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[clarky]

So pretty much the only way for multiplayer to be fun is with someone you live with or if you are all professional streamers and can just mess around trying out different games together.

Not in my experience.

I have a group of friends who all play at some point during most weeks and have what's app groups for various games in rotation to let everyone know when we are on. We've played together since Halo Lan Sundays back in the day.

Usually a couple of people to play with at least, if not there's always people on my friend's list who are up for a game.

 

[ShadowkillXNA]

Because they're far, far superior to multiplayer.

 

[Knight of the Round]

The basic reason I don't play online are actually two reasons:

1) Eventually the servers will be shut down, which will make all my purchases and time spent on the game obsolete. The character I've built? Gone. The money I spent on stuff and modes? Gone. The time invested? Irrelevant. So you are investing in a game which next day may announce it's no more. And that makes me reluctant to put effort to.

2) I play games at my own pace. Multiplayer games are usually played by people who play with top speed and efficiency, basically forcing me to play at their pace. I don't like that.

You didn't have those reasons on your poll, so I told them instead of voting for them.

 

[shamroxor]

All the reasons above plus back in the day I grew to resent more and more of magazines content being devoted to features on mmo games I had no interest in. Huge showcase pieces leading to multipage reviews for games which would launch and do well for a few months before everyone went back to World of Warcraft. It's one of the reasons I dropped magazines and took t

 

[SomeNorseGuy]

Multiplayer can be a fun pass time but imo none of them come close to the sort of experiences you can get from single-player games: beating a hard challenge, exploring some cool place and finding out all about it's secrets (with actual level design), experiencing the story of the game from start to end. All the best games are single-player, and there's a reason for that.

This!

What if I don't want an ending?

Personally the moments I remember are mostly created by multiplayer interactions. Be that besting my bother or pals at Pro evo, Halo, Mario Kart and Goldeneye back in the day right up to now in Arc Raiders.

Has to be a very special kind of single player game to hold my attention through to the end. Ninja Gaiden 1+2 spring to mind.

It's a fact that shared experiences are remembered more fondly and when you add emerging gameplay/experiences that happens in multiplayer games it's easy to understand why many people love it. I even felt a pang of envy reading how much fun you guys had in the Arch Raiders OT.

I think people are coming from different places and have different expectations when it comes to how a game is designed.

Some allegories comes to mind:

• Some people enjoy going to see the match with friends / Some people enjoy analysing the strategy post-game.
• Some people enjoy seeing a band rock it out live on stage / Some people enjoy dissecting every note on an audiophile setup.
• Movies ...well you get the point.

What I'm, clumsy, trying to say is that we humans are set in our ways, so any of us trying to convince anyone else that the games they enjoy are the wrong kind of game is a fools errand. (not aimed at you clarky just in general)

There's no wrong or right. I might enjoy games the most as a chill out, solitary experience. Tactics, rpgs, turn-based, games that allow me to play with stats, skills and builds makes me happy. Lol, some games even makes me enjoy grinding. But I have no problem understanding other people enjoying SHITTY different kind of games.

Opinions and preferences though and all that.

Yep just play the games you love, simple as.

I think we sometimes default into the habit of thinking that for our favourite genres of games to thrive we must shit on other genres. But in the end all any of us can do is to support the games we want to see more of, the rest is up to the gamer gods.

 

[shamroxor]

All the reasons above plus back in the day I grew to resent more and more of magazines content being devoted to features on mmo games I had no interest in. Huge showcase pieces leading to multipage reviews for games which would launch and do well for a few months before everyone went back to World of Warcraft. It's one of the reasons I dropped magazines and took t

Posted too soon!
…and took to internet coverage where I could easily filter out Multiplayer content. I also resented a lot of RPG talent 'wasting' their time and experience when they worked on multiplayer projects.
So it's basically good 'ol prejudice!

 

[grvg]

97% of games are just controlling avatars in interesting worlds, right? The best ones attempt to lay out compelling rewards + dangers in those worlds.

If that's the case, why is there such a wide divide amongst gamers who strongly prefer single player over multiplayer, and vice versa?

For multiplayer gamers, the complaint is near universal (unless I'm mistaken). AI is often too predictable and easy for long term engagement. But what is it for single player gamers? What is it about multiplayer that prevents your enjoyment?

I get more than enough human interaction in my day to day life. Vidya is my alone time activity.

Except ff14 I guess, but it's almost a single player game besides small pleasantries at the beginning of dungeons

 

[clarky]

Because they're far, far superior to multiplayer.

Arc Raiders is an SCM, (society changing machine).
Before you start screaming no, much like Skywalker in Empire Strikes Back when Vader told him to call him Daddy, just hear me out.
It will do this by forcing us as a society and as individuals to look at ourselves
in the mirror, examine ourselves and our actions and decisions not just in the game
but in every aspect of our lives.
This life, the real life is brutal enough as it is.
Do you want to take of advantage of opportunity to move yourself forward? Do you want to help someone who needs help when you can? Do you want to just be indifferent to others no matter theirs or your situation?
Do you want to be the person your decisions will inevitably turn you into?
As someone who has anger management issues this game is kind of forcing me to confront them.
Bill and Ted were right about seizmic societal change, they were just wrong about the agent that would bring it.
It's Arc Raiders.

What single player titles have the power to change society?

 

[L*][*N*K]

I hate playing with people

 

[freemandos]

I don't dislike multiplayer games. It's just I like to play at my own pace more and there are several things in game design difficult to adapt to multiplayer games. Also, I don't like feeling "compromised" to play monthly just to play the same game, so I'm not very into MMOs. Besides of that, too much reliance on monetization, releases every year or lack of customization options for the user turn me off. So, I'm not into most of modern multiplayer games either. Team Fortress 2 is one of my favourite FPS of all time (yeah, hats, but just cosmetic and released long time postlaunch). And that's just thinking people around me aren't breaking my inmersion in the first place.

If you ask me about games like, let's say, Quake III Arena, UT or to a lesser extent Battlefield pre-3 (when modding was still supported) I'll say very nice words. And I won't say no to a couch co-op playing with a beat'em up, of course. And I'll say this: I would like a Resident Evil Outbreak multiplatform rerelease with modern servers (with Requiem reelase so close, what are you waiting for, Capcom?).

 

[Crayon]

The basic reason I don't play online are actually two reasons:

1) Eventually the servers will be shut down, which will make all my purchases and time spent on the game obsolete. The character I've built? Gone. The money I spent on stuff and modes? Gone. The time invested? Irrelevant. So you are investing in a game which next day may announce it's no more. And that makes me reluctant to put effort to.

2) I play games at my own pace. Multiplayer games are usually played by people who play with top speed and efficiency, basically forcing me to play at their pace. I don't like that.

You didn't have those reasons on your poll, so I told them instead of voting for them.

Point one I don't agree with because you build legacy skill to take with you after the game dies. If you go from zero to her playing one fps, you are not starting at zero for the next one. Take it from fg fans whose games are in rotation all the time. Legacy skill lets them jump into new games and even smaller ones for the short windows they have enough players.

I've never played SF6 but I don't have the slightest doubt I could jump straight in. I'd ask what the gimmick is this time around and be off to the races.

Point number two I I agree with as hard as I can. The ability to play at your own pace is huuuuuuuge. I play more MP games solo that I actually do online. Some have some interesting content for solo and they games can be weirdly complex so it's cool to explore the actual systems and stuff. Then I throw it on public so I can farm a level and every is basically playing on fast forward and sweating just to keep up with them traversing, much less shooting. Turns into a whole different game.

 

[Team Andromeda]

Both have their place and both can be brilliant. It's like saying Street Fighter 2 is shit because it's got no true single player mode

What I don't like is more and more games looking to have a massive open world

 

[KeithMars]

They have a beginning and an end.
There are too many great games to try so why waste hundreds or thousands of hours on GaaS crap?

 

[Phobos Base]

Where's the "because I have no friends" option?

 

[clarky]

There are too many great games to try so why waste hundreds or thousands of hours on GaaS crap?

Because I don't want to waste 1000's of hours on single player crap?

 

[Mhmmm 2077]

I don't despise multiplayer games, but I'm picky about them. For example Dota 2 doesn't feel repetitive, there is like 130 heroes and many items, so every match is truly different, even if all of them take place on the same map - you gotta adapt to enemy heroes and their builds. And there is a pause button too.

 

[cireza]

I need to have 100% of the control over the experience. No need to wait. No need for network. Pausing and resuming when I want. No need to wait for someone. Not having to deal with assholes.

I get enough of this in my everyday life.

 

[rm082e]

I'll play MP games with friends, or my son, but it's just to be social. I've never been great at anything competitive, so I don't get much enjoyment out of being the cheerleader.

I like co-op games more. My son is into the Save The World mode in Fortnite, and I've put a few hundred hours into that with him over the years. I loved Gears 2 Horde mode back when I had a squad of online friends and we still had time to play together. Those days are long gone though.

Single-player games have always been the reason to play. Gaming is a form of stress relief for me, like watching movies/TV, or reading good books. I enjoy spending time in a game with it's unique art, mechanics, music, and progression. I particularly enjoy finishing a game and moving onto something different. That variety of experience is important to me.

 

[Fable]

Never was drawn to MP games, something about having a story and structure to the game like SP and not just roaming around trying to shoot someone aimlessly.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

I prefer single-player mode; it's a better experience. I tried multiplayer once on Xbox 360 and PS3, and some people make "joking or friendly elementary school comments" and behave like primates, not to mention idiots.

That ruins the experience.

If it were more relaxed or had a good cooperative experience, it would be good.

 

[Bark]

Cause modern, online games are literally made to waste your time.

 

[SportsFan581]

I like the story element. And I've never been the greatest at gaming, so, fiercely competitive games that require hours and hours of play to be competitive aren't for me.

I do enjoy FallGuys and multiplayer games with a sillier, more approachable vibe like that.

 

[uncreativename]

i like to relax and take my time when i play games, so people get mad at me when i play multiplayer games wrong.

also the ghost in the shell shooter that i gave like 15 dollars to going down forever, and PUBG making you pay to unlock clothing but not adding any other sort of progression. SWTOR and WoW let me down really badly back in the day because i assumed they'd be like the single player rpgs that i love, and they really really aren't.

Starcraft 2 and Street Fighter 5 are really cool games, and this isn't their fault, but the only people still playing them are killers

the only kindasorta multiplayer games i ever play now are Infinity Nikki and Hellish Quart

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

I get more than enough human interaction in my day to day life. Vidya is my alone time activity.

As multi-player games create larger and larger worlds, they'll continue to improve for players who value "alone time".