Is bad single player excusable?

[Dethenger]

My initial reaction was no, but upon reflection, yes. If:
A) It is a multiplayer-only game, a la TF2, in which case awful single-player can't be a deal-breaker, it's not even a factor. Games like this can still certainly be fun. If you're into single-player, this simply isn't your market.
B) It is clearly a multiplayer-centered game, a la Halo, and the the campaign is optional; in such a case it's similar to a tutorial, getting the player familiar with the game before throwing them into the competitive arena. This is fine; but must still include split-screen, because not everyone has an internet connection.

It is inexcusable, though, if the game is single-player only, or if the game was single-player only, but the single-player dropped in quality after the introduction of multiplayer. This would be inexcusable.

 

[Strain42]

I think that it all depends on two things.

1. What the game is, and possibly more importantly
2. What the developer is telling us about it.

If a game is advertised from the get-go as a multi-player experience, then it can be forgiven for forgoing the single player. Anyone who goes into it expecting single player hasn't been paying attention, and they should have done a bit more research before buying it. If it was on display from the start "We are building this game primarily for multi-player purposes!" then I say they do whatever.

But if the game is built for mostly multi-player, and yet the single campaign is a laod of garbage after we were told that it wouldn't be, that's not cool.

I do find it a bit odd that if you buy a game based on single player with a good single player that happens to have a good multi-player system our response is "Ah, well that's nice"

But if we buy a game based on multi-player with good multi-player and a good story we go "That's the way it's supposed to be."

Speaking as someone who never (ever ever ever) plays online, I think it's important for games to stand on their own two feet for someone who is playing alone. But, I think if a game is advertised to be a multi-player experience, there's not much point in complaining if the single campaign doesn't make par.