Is Multiplayer necessary?

It doesn't matter the genre of the game. Is multiplayer necessary, and if so why?

I rarely buy full price games these days if they don't feature multiplayer or are highly replayable. It's just not worth spending upwards of $100 something I'll play for a few hours. I will buy games like Mass Effect, Monster Hunter, Oblivion & Fable (to name a few); games that will give me either an incredible experience or incredibly long amounts of gameplay.

If not, I might pick it up when its 20 bucks.

I like multiplayer and competition with my friends, but I don't need multiplayer for most games I play.

It's definitely necessary for certain genres. Fighting games need it because fighting the Cpu isn't going to provide much of a challenge and will wear out it's welcome very quickly. FPS games also have a very competitive nature within it's multiplayer so much so that I feel it's necessary. Other genres is where it gets kind of grey. I don't think games like Assassin's Creed, Bioshock, Dead Space, Uncharted etc... and so forth need multiplayer. They have a strong enough single player to sustain themselves without multiplayer and in the case of games like Bioshock just come off as being tacked on and generic..FlamesOfGrey

This is where I disagree with you. Having played multiplayer (split screen; every man for themselves style) in an FPS was not that enjoyable. The Single Player Campaign in an FPS ought be hard and long enough to keep a person on their toes for a few days. I hear Gears, BBAC 2, MW2 all have super short single player campaigns. Why not make them like Medal of Honour length?

Depends on what you mean by necessary.trugs26

What I mean is, for any genre/ game that you think of, is the multiplayer component necessary for it?

[QUOTE="FlamesOfGrey"]It's definitely necessary for certain genres. Fighting games need it because fighting the Cpu isn't going to provide much of a challenge and will wear out it's welcome very quickly. FPS games also have a very competitive nature within it's multiplayer so much so that I feel it's necessary. Other genres is where it gets kind of grey. I don't think games like Assassin's Creed, Bioshock, Dead Space, Uncharted etc... and so forth need multiplayer. They have a strong enough single player to sustain themselves without multiplayer and in the case of games like Bioshock just come off as being tacked on and generic..Calvin079

This is where I disagree with you. Having played multiplayer (split screen; every man for themselves style) in an FPS was not that enjoyable. The Single Player Campaign in an FPS ought be hard and long enough to keep a person on their toes for a few days. I hear Gears, BBAC 2, MW2 all have super short single player campaigns. Why not make them like Medal of Honour length?

Of course it's not necessary, but it does add to the fun of a lot of games.

[QUOTE="trugs26"]Depends on what you mean by necessary.Calvin079

What I mean is, for any genre/ game that you think of, is the multiplayer component necessary for it?

[QUOTE="trugs26"]Depends on what you mean by necessary.Calvin079

What I mean is, for any genre/ game that you think of, is the multiplayer component necessary for it?

In order to sell the game, increase its longevity, replayability, variety and enjoyment - absolutely. It all depends on the game and the genre, but multiplayer gaming in general is absolutely necessary - it's what makes gaming such an awesome social experience.

No. Fallout or Mass Effect would be so awkward with multiplayer. Unless Fallout was a MMO rather then a RPG.

No.

of course not as long as it has a shining single player. See Bioshock, metro 2033, half life 2.ferret-gamer

well.....thats good for a week or two. but multiplayer lasts YEARS. ive put thousands of hours into multiplayer for one game. I doubt anyone has played any one of those campaigns for a 1000 hours....let alone 3000. ive played through HL2 and the EPs prolly 3 times. theres what.......75 hours at best? not quite 3000.e

It doesn't matter the genre of the game. Is multiplayer necessary, and if so why?

Calvin079

that's a very open ended question.

from what I gather and my own experience it is necessary.

1.replay value

2.playing with others

3.socialising

[QUOTE="ferret-gamer"]of course not as long as it has a shining single player. See Bioshock, metro 2033, half life 2.lespaul1919

well.....thats good for a week or two. but multiplayer lasts YEARS. ive put thousands of hours into multiplayer for one game. I doubt anyone has played any one of those campaigns for a 1000 hours....let alone 3000. ive played through HL2 and the EPs prolly 3 times. theres what.......75 hours at best? not quite 3000.e

multiplayer for most genres, save RPG's and Bioshock, area defining factor in my gaming purchases.

so yeah it's very important

absolutely not, no genre really needs online, for fighting games its arguable but for every other genre except for mmos, which are online based, i would prefer a good singleplayer experience over the best multiplayer game out there today, its just how i feel about it

Singleplayer FPS games generally suck (save for a hybrids/games like STALKER.)

If the game is built around multiplayer (as a lot of my favorite games are) and not just tacked-on then, yes, it is obviously necessary.

Even for story-driven games, co-op is rarely a bad thing if implemented properly.

No, it isn't necessary...it takes away from the SP experience.

Developers have to keep in mind that most PC users are running 32-bit machines with RAM limitations, so they have to keep filesize down.

Once the public starts embracing 64-bit Windows, perhaps devs can follow Capcom's lead and start optimizing games for 64-bit.

It works in some games and then it doesn't work in other games. I'm not much of a multiplayer man. Sometimes i can be in the mood though. Its why i still get a gold account on XBL.

of course not as long as it has a shining single player. See Bioshock, metro 2033, half life 2.ferret-gamer

Bioshock 2 got multiplayer, Metro 2033 is average at best, and Half-Life 2 has always had HL2 Deathmatch.

TC: Multiplayer in this day and age is a must. Heck, some of the highest rated games are DESIGNED with mutiplayer being the main focus point.

Some examples: Call of Duty, Left 4 Dead, Counter Strike, Starcraft, any MMO, Gears of War, Halo, Bad Company 2, LittleBigPlanet, Resident Evil 5, any Fighter, etc.

While most of these games have a single player option, what really draws people into these games are either the competative or co-op multiplayer features they provide.

Yes and no.

If you have a game that is built on competition, or competitive play (FPS and fighters to name a few) then yes, it will help to have multiplayer. Team Fortress 2 wouldn't be what it is without multiplayer.

If you have a game that is dependent on the player or not built for competitive play (adventure and RPG [not referring to mmo's] to name a few) then it is not important and may only show itself as a "hindrance" on the game's quality.

Both single player and multiplayer are necessary to help make a game what it is. This does not mean every game needs to have multiplayer. It is when and where the multiplayer aspect is added that truly matters.

Multiplayer is awesome, and it's nothing new. It's been around since the arcade days and will continue to be around. How we connect to each other is the only thing that's changed, and how that's allowed the games to expand.

That being said, it's no replacement for a great single player game, just a nice addition.

Yes and no.

Valiant_Rebel

It doesn't matter the genre of the game. Is multiplayer necessary, and if so why?

Calvin079

I don't play MP dm games but I did find MP co-op on UC2 and R2 a lot of fun. It isn't needed for me but can enhance the game in some situations. Of course games like COD and Halo shouldn't even have a SP as those are normally pretty bad. They should just be like MAG and made for MP only.

I,for one,hate multiplayer.

Just keep roaming around in a small stinkin piece of land trying to find someone to kill and when you FINALLY find someone,a camper kills him first.

Even if there are a lot of players,you just repeat the same thing again and again.Single player,on the other hand has a cool story,interesting characters,different situations which require different form of gameplay and you can play at your own pace.SP FTW!

I don't like muitipler in all games, some games are better to play by yourself. Like RPG's and such. But I do understand it for FPS because the campain is so short you want to keep playing and improve your skills so it is better to keep playing online.

I don't like muitipler in all games, some games are better to play by yourself. Like RPG's and such. But I do understand it for FPS because the campain is so short you want to keep playing and improve your skills so it is better to keep playing online.

OmegaAK47

Nope. Not at all. In fact, a lot of games are being ruined because of multiplayer and people's obsession with it. Only now in console gaming has it become a fad.

there may be a few games left where i don't care if it has mp but some like say racing i will never buy again unless there is mp in it.

Depends on the game.

I don't think multiplayer is necessary. It's certainly cool, but it shouldn't be the main focus of a game. In fact, I prefer the single-player campaign of a game over the multiplayer. I play the game for the story and campaign, as well as for the multiplayer, but not solely for multiplayer.

Not for all games it isn't. They didn't need to put mp in my Dragon Quest.

Not necessary (like how would it work in Silent Hill for example) but if it can be implemented thant yea it should be in

Not for me. Give a good game mission builder/custom battle/skirmish mode where I can go against the game AI and it's guaranteed I'll play a game for years without even touching multiplayer. I rather see multiplayer saved for online-oriented games.That's why I still play games like Close Combat 2: A Bridge Too Far (1997). It's mission builder keeps it going for me.

It's similar for sports games on consoles. Sometimes, I want a quick game on Madden or FIFA just long enough to last the 1-2 hours before dinner.