Are Single Player Games Dead?

The Internet has made it possible for people around the world to join in and play a single game together, leading many to wonder if single player games are dead. The answer is a resounding no. Just because people can engage in multi-player games doesn’t mean they will.

“Experts” have been lamenting the demise of single player games for more than a decade, yet new offerings continue to be released. Bethesda games issued statements to that effect and even created an ad campaign around the concept to highlight that single player games are alive and well. Electronic Arts has taken the opposing view with an eye to monetizing games-as-service where bigger profits are to be made. The company has indicated on multiple occasions that people don’t enjoy single player games anymore, while also noting that publishers can make much more money when distributed as games-as-service.

Individualistic Gamers

Single player games will continue to have a place in the gaming world for several reasons. There are millions of individuals that really don’t want to play with others. They want the freedom to explore and engage on their own terms alone.

Internet

While the Internet made multi-player games possible, it’s also a major factor in why single player games are still so popular. It may seem surprising to most, but there are still areas where the only access to high-speed Internet is via satellite dish and it comes with a lag time making it almost impossible to engage in a multi-player game. Additionally, those that can’t afford unlimited bandwidth must monitor their usage closely and that often doesn’t include game playing.

The Nintendo Switch

The release of the Switch was further proof that single player games aren’t dead. “Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” is a sterling example of a single player game that provides the intricate graphics that individuals demand, combined with an interesting story and a myriad of activities to pursue throughout the game. Another illustration is “Super Mario Odyssey.”

Fewer Sales of Second Hand Games

Almost everyone remembers the days when they made frequent visits to GameStop to pick up a copy of the newest game. Dedicated gamers could complete a game in a weekend and trade it in for another new release fairly quickly. Those who purchase a new game now tend to keep it longer. To foster the purchase of second hand games, many companies added multi-player modes to their single player releases. Publishers were releasing fewer games and attempting to build in appeal to as many sectors as possible – which meant multi-player modes.

Long live Single Player Games

The good news is that single player games won’t be dying out in the very near future and there’s still a significant market for them. Publishers are looking to extract more equity out of each game through “extras” that can be purchased, making single-player games the most financially lucrative.