Hating Multiplayer Creep

[Arcane Azmadi]

I always thought Yahtzee had good taste, but it's good to know it extends to alchohol. The only point of contention is that he appears to prefer normal Strongbow to sweet.

Also, it's depressing when multiplayer gets crammed into a game that doesn't need or benefit from it "just because". A lot of (extremely thick) reviewers gave Spec Ops: The Line reduced review scores because of its mediocre multiplayer (lower than they might have given it if it had NO multiplayer), completely missing the point that it's a spectacular single-player game.

Also, I find Borderlands to not be great in multiplayer. Oh sure, the actual fighting is better, but in-between quests you have everyone running ahead racing through things, heading off in their own direction when you'd rather sit back, take your time and do some more sidequests.

 

[Dastardly]

Hating Multiplayer Creep

There's nothing wrong with playing by yourself.

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You're confusing things, Yahtzee. Companies just want money. T

There's also the possibility you're confusing things -- you're partly right, it's about money.

Multiplayer, in its current incarnation, is a huuuuuuge moneymaker. Gone are the days of going over to a friend's house and enjoying hours of fun sitting in front of the same screen and [gasp] using a single copy of the game.

Now, by including a multiplayer component, you encourage groups of friends to all buy the game together. Don't think so? Consider that shampoo companies increased sales by simply telling customers to "Lather. Rinse. Repeat."

Multiplayer also provides 'hours of content' to tout on the box, and can indeed keep players around just a bit longer... so you can snag them with your various monetization schemes. That's how the entire free-to-play market lives.

The problem, as I see it, isn't that they're trying to push multiplayer on people. It's that they're pushing a manipulative form of multiplayer on everyone. And, as you rightly noted, it's about money.

 

[SonOfMethuselah]

I appreciate you speaking out for us introverts, Mr. Croshaw, even though I'm not entirely adverse to playing online with my friends. I'll never touch a random lobby, though.

 

[Ron Alphafight]

I will say there's nothing like having a couple of beers while enjoying your favorite single player game. And while playing online with some friends is a lot of fun, I refuse to play along side strangers. I've had my fill of my worth as a human questioned because my reaction time isn't that of a mongoose. Thanks, Counter Strike.

 

[AnotherAvatar]

I personally use games to when I need to get away from my friends. And actually when I do play games with friends it often won't be that great, then the little annoying things they do as gamers (usually because they suck in some way or another) just ends up driving me fucking mad.

That said it's never ended a friendship, and some games have added to them. In fact I've made some awesome friends through fighting games.


Weirdest thing in the world, and this happens a LOT, it has happened with everything from rooms full of post-party/rave people to just a few close friends, to even naked-post-coital-girlfriends; people seem to love watching me play single player games.

I really don't know what it is, I've heard everything from how proficient and brutal I am, to how absurdly funny I can be, to my cinematic approach to camera movement, but seriously I've had a lot of people watch me play single player games and enjoy it...

I don't even know what you'd call that, but that's honestly some of the best times I've had involving more than one person and video games, and a big part of it was they couldn't fuck it up in any way.

Also I got a great deal of joy watching close friends play Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, I loved it's analysis system, and as I had already beat it multiple times by the time I was showing it to friends I was able to analyze them through it. Plus it's about movie length and watching certain females react in genuine horror at certain points was oddly satisfying.

Highly recommend that game, it's the only thing I miss about the Wii.

 

[gamerguy20097]

The introvert is not fully human. Society abhors the introvert because he doesn't contribute to society. it's nothing new.

I remember being thunderstruck by this passage near the end of The Hero with a Thousand Faces:
(skip to the near-final chapter "The Function of Myth, Cult, and Meditation")

Within the realm of science(psychology) introversion is normal, rare but normal. Introverts gain their energy from within rather than from others like extroverts do. Some famous introverts are Abe Lincoln, Obama, and Einstein. Most scientists and writers are introverts. Most introverts are deep thinkers and the philosophers of ancient times. That's a pretty backwards thinking book you've read.

 

[ascorbius]

I've not played an online multi-player game since Eve online and I stopped that years ago. Before that, it was Counter-Strike and I stopped that because people were dicks and I wasn't having any fun.

It annoys me when companies inject Multi-player into games which don't need it... then worst of all make the Multi-player part invade the single player experience or the Achievements.

Fable 2 and more-so in Fable 3, lots of achievements won't unlock without multi-player - Fable 3, there's even a Demon door which won't open unless I kiss another player... WTF!!!
So first of all I have to play with a complete stranger, or a friend (most of my friends are Male) then I have to kiss them? To unlock content in a game I've purchased as a single player experience where I'm the hero of Albion?

Mass Effect 3, It's supposedly very difficult bordering on impossible to get enough of the galactic war points unless you play the multi-player (apparently, as soon as I heard that, I cancelled my purchase ) I LOVE the Mass Effect games and always complete them to pretty much 100% or at least get the best ending possible.

I am a completionist. I like to find and do everything in my single player experiences (With games that I like anyway). They do not however involve me dealing with other people. I deal with them during the day. On my down time I want to be in my in my own little world. That own little world does not involve other people.

If I wanted a multi-player experience, I'd play Mario Kart.

Keep multi-player out of my single player games!

 

[Victoria Dragon]

Borderlands is totally for multiplayer tis true. I have to say the concept of society while unavoidable rather makes me sick. It's like popular kids at high school. What makes them so able to set rules for what's acceptable and what's not? I'd rather just live my my own rules which serves me well, thank you very much, but I digress.
I enjoy playing multiplayer diablo 2, and not Borderlands with my boyfriend and my sister. All three of us are gamers and we enjoy the occasional sit down and play together. Outside of that gaming is a lone person activity by design. Random game joining is just a excuse that other people use to make themselves feel better by raining down Hell on weaker people. That's why I will never ever ever play PVP games. If I'm playing against a human player it's Uno, Monopoly, or Frokle for me. Video games as opposed to other games are built to be single player.

 

[Second World]

Introversion is certainly looked down upon.
Interestingly, it was only a few decades ago that one had to go out of their way to be harassed and barely had to try to get away from people.

The issue, however, with the current trends is that society is exactly the same as it was. Instead, however, electronics can now increase your (un)desired harassment rates and given a portable outlet for that purpose.

Turn off your cell phone and the internet and you'd be surprised at how little interaction you'll get from anyone in a public location like a park, restaurant, or library now. Based on the trend, such locations will be largely archaic in the future.

 

[DoctorObviously]

So... Yahtzee claims to be socially awkward yet never stops to make a cheap joke at autistic people like me? Arrogant douchebag much?

 

[Netrigan]

Borderlands 2 was the first game that made me break double-digits on my X-box Live friends list... as well as paying for the service.

And this was based 100% on my enjoying the hell out of the single player campaign and finding the four-player co-op to take the responsibility of other people's entertainment off of my shoulders (although I do find it oddly stressful to host a game and the two minute Claptrap Birthday Party mission was the longest two minutes I've spent playing a video game thanks to the three other people hopping around the town). There's a couple of minor grindy bits, which means you have to have a fairly high tolerance for hording stuff, sorting stuff, selling off stuff, and gambling away the earnings in the hopes of getting Moon Money to buy the only worthwhile things to buy... but it's fast-paced and hectic and reminds me a lot of the old Doom-like shooters.

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

I know I'm only adding to the wall of agreement here, but this might be my favorite EP ever. I knew about Yahtzee's aversion to multiplayer, but what I hadn't realized was the fact that we share the "diseased brain" of social anxiety issues. I applaud him for coming out with honesty this time around and being up-front about this.

I too miss the days where multiplayer was a bonus that didn't siphon effort and money away from the singleplayer experience. I let my Xbox Live gold subscription lapse because I simply wasn't playing any of my games with other people online. Simply being here in the forums, and recently adding my first friend here is a major accomplishment for me as far as social interaction is concerned. No facebook, never used twitter, and no Live/PSN/Steam friends. I don't even have a dumbphone, which in 2012 is practically having leprosy. Sometimes I'd like for that to change, and I don't inherently hate the multiplayer experience, but I do experience all the anxieties that come with the experience that Yahtzee discusses in the article and it makes it difficult to pursue.

I know you don't read the comments, but thanks for writing this. We all know the cliche of "nobody is alone in this" and "you're never the only one", but that doesn't stop how good it feels to hear a reminder that it is in fact true.

 

[Brett Bowling]

I hate the lack of split screen multiplayer in alot of these "Multiplayer centric games". I like screwing around in Halo Reach's multiplayer with my mates. I couldn't give less of a crap about Reach's online which is about as much fun as falling down stairs. The thing is once we are in the next generation and they shut down xbox live, all those stupid EA and Activision games are going to be completly useless. But I will still be able to play Reach no problem. This why people still go out and by N64s. In the far flung future, the only console that retro gamers will want will be the Wii. As for multiplayer creep well, Lost planet 2 is still worthless even with multiplayer.

 

[Dangit2019]

So... Yahtzee claims to be socially awkward yet never stops to make a cheap joke at autistic people like me? Arrogant douchebag much?

I assumed he made horrible jokes about everyone to keep the status quo. On the accusation of arrogant douchebag? I'm sure he would agree.

 

[IronMit]

I know i'm being captain obvious but multiplayer is being pushed because it's something the typical pirated game will not be able to take part in and also it adds 1000% to the gaming time. People are less likely to trade it in.

Publishers will try anything to maximise profits even force the direction on the entire industry instead of just giving the people what they want. Digital games, crazy DRM, new console, online passes.... something has got to give.

Maybe if they can reduce pre-owned games and piracy they won't need to force multiplayer and SP will be better??? I don't know

 

[Netrigan]

I know i'm being captain obvious but multiplayer is being pushed because it's something the typical pirated game will not be able to take part in and also it adds 1000% to the gaming time. People are less likely to trade it in.

That's the real big push for multi-player. They want people to leave the game in the drive for weeks or months.

And as a single player, I think Borderlands 2 has the right idea. Granted, some of the builds aren't very SP-friendly, but quite a lot of us have had very good single player experiences with this game, as the there's lots of side missions and plenty of places to explore... and you get to jump on-line with up to three friends in a fairly friendly, casual atmosphere thanks to XP sharing.

First time I played Red Dead Redemption, I was hoping the MP was along these lines. Sadly, it wasn't. I would love to be able to hook up with friends and battle Dragon mobs in Skyrim, but alas that's not an option. Even if you think Borderlands 2 fails as a single player game, there's quite a lot here that could work in a co-op open-world game.

 

[Something Amyss]

Turn off your cell phone and the internet and you'd be surprised at how little interaction you'll get from anyone in a public location like a park, restaurant, or library now. Based on the trend, such locations will be largely archaic in the future.

I find the opposite. Even with my MP3 player people won't STOP talking to me.

 

[Atmos Duality]

It's true, though, isn't it? This is a society that demonizes the introvert.

This has bothered me for ages.

There's nothing wrong with being the guy who'd rather just stay in and have a quiet night.

Know what I hate about that trope? The message.
Their not subtle-at-all message about the re-affirmation of unity; of what we as a society have achieved together and only through cooperation and love and blah blah blah.

They use that bullshit character arc to death; but I guess it's hard to ignore when most of said movies feature credits rolls that are over 5 minutes long.