teamed up online in Halo 3.

 

[ThaBenMan]

I'm sure another reason that it's not implemented much is to force one of the players to buy their own copy of the game.

It does suck - I was excited for Transformers, but I was saddened to hear it didn't have split-screen. It's not so bad with a big enough tv, I think.

 

[Xan Krieger]

I hate how some people think being online eliminates the need for split screen. Not all of us can have our consoles go online whenever we want. For me to hook up my xbox 360 to xbox live I have to run a cable down a hallway and it's a pain in the ass especially with 3 dogs who might decide to chew on it. Besides, there's a certain comradery with playing with people in the same room. It's one thing to talk shit to someone on xbox live, it's entirely another when they're in the same room and can punch you.

Besides, there's nothing like winning a 4 vs 4 match on system link (another dying multiplayer system) and then going and making yourselves sandwhiches to celebrate a battle well fought. Also things like split screen and system link better enable you to control who you're playing with. I don't know about all the matchmaking stuff on xbox live so I just play splitscreen on games like Halo 3 with people I actually know and hang out with.

 

[HaloHappy]

Split screen is sadly becoming less popular, which is total bull shit. I love games that don't force you to shell out $50 a year to play with people. Lookin' at you Microsoft. But I love Perfect Dark and Gears 2, they both have offline bots, and while it can get repetitive, it sure is a bloody good time of fun.

 

[DarkHourPrince]

Yes, split screen is nostalgic and all but while I have not played a multiplayer game online (as I don't play those kinds of things) I can say that it's finally time to be able to play multiplayer and be able to actually SEE what you're doing. Split screen has had its time in the limelight and it is now time for it to go off and die a peaceful death.