June 18th 2023.
I was pleasantly surprised when I tuned into the Xbox Games Showcase last Sunday. There was a lack of gameplay footage, but I was immediately drawn to the games on display. Titles like Fable, Clockwork Revolution, Avowed, Star Wars Outlaws, and Starfield all had me captivated.
It made sense why these games were so unique to see from Xbox. Not only are they visually appealing, but they are all strictly single-player. Microsoft used to be in the camp with EA that single-player games were becoming obsolete. But now, it seems that they have learned otherwise, which is a relief.
The video game industry is realizing that people don't have the time to be proficient in multiple multiplayer games. They would rather play a single-player game through and then move on to the next. I thought this would have been an obvious truth, but the industry seemed to be convinced that the next big thing would be a battle royale.
However, it's clear that it was really about the microtransactions that come with multiplayer games. Xbox also believed that online games could create more word-of-mouth on social media, as if gamers wouldn't talk about single-player games.
The top 1% of multiplayer games do make money, but it's difficult to get into that 1%. It's a waste of money to even try. Ubisoft has been putting out some low-budget titles, and Sony has even had a bad experience with The Last Of Us spin-off.
This shift back to single-player games is a welcomed change. With games like Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom and Starfield being released this year, you can't help but be excited. It's a shame that Sony hasn't been able to produce something of similar quality and scale, but hopefully they'll come around to the idea of single-player.
Multiplayer games are a riskier bet for developers and publishers, and Sony needs to realize that. I'm glad that Microsoft has relearned the importance of single-player, and I hope Sony will follow suit. It's good to see the industry going back to its roots and embracing single-player games again.
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