If you watched this year’ s E3 conference, you probably noticed the large number of multiplayer-focused games that were on show: Anthem, Sea of Thieves, Star Wars Battlefront II, Skull & Bones, Destiny 2, and many more. While that all sounds…
If you watched this year’s E3 conference, you probably noticed the large number of multiplayer-focused games that were on show: Anthem, Sea of Thieves, Star Wars Battlefront II, Skull & Bones, Destiny 2, and many more. While that all sounds perfectly fine, it did add fuel to the argument that single-player games are dying.
Titles such as League of Legends, Counter-Strike, DOTA 2, and Rocket League have been some of the most popular titles on the PC for a while, but the incredible rise of Overwatch and Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds has seen multiplayer gaming hit new heights in recent times.
There have been other factors influencing the latest “single-player games are dead” cries, too. With Mass Effect: Andromeda and Dues Ex: Mankind Divide not living up to their predecessors, both franchises have reportedly been put on hiatus. Even the excellent Dishonored 2 had launch sales 38 percent lower than the first game, and it seems Prey’s developers are abandoning a sequel in favor of a new, online product.
With multiplayer-focused titles proving so lucrative, it’s not too surprising to see the industry gravitate toward this direction. But saying single-player titles are becoming extinct is excessive, in my view. There are plenty of exciting-looking games in the works that appear to offer amazing solo experiences, including Metro: Exodus, Far Cry 5, and Vampyr, and I certainly can’ t imagine the format ever “dying out.”
But what’s your opinion? Are there too many multiplayer-focused titles these days? Is the genre really the future of gaming and something that will benefit us all? Or will people start to resent having their mothers’ virtue questioned by teenagers, thereby ushering in a new revolution of single-player games? Do let us know in the comments below.
