It is no surprise that the PlayStation 5 console owners are prioritizing single-player games over multiplayer ones. The console has tons of exclusive games with award-winning AAA titles that are so intuitive and fun to play that no one will bother with repetitive FPS shooters. However, this is not a current growing trend. Most PlayStation users have always preferred a proper single-player experience over games as a service, and Sony even tries to take advantage of this by bundling their top IPs with consoles.
PS5 Players Prioritise Single-Player Games Over Multiplayer: Is This A Sign For Studios?
According to Exputer, PS5 users have played more single-player games over live service multiplayers as of January 2023.
It is no surprise that gamers who grew up experiencing great stories in FPS multiplayer games like Call of Duty Black Ops II or Battlefield will deviate over to single-player games now. They are much more enjoyable, offer a complete experience, and actually let you relax. Moreover, since a lot of PS5 users are people who work a 9 to 5, they expect to come home to play a game that does not require much effort but pulls away from reality.
Most multiplayer games can’t do that because they induce a competitive environment which brings forth “gaming anxiety.” That coupled with the majority of PS5 users being casual gamers has led to the unpopularity of multiplayers on the platform.
The Highest Selling PS5 Game is Single Player
Take Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for example, it did way better than Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 in terms of Reception even though it does not have a multiplayer mode. MW3 in comparison had a shaky start. However, it recovered just because of the established IP and the number of fans excited to buy it. In addition, MW3 completely neglected the single-player campaign and focused entirely on the multiplayer, Zombies, and Warzone.
That is part of the reason why players who exclusively played the game for the campaign gave it so much flak. The duration of the campaign was shorter in comparison to other Modern Warfare games and the Multiplayer was lackluster and incomplete as the critics pointed out. That coupled with the price of the game repelled people away from the franchise. If that wasn’t enough, MW3 also contains numerous microtransactions, which can be annoying to some.
Spider-Man 2 on the other hand did quite well critically and sales-wise. Even though it is a Marvel Character IP and there is already a certain reputation attached to it, it outperformed Elden Ring. In terms of numbers, Elden Ring sold 3.64 million copies while Spider-Man 2 sold 5 million approximately.
Should PlayStation Studios only Focus on Single Player Titles?
This is a tall ask for PlayStation Studios. While most of the crowd concerns themselves with stories and single-players, there is a certain segment that wants multiplayer or co-op in their title. However, Sony having next to no multiplayer exclusives is not proof of the PS5’s incapability as tons of co-op and competitive titles are available on the platform. Helldivers 2 which is marketed heavily for its multiplayer is set to release in February for the PS5 and Windows exclusively.
The sales of this game will show an interesting demographic of the multiplayer crowd. We do not doubt that Helldivers 2 will do good regardless of the reviews. However, it will be interesting to see what Sony has up their sleep with this third-person shooter.
Why Multiplayer Games are Played Less than Single Player Ones
There are a variety of reasons why multiplayer games are played less than single-player games. The major reason is the amount of micro-transactions taking place in live service games. In addition to that, players have to grind for hours to unlock something they want to use. In single-player games, most of the time, the thing you want is unlocked through a quest or mission or by collecting certain XP points. However, in games as a service players might even have to pay to unlock a certain weapon they want to use.
There is toxicity involved in online gaming as well. Overly competitive players ruin the experience of casuals by either trying too much or being a nuisance which spoils the entire experience. That is why, the casual side prefers to stick to single-player games. The Last of Us or Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 are prime examples where players can take on the story at their own pace.
How to Make Multiplayer Games Relevant
There are ways to make Multiplayer games relevant and quite enjoyable. Firstly, getting rid of most of the micro-transactions is going to bring the old-school players back. The original Call of Duty games did not have them and they succeeded in terms of sales and ratings alike. Aside from that, the skill ceiling and floor should be broadened. In addition, there should be a dedicated server for casual players who just want to have fun and enjoy the multiplayer experience where they do not find “tryhards.”
These are just some of the steps developers can take to ensure that their multiplayer game does well for both the competitive and casual sides.
