Gamers have become to worried about Multiplayer

When did gamers become so worried about multiplayer that the single player experience was basically forgotten about? I suspect it was a single game for many people, that one massive multiplayer online role playing game or that one online first person shooter which enthralled the player to the point where single player was not wanted anymore.

This is a shame, utterly and forever more a shame that we no longer like to play with our selves (oh that pun is so true…) and only want to play with others. I know I was like that once, living multiplayer worlds, basically not caring about what new single player games were out, or if I tried them it was just for a while before heading back into Everquest for hours upon hours.

I also know Halo 2 has jaded many people, including people to this site where if a game comes and it made the mistake of offering a multiplayer aspect of its own, unless it is even close to Halo 2 in features it will be destroyed in the minds of so many it wont have a real chance. I for one remember thinking that Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter was not going to be a good multi-player game because it did not have clan support; this was with out even trying it.

Even my own game, I was so worried about a multi-player component I stalled out the development losing several months of work, costing me money as well as a heavy dose of self loathing for doing the one thing I know I should never have done, worry about a multi-player side of things when I know the single player is where I originally wanted the game. I obsessed with the Xbox Live side of things I dropped the single player aspect and ran with multi-player.

I have gone back to doing what I do best, strong story and game design. No multi-player at all, no future support for it in this version, just strong story with a solid game play mechanic.

Bioshock is another game that gave the finger to multi-player and pushed a strong single player experience and it appears to be an amazing experience, I for one can not wait for it. Oblivion gave us a fantastic single player game with out any multi-player and I for one am glad because it shows that even a game with no multi-player support can be successful in the days of Halo 2 and Resistance Fall of Man.

But for now, I keep wondering why is multi-player so important, the answer escapes me because now I realize that if the multi-player side of things is not solid and damn perfect it will be hated anyways. Gamers are a jaded bunch who loves to jump on and beat down any game that is not what they expect. Look at Gears of War, many people hate the MP side of things even though the single player is great. Look at Black, a solid and great FPS but people stayed away because no multi-player.

It is too bad multi-player became so important in the console realm; I bet we would have a stronger line of single player games with out the trash games that give us both.