EA: Single-Player A Thing of the Past

[deltatux]

I play both single and multiplayer. Without single player, I wouldn't want Modern Warfare 2 as much as I do now. Yes, multiplayer is plenty fun, but without the story, the game doesn't make much sense.

So, by saying campaigns are dumb is a dumb thing to say. I wouldn't mind co-op as long as there's a story in my games.

 

[keefasuz]

Could it be folks, that maybe EA is making statements like this to gauge our reaction in forums like this all over the web? Could it also be that this "spokesman" is just a blithering tool who said this because it's what they're talking about back in the evil dungeon... uh oops, I meant to say offices of EA. I agree most opinions here that the online multiplayer "experience" (god, I really hate that overused word) is pretty lame because of the other players. The most fun I ever had playing any kind of video game was co-op in the original Halo on the first X-Box. I was so disappointed there was no co-op when the PC version came out like 3 years later. By then, I was much more into Far Cry and Half Life...and, although games have gotten prettier, have the immersive stories gotten much better? Have game developers gifted us with longer and more diverse levels to enjoy that SP fun? IMHO, no, they've whittled-down the SP experience while promoting the online deathmatch, and raising prices to the point where I can only justify buying one or maybe two games per year....and not to brag, but I'm not broke either. I spent a respectable amount of hard-earned pay to build myself a nice semi-future proof, well-rounded PC. Piracy is only part of the problem, General Motors doesn't (always) make vehicles Americans want to buy and EA doesn't always make games I care to play. If Crysis Warhead had been incorporated into the first Crysis, that would have made that multi-threaded story so much more interesting for the SP I bet EA would have made more revenue in the long run instead of blatantly trying to double-dip with a brief expansion game. It might have been nice to play my $55 game for longer than 12 hours! Am I wrong?

 

[Maxor127]

I'm getting sick of these clueless companies and their stupid fucking comments. EA and Bioware already ruined KOTOR. I've been playing Dragon Age and Borderlands for the past week, and I've been enjoying Dragon Age a lot more. Borderlands is boring. Multiplayer is frustrating finding a decent game and enjoying the game instead of trying to speed run through it while everyone gobbles up any items they see. Dragon Age is an excellent single-player experience so far. Only type of multiplayer I'd welcome for single-player games is co-op. Dragon Age would be fun with a friend like Neverwinter Nights. But a true multiplayer game cannot work, especially for any decent RPG. Crap like MMOs simply don't have the depth of story or any impact by your character. You're not THE hero, you're just one of many "heroes" who do nothing but farm for gold, items, and experience. Even if it's a fake MMO, like Guild Wars, you still can't tell a decent deep story with lots of conversation when you have multiple people wandering around and getting anxious when they want to just skip the conversation and kill things.

 

[megamanx00]

This just in, EA also states that making good games is also a thing of the past

.

 

[Supertrek32]

EA's wrong about... pretty much everything. Seriously, they shout all this nonsense and do things in their games that NOBODY likes. DRM in spore comes to mind. Does anyone take EA seriously anymore?

 

[impy1980]

I'm a single player on the PC, like a few have said you have to be seriously good to play online and many of us have full time commitments, many of us play to wind down, not to be competitive. I've only ever played FIFA online a few times.

The whole online thing just winds me up, I was brought GTV IV as a gift and to get it to install, enter serial number and update the game so I can autosave I needed an internet connection. I just wanna stick the disc in and go.

I prefer games where single player is primary and multiplayer in an added option. You can't just abandon single player, many people will abandon games.

I certainly refuse to pay a monthly subscription for a game, especially when buying the initial game is quite expensive.

 

[ravewulf]

Really.

If that is the case I will no longer be buying from EA. I ONLY play single player off-line games. (casual/occasional gamer)

 

[ElectroGoofy]

Man, that'll really kill their sales. What if somebody has dial-up, or even worse, no internet at all? They just lost a customer.

 

[Guest]

Well I guess that's too bad for them. I play almost exclusively single player. Online play is full of players just trying to get high scores. It always seemed like a cluster F*** anytime I tried.
I think the games have become so good that single play keeps me entertained long enough.

 

[ominous prime]

While I enjoy multiplayer as an added feature, I don't believe that in majority of games multiplayer should be the foundation of a game. EA has it wrong, and I hope they see that.

 

[mrtraver]

I don't have anything to add that other people haven't already said. I don't enjoy multiplayer,and I don't have the time to practice to get good enough to occasionally win a match.

 

[Manos]

Yeah EA is full of bs.There cant be multiplayer game that isnt based on solo's incredible story to be awesome. Take for example Splinter Cell Conviction up to an extreme exampole of MW2 which might be paying off in durability for it's MP but if it didnt have a great SP in the first place it wouldnt have even 1/4 of the hype around it right now.

Well all love co-op and MP when done properly but campaign modes will never be any worst through the rare blockbusters.

 

[shiroikaze]

I enjoy both a robust single-player and a robust multi-player but fuck you if you shove a crippled latter down my throat with $60 price tag.

 

[croc]

EA wants to compete with other subscription models, methinks. Get the user to not only pay for the game up front, but monthly there after in order to USE the game.

 

[jalek]

This comment sounds like they're not using demographic information.

The SP campaigns aren't played by the 14-17 year olds as much I would expect, but the older demographics (the ones that PAY for games) I would think to be more likely to play those parts of a decent game. If they're focused on catering to the teenage market, they're missing a lot of sales.

 

[CoryInJapan]

Im having tons of fun with dragon age all alone in single player..its a blast...SP is loved just as much as MP

 

[Guest]

Single Player games won't go away, they will change and might have options to be played co-op (Gears of War for example) but a "single player" game is easier to a create narative for, and will be where most of that type of game play focuses on. Games without stong naratives (sports, racing for example) may ditch the single player or at least narrow it to a training type situation. I love Modern Warfare for example...but have probably spent less then 10hours in multiplayer. I'll buy MW2 for the story and the great gameplay I'm confident it'll deliver, and could careless about the multiplayer, but its great that its there for those that want it. EA is as usual beinhg short sighted, and trying to capitalize profit rather then be concerned on creating compelling gameplay (which ironically is the single most important way to make a profitable game). As always SP or MP will/should depend on the goals of the designer and the experience they wish to craft. The suits should shut up and let the talent create.

 

[QEFX]

Too bad EA thinks this way. The quality and enjoyability of their games have been dropping since they decided to put emphasis on multi-player (Motor City Online or newer). Shame, they used to make good games, now they make passable games and in the future they'll just make c**p.

Maybe I'm just one of the few who enjoys a quick game now and then without having to go through the internet (and wireless data rates).

 

[Barry3000]

In other news, EA has never, ever been able to figure out what gamers want.

It's like the elephant in the living room, guys. Let's ignore it and maybe it'll just go away.

 

[Rayman161]

codeman03xx
i agree with you dragon age is great game with excellent story telling
and it did not need to have MP