Single-player games will be dead in three years, says industry analyst

So game development studios desperately want to move the entirety of our hobby online in order to mimic the recurring revenue model of MMORPGs. That's not exactly news, but it is news when an industry analyst makes an eyebrow-raising claim regarding the immediate future of the genre. To that effect, Eurogamer recently attended a "closed-door, Sony-organized panel discussion on the future of video games," which featured an analyst predicting the end of single-player titles by 2014.

Mark Cerny, a "veteran video game consultant," used the 2009 single-player RPG Demon's Souls as an example, saying that its mixture of traditional offline gameplay and social connectivity to other gamers experiencing the same title is the wave of the future.

"The funny thing here is, we don't even know what to call this. Is it single-player or is it multiplayer? We don't even have the words. It's kind of Orwellian. If you don't have any word for freedom you can't have a revolution," Cerny said. What exactly is that revolution, and will it be good for gamers? Check back in 2014 to find out.

Reader Comments (50)

We already know what to call this thanks to Nintendo: Massively Single-Player. :p

@Ehra Best comment ever....and sadly very true...

It's probably cause i don't buy single player games i rent them through gamefly or plurent which I might add still haven't gotten around to doing yet.
On a side note gamefront commented on this post.

Dude Thinks “Traditional Single-Player” Will Be Gone in Three Years
DarkSouls2

I think this guy is a douche.

August 17th, 2011 | 2 Comments
Phil Owen

Although I prefer MMOs on single player games, I doubt it well happen.

@osamaelshimy me too, because of three little words we all love to hate:

Always on DRM.

we saw how much of a stink came about from the Diablo announcement... that's why there will always be single player games.

Actually he said, "I believe the traditional single-player game experience will be gone in three years." Anyone could say that. Most single-player games have a "multiplayer" component these days.

Eurogamer and Massively missed a few words, implying something very different than Cerny intended.

To be honest some of these industry analysts just slay me.

"If you don't have any word for freedom you can't have a revolution,"

Is that trying to sound all clever and stuff? If you don't know what's going to happen, and you don't, Mark, then don't pretend like you do please. But ya okay maybe it's your job to be wrong, go for it. Whatever.

Short version:
1) He doesn't know
2) It's not likely
3) See #1

Yes, who buys single player games anymore. I mean, Angry Birds? Plants vs. Zombies? We all know all non-interactive entertainment is long gone, too. Who reads books, watches TV or goes to the movies anymore? Yep, pretty soon now we won't be able to do anything by ourselves.

This guy clearly can't think for himself, that's for sure.

TES, ME and DA says nay!

@diamount

ME is adding MP in ME3.

and i wouldn't be too surprised if DA done the same after the atrocity that was DA2

@alinos

No it isn't. The whole Multiplayer deal is based of a completely unfounded rumor with no reliable source. The developers of the game have also repeatedly said that single-player is the only thing their working on right now.

Not going to happen in 3 years. There are single player games in development now and they won't be done for another 3 years. Did this guy just totally ignore the games in development? There are people out there that don't even like MMOs, will gaming companies ignore these people too? Single players may have multiplayer options, but a total shift to MMOs, highly unlikely. LOL, and what will Steam/Origin/Etc. do, curl up and die?

@Bladerunner83

And this is why the article is poor.

He's not saying everything will be an MMO.

He's Saying that everything will have some sort of connectivity with other players.

whether it's direct competition/cooperation with another player.

Or whether the game will implement a system like that in Demon souls which allows other players to leave notes, like "Caution, Ahead lies Booby trap"

Development companies will really butcher this data. What they mean to say is the scope of a MMO; game features, content, world side, quests are way larger then a single player game, hence they success. What some of the dumb industry leads will see, is microtransaction; pay to win, single player games with a chat box (not a MMO).

A good example of this would be Age of empire online, check out the free 2 play, the game is a train wreck, there nothing online about it except a chat box, and the PVP battles. Every aspect of the game screams microtransactions. It worth trying to see it, so you can avoid it.

Pay to win is for losers.

Industry analyst will be wrong in three years, says single-player gamer.

Yea.. I think ES Skyrim and Deus Ex HR will just kill the single player game.

/end sarcasm

@mikejl

It *would* be nice to see an attempt at an Elder Scrolls MMO though ;)

@Wild Colors I'd be happy being able to set up a small private Skyrim server for just friends. Alas ... Bethsoft says no.

Personally I like the option of both MMO/online only games and offline only games.

One thing for sure ill be buying less games if offline games become extinct.

I wonder if that analyst's opinion would change if unlimited internet disappeared and we have to pay for each gig we use. The cable companies sure as hell are working towards that end.

I think he's confusing single player with offline. Offline games, we've seen are already going away. Companies want to protect their games from piracy. It's obvious the best way to do this is to require a persistent connection.

| 1 | 2 | 3 | Most Recent | Next 20 Comments

Single-player games will be dead in three years, says industry analyst

Reader Comments (50)

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 1:36PM Ehra said

Posted: Aug 18th 2011 6:47AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 1:40PM bulldozerftw said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 1:42PM osamaelshimy said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:37PM fallwind said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 1:44PM yeppers said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 1:44PM kyrv said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 1:46PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 1:49PM diamount said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 2:03PM alinos said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:56PM EMH said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 1:50PM Bladerunner83 said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 2:07PM alinos said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 1:50PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 1:50PM ApathyCurve said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 1:52PM mikejl said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:25PM Wild Colors said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 4:42PM Tovrin said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 1:53PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 1:55PM Nerves said

Info

Description

MSRP

Release Date

Genre

Developer

Publisher

Rating

Breaking News

Massively-that-was

Featured Stories

The Daily Grind: This is not the end

The Stream Team: Sneak a peek of FACTIONS: Origin of Malu with devs

Not So Massively: Marvel Heroes team-ups, League of Legends soundtrack, last bits from PAX South

Engadget

Joystiq

WoW

TUAW