EA Says Single Player Only Games Are Finished

According EA Games’ label president Frank Gibeau, single-player only games could be a thing of the past as he believes “Online is where the innovation, and the action, is at”

“Well, it’s not only about multiplayer, it’s about being connected. I firmly believe that the way the products we have are going they, need to be connected online. Multiplayer is one form of that.” He continues, “I volunteer you to speak to EA’s studio heads; they’ll tell you the same thing. They’re very comfortable moving the discussion towards how we make connected gameplay – be it co-operative or multiplayer or online services – as opposed to fire-and-forget, packaged goods only, single-player, 25-hours-and you’re out. I think that model is finished.“

The comments came in an interview with Develop while discussing Dead Space 2, which adds multiplayer to the solo-only survival-horror experience in the first game.

While I agree that connectivity is the next logical step, I would be extremely saddened to see single-player only games disappear. There are certain things you just can’t do in a multiplayer game. Story and pacing takes a backseat to action and co-operative play and in the relevant genre of survival-horror, adding a buddy (even an AI placeholder) into the game completely ruins the suspense and lonely atmosphere (I’m looking at you Resident Evil 5).

I just thing it’s an overreaction to completely rule out single-player only games. There is a time and place for everything.