Not every video game needs multiplayer

Its a sad fact that so many younger gamers will pass on a great game if it doesnt feature multiplayer.

They miss out on many incredible AAA single player games like Dead Space , Bioshock , Oblivion , Deus Ex and many others.

Its more a generational thing than anything else.

You see us old fart gamers that grew up playing video games in the 80s and 90s were winged on hundreds of excellent single player games from Metroid on the N.E.S. to Metal Gear Solid on Playstation 1.

The majority of the younger gamers that started gaming in the Playstation 2 / Xbox generation with games like Halo simply will not give a good single player game a second look out of unfounded bias and misinformation.

The fact is that a lot of -gamers- that only play multiplayer based games like Halo and Call of Duty never bother to play through the single player campaigns of said games.

The fallout being that there are fewer and fewer quality single player games being released and more and more games that dont need a tacked on multiplayer mode - Bioshock 2 and Dead Space 2 - being forced to add an unnecessary and at times horrible multiplayer modes that detract from what could have otherwise been a solid single player experience.

I WOULD DELETE THIS POST BUT WAITING FOR ALL THE PC AND FUCKING PS3 FANBOYS TO DELETE IT FOR ME..

[Brownghost]

i know friends who wont buy games and even arkham asylum because they want to get their moneys worth. I remember during the last gen when it was all about story games and multiplayer was a small thing

[Hufandpuf]

Im not paying $60 for a SP only game. Not in a million years. BACK THEN, the price was cheaper.

[Ahasverus]

People like you sir are the cancer of this industry

[Brownghost]

@ahasverus yes ,cheap sir you are multiplayer is not a big deal single player is great to go to a different world not a deathmatch

[EmperorDalek]

If the game is only 10-20 hours then I wouldn't either. For me a single player game needs to be at least 30 hours or have high replay value, such as Oblivion, Fallout 3 or Mass Effect 1&2.

[lex-1020]

That's why I buy my games on Onlive. Batman Arkham City is only $35 for me

[young7yang]

your an idiot.

back then games we just as expensive when they wewere new.. i remember paying 60 dollors for ninja gaiden for NES back in the day....

multiplayer is nice for some games but is shit for most

[Hufandpuf]

@young7yang

That's a joke right? Even ps2 games didn't cost that much.

[SageHonor]

Yeah not only its to grab the majority of gamers or whatever... But its business...a business trend

[AtomicGerbil]

I prefer a single player game with a decent long story to short bursts of multiplayer gameplay. There are a few titles recently I've waited for a price drop before buying due to lack of interest in a tacked on multiplayer.

I still like a multiplayer game, but not on everything.

[MintBerryCrunch]

case in point

just look at your avatar

[Hicken]

Give me plenty of singleplayer fun, and I don't care if the multiplayer exists or not.

Sadly, though, developers feel like they HAVE to add in multiplayer to keep their games in the public eye.

[Brownghost]

for so much single player i recommend rpgs

[Hicken]

Which is what about 85% of my games are. But I don't really NEED multiplayer in a game like Uncharted, either. It's a great addition, in that example, but the story and gameplay- and added challenge of difficulties and loot to find- are enough to keep me playing.

[QuodEratDemonstrandm]

I haven't touched the multiplayer in AC: brotherhood. I probably won't bother with the multiplayer in UC3. I've played a few deathmatches in GTA4, and a couple of TDM's in MGS4. I have come to the conclusion that the best online component anywhere is User Generated content. This is especially true when you've got some creative people creating the levels, or missions, or whatever.

[JellyJelly]

I'm extremely happy that Deus Ex HR has no multiplayer and I'm just as happy that DICE are putting more focus on the MP in Battlefield 3. Does that make any sense at all? :)

[Kingdom Come]

Unless a game offers a lengthy Single-Player aspect of which offers a diverse range of gameplay mechanics and consistently throws new elements at the player, multiplayer is a necessity in video games. An example of which comes to mind is the until recently overrated (now being met with criticism) L.A Noire, a game of which I myself found difficult to even bother completing, whilst starting very rewarding for the player, offering new experiences, a few cases in to the game the story became weak, predictable and repetitive. The games shooting mechanics, whilst basic, had an advantage, it was cinematic, the opening bank shoot out in particular felt as though it had been taken from a movie, Walls chipping, windows smashing, this, along with the games premise (Cops and Criminals) could have hugely contributed towards a multiplayer component. Modes similar to Kane & Lynch 2's Fractured Alliance would have been interesting.

[tee_bag242]

Clockworkrazor you always raise good points. I agree with you but feel there is another side to this coin.

I myself, heading on, came in to gaming on PC with Amiga 500 and consoles with NES. The years and decades that followed undoubtedly gave me and many others some special single player experiences. Some games are just better as single player.

The thing I find is, a great deal of games also on offer from this era and right up to PS2 had local 2/4 player options that wouldn't gimp the single player.
Yet this Gen with full online hasn't really ushered through much 1+ player story telling. I feel this Gen's consoles only really offer deathmatch or single player. Considering coop isnt isn't anything new (simply online enabled local 2/4 player) I find the choice of non deathmatch multi-player games available dismal.

A different view from here from yours truly yet, I too get annoyed at short single player campaign games with tacked on deathmatch or afterthought co-ops.

[consolez_FTW]

I agree. Only online game I play is BC2, just bc that game is awesome and different than COD. Though ever since Deus Ex HR got released I haven't touched since. I'm glad to have a new single player game to play again.

[trenso1]

i agree most games don't need multiplayer i think including it just takes away from the game. i always play story mode first then go into multiplayer if i really enjoyed the story i re-play it over and do things like speed runs or using only weapon. things just to keep things interesting and challenging like mgs4 so many ways to play that story.

[Ahasverus]

And in the technical side of things, MP affects the quality of graphics and design of the SP part, and that's sad (keep asking why COD looks the same as in 2005)

[xX-StolenSoul-Xx]

How was this blog approved? it's so short.

[N3FAR105]

Games may not 'need' multiplayer but it's a good option. I wish LA Noire had multiplayer running through the main story because it would be fun to fight crime with an intelligent partner rather than AI. You could even have random people dropping in to play the bad guys in the aim of wriggling out of situations. And Cops and Robbers! So basically, the option would be nice.

[xX-StolenSoul-Xx]

Yup multiplayer is a nice option, especially since it adds more replays

[Mikefizzled]

The Darkness was a sensational title and i never once played the multiplayer. Who needs to with such an enthralling SP?

But i still view coop very differently with games such as Borderlands, me and 3 friends completed go to lvl 50 within 2 days of its release. Masterclass in coop. Even Resident evil 5 was a blast. Completing the game on Professional though takes the biscuit.

[lex-1020]

I pretty much only play single player games. I have spend more time on Morrowind and Oblivion then I probably ever will in my life on a multiplayer game. If you add the time I spent on just RPGs I think I could ever top that playing a multiplayer game if I only played that for the rest of my life.

[scotchmouth]

I love single player but i must say that I love the incorporation of co-op. It's always good to decimate computer controlled baddies with a buddy! Thank you Borderlands!

[branchedout]

I don't spend much time alone anymore, so I can only beat through a single-player game that's short. But I'm not paying full price for a short game.

I really only get games that have local mulitplayer (which means I hardly get games anymore) or online mulitplayer that many of my friends will get.

[CarolynCamacho]

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[HAF912]

dont forget deus ex. amazing game already put 70 hours into it.