Byrd's Nest is a weekly opinion article I write about the gaming industry and my thoughts on a certain issue. This does not in anyway express the views of all the Library of Games and Youmedia staff.
Gaming was built by single players. The first video games were single player arcade games such as Pong, Pac-Man, Centipede, etc. In recent years however it seems the gaming industry has shunned the players which started them. Games like Halo and the Call of Duty Modern Warfare franchise have brought shifted the focus of video games from a more single player focused market to a multiplayer focused market. It has divided gamers into 2 camps. A single player camp and a multiplayer camp. According to a recent Game Informer article the amount of gamers who prefer solo to multi is 49% while vice versa is 51%. At the same time single player games with great multiplayer games have been lacking. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's evening long campaign although great to play was a disappointing experience for me. The lack of depth was appalling and I expected more after many complaints about he first games lack of depth. In fact, the only games I've noticed that have both great multi and single players are the Gears of War and Halo series. Another disturbing trend seems to be developing as sequel’s to awesome single player games are lacking when a multiplayer element is added as many gamers were disappointed with Bioshock 2's lacking single and multiplayer. Some new games on the horizon such as Dead Space 2 are adding a multiplayer element which may make the game lacking. It seems as if single player games are under attack.
It’s not all gloom and doom though. Several games and studios are still pumping out wonderful single player games. Rockstar has clearly taken the initiative with some of the best single player games of all time such as the Max Payne franchise, the GTA series’s and awesome newcomer Red Dead Redemption. They have several new games coming up like LA Noire that suggest they will continue their tradition of solid single player games. The Mass Effect franchise, Fallout 3, Uncharted 2 and Dead Space show that single player gaming isn’t going anywhere. However these games are in the minority as every time a great game like this is released another generic online shoot ‘em up like Call of Duty or Battlefield is released. We need games like this so that the video game medium isn’t just a bunch of meaningless killing simulators.
There’s also the element of gamer prejudice. Many multiplayer gamers look down on single player gamers with a sense of elitism. I myself as a single player minded gamers have felt this prejudice. I have been called stupid since "I only like to kill fake people since I’m too stupid for real people" and that "I’m not a real gamer since I like single player" . This prejudice hurts and excludes other gamers when gaming is supposed to be a refugee for outsiders. Not some little group of people who look down on others. The multiplayer focused market has breeded this intolerance and it must stop.
My opinion: It shouldn't be a multiplayer or single player focused market. It should be a market
where both sides should have equal say and both should have equal respect by gamers. As a single player gamer I respect multiplayer but prefer the depth, story and excitement of single player. But I can see other people's side of the opinion and can sympathize with that. I hope the gaming world puts more of a focus on single player then they are right now because they are excluding an audience of fans who definitely prefer single player and would like to empty there wallets for single player.
Written by Matthew Byrd, Gamertag: ColonelByrd95
