The video game market is evolving and many industry voices are slowly but surely evoking the end of narrative single-player games, especially because competitive multiplayer games have been reigning supreme for years. Why all eyes are on multiplayer games now and are Single-Player video games dead?
A different way to play
The world has become so busy that we don’t have enough time for Single player Campaigns. Not everyone has 3 or 4 hours to spend every day on their console or computer. People are too preoccupied with their studies or work and other life responsibilities, and they don’t have as much time to play as they used to.
The consequence is that when they have an hour to play, they prefer to play multiplayer games like for example Call Of Duty Warzone, Fortnite, Apex Legends, etc. Because the rounds are quite short and they are really fun and challenging, a sort of challenge that turned the majority of players into keen lovers of competitive multiplayer games.
Developers are adapting to the change of the players’ consumption habits
Video games are a good reflection of their time. Or more exactly, a reflection of our consumption habits, our gamer reflexes. Thus, for some time now, gamers have been regularly complaining that single-player video games are dying, pointing the finger at the supposed laziness of video game developers. What if the key to the problem was not the developers, but the players themselves?
Players are opting for online multiplayer games because of the competitive aspect they offer, modes like Battle Royale are attracting a large number of players, all looking for the ultimate challenge, for more frags and wins… And as there are many players with different levels competing against each other, it is difficult to determine the best player/team, so the challenge continues…And the addiction too…
Here’s what we think will happen to Battle Royale mode in the future: verticalbullet.com/the-future-of-battle-royale-games
It’s obvious that many are satisfied with the multiplayer games, the reason why developers are adapting to the preferences of these players, providing them with what they want. Therefore, a lot of great multiplayer titles are being released regularly and many new players are falling for online gaming, leaving single-player games behind…
In addition, the developers of Indie Games are developing unique multiplayer games and genres like Battle Royale which are all scoring a great success and receiving very positive feedback from players all over the world. This success influenced and inspired AAA studios, so they followed the same path, a path where Single Player games are not the center of attention.
The social aspect: a new way to stay in touch with friends
Online gaming has become the best way to stay in touch with your friends, to play with them and, frankly speaking, to show off a little. This is particularly the case for younger generations, who have grown up with social networks and are constantly in contact with their friends. Whether playing as a team or against each other, it doesn’t matter; the important thing is to play together, rather than each one in his own corner.
Free-To-Play Multiplayer games as a great source of cash
The rise of the so-called “free-to-play” games is very significant, offering an innovative business plan. First of all, it should be pointed out that the majority, if not all of these so-called games are entirely focused on multiplayer. Developers are paid for their work through several means: Advertisements, or Micro-transactions and they are really a great source of profit.
In such a case, these micro-transactions are often used in free multiplayer games to provide a great source of income for developers. These purchases do not disturb the game experience at all and are mostly purely cosmetic – and players are really investing in them- So this is one of the main reasons why online multiplayer games, shooters particularly, are continuing to steal the spotlight from single-player story-based games.
Single-player games remain consoles exclusives
Online multiplayer games are highly competitive and we need practical controls to optimally play these games. For example, multiplayer shooting games are better when played with a keyboard and a mouse, because the gaming experience is harder. Consoles and their controllers that are endowed with the Aim Assist feature are more tailored to single-player games than the multiplayer ones.
In any case, Sony and Microsoft continue to fund the development of single-player games on a massive scale. Every year, thousands of titles flood our shelves, both physical and virtual, and not all of them are multiplayer games.
Single-player games are undying
Great franchises like Call of Duty and Battlefield are still offering epic single-player story-based campaigns that enable those who fancy solo shooters to fully immerse in the adventure.
There are even enhanced versions of “old but gold” single-player campaigns and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered is the perfect example, released at the end of last month, enabling single-player FPS lovers to relive the emblematic experience of one of the best titles of COD.
So Single-player games are still here and even if they are not getting enough attention right now, it doesn’t mean that they are going to disappear… We can’t deny the fact that great games, the ones that are legendary in terms of their graphics and gameplay are single-player games. Uncharted, The last of Us and other great titles, they are the ones that make many players dream and immerse themselves in real adventures. They tell a story, they make them enter into exceptional universes full of details and into the depth of narration.
There is no way that single-player games will die, they will survive and we will be seeing more of them in the future because they still have a large player base. It’s true that we are in the era of competitive online multiplayer games domination, but single-player games have their own place and they will certainly keep it because both modes are the pillars of the gaming world.