The Extinction of the Single Player Experience?

[heater41]

Once single player goes, so do I. I have no desire to play online anymore against those who "cheese" and aren't in it for a fair, quality gaming experience.

[HitThatRowdy96]

I'm a 22-year-old male starting off grad school, single, living with my grandparents to help with my grandfather's health stuff. I'm also somewhat of a recluse once I get into my room; I'll talk to people I know via Facebook or Twitter or text, but that's enough for me sometimes. The first experience of online gaming I had was with Saints Row: The Third when my best friend and I played co-op online. My first true couch co-op experience came when I was at a friend's house when I was 8, and moments from there were few and far between. I've grown used to playing on my own, being an only child from a family who didn't interact with peers outside of school regularly until I was high school-age. I've always based my purchase of a game on the ability of its Career/Single Player campaign modes. Those drew--and still draw--me in.

If things go to all multiplayer, I will be a much, much more select gamer. I don't mind co-op or anything (I'll still wreak havoc in SR3 and have fun in the new Animal Crossing online), and couch co-op can be great. That said, as a relative introvert, playing online with random people will not be well suited for me. And couch co-op will be far less convenient than just playing single player. They won't lose me, but they'll lose a lot of my business.

Great article, in my opinion. It's definitely something to look at for the future.

[eko718]

Single player will likely never be extinct. Games are also becoming more cinematic, and great storytelling is the staple of great games. That's something that multiplayer cannot really provide.

[Dynastium]

The video game industry must hate misanthropes...

[Armor and Sword]

Solitare game modes going away?

I highly doubt it. Seriously.


But if it did. Count me out. I play offline almost exclusively. 43 years old and playing games is my way of getting some alone time.


Would be a travesty it it indeed happens in the not too distant future.

[bhurst99]

There will always be single-player games. Developers who don't realize this will die a slow death.

[berad88]

As far as sports games go multiplayer does not solve AI issues. You can only control one player at a time while the AI is controlling everybody else.

As for other games single player is not going anywhere. The vast majority of games are single player games. They may have some extra optional multiplayer stuff thrown in (GTA for example) , but unless it is a first person shooter or mmo, or something along those lines a developer would be foolish to forget about single player.

[mdiggitydawg]

have to agree with all my single player fan friends here...46 years old...forgive me, but unless i'm playing with people I know, I don't want to hear, talk to, or play against some ignorant, loud mouth wanna be which I find way too often with an online multiplayer experience. I love Battlefield, but don't wear the head set half the time because of the bigoted, stupid posturing. Have to say, I enjoy the old "franchise" experience and playing my team in my league with my drink near by.