Single Player And Multiplayer Begin To Merge

Games traditionally feature both single player and multiplayer as separate entities. With the rise to prominence of PSN and Xbox Live, the two modes have been competing with each other. Underwhelming multiplayer in strong single player experiences and lacking single player gameplay in exciting multiplayer focused games were all too common in recent years.

At last year's E3, there was a clear tide shift in the game industry as the two modes began to harmonize. Destiny, The Division and Watch Dogs offered glimpses into games that acted like MMOs with players in huge connected worlds and raids, but all with the polish and mechanics of a top-tier AAA action game.

While The Division may not end up hitting until 2015, expect to see more and more games that are both announced and released featuring this melding of single player and multiplayer. It's another way to effectively make games "always-online." Do you think that this is the future of games development?

No I don't think so, it's like having to solve stupid puzzles in Resident Evil when you just want to shoot zombies. Admittingly the Demon's Souls and Dark Souls found a great way to integrate multiplayer without hurting the single player at all. I don't think people are interested in it, it's either punching your friend that's sitting next to you on the couch for actually using a blue shell in Mario Kart or shouting at your tv if you get owned in Call of Duty. I do both.

If it is, I won't be participating in it.

With the internet connection being commonplace and a huge number of social networks and other ways to connect with people/gamers (steam and whatnot), I'm amazed there hasn't been more games designed for co-op play. Not MMO's, just a game where a few friends can play together cooperatively and have fun, like Magicka.

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Originally Posted by Gelatinous Cube

Oh, this is a bot thread. What a waste.

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Ah, but we are turning it into something more. :yes:

I can definitely get into more co-op type games. I'm separated from my best friend by half the world, so it gives us a chance to spend some time together despite the distance. I pretty much suck in almost all - make that ALL - head to head games (MP). When I do play MP it is private matches against friends/family or us against bots. There is little challenge for my "competition"...though my best friend doesn't seem to mind winning 98% of our competitive matches/games. I play for fun and I seem to annoy those who take MP very serious when they get stuck with me, so I avoid that scene.

Just to reinforce my feelings about MP, last week I was playing Counter Strike: GO with my son and he accidentally sent us into a public match. Within 10-15 seconds the other players were voting to kick me from the match. I thought it a bit rude that they didn't even give me a chance to prove my suckage, so I reasoned that it must have been my 280 ping. However, my son said he was getting kicked too and he is in the US and should have had a good ping. Truly a great 30 second experience.

I do enjoy SP a lot too, as I can usually play them with a reasonable level on competence. It is a nice break from sucking online and has its own charm. So basically, I'm all for a rich SP experience, ditto for co-op and good MP games for those that like that, but forcing one to cross game types is not something I'd readily embrace.