Yes, I'm well aware that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 sold around 6 million copies in the month and a half after its release, but my question involves the psychology of online multiplayer fans.
You may not have noticed, but many who play MMORPGs like World of Warcraft simply don't play anything else. I really don't even consider them to be gamers, as they play one type of game for years on end. Now, I'm starting to see the same behavior from the rabid Modern Warfare fans: there are many who have played the original Modern Warfare online right up until the time the sequel released, and you can bet they'll repeat that procedure again. I'm not saying these online experiences are inherently addictive, but I am saying they seem to drain a lot of time from people and many have admitted to missing out on top-notch titles because they're stuck playing one particular title online. So in other words, of those 6 million who bought MW2, how many of them will buy Heavy Rain in February? I know they're two entirely different games but what about those who currently plan to buy Quantic Dream's ambitious project, then get hooked on MW2 and simply pass everything up, from Heavy Rain through even God of War III and Final Fantasy XIII in March?
These days, it seems as if the battle lines are being drawn: war is being waged between those who almost exclusively play online multiplayer and those who almost exclusively play single-player campaigns. I have noticed that those who get stuck on multiplayer have a lot of time on their hands, and they absolutely don't play as many games as the hardcore gamers who want to keep up with the industry. Missing out on the likes of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves , Assassin's Creed II , Batman: Arkham Asylum , inFamous and the amazing 2010 lineup due to constant online action seems downright reprehensible to me. Bear in mind I have nothing against the multiplayer boom, per se, but I wish some Western developers took the route the Japanese have taken with their big franchises: they gave us MGS4 to satisfy those who appreciate a wonderful story and an absorbing independent experience, but they also satisfied the other crowd with MGO. They give us FFXIII in March (it has no online multiplayer), which will soon be followed by FFXIV, which is only online.
In the future, I really want to see everyone do this. Multiplayer is big enough so entire games can be created with that object in mind; developers that attempt to produce both in the same package usually don't fully succeed in both respects. I think we all know the single-player campaign in MW2 isn't anything special while at the same time, despite the solidity and quality of the Uncharted 2 online experience, there's very little chance that anyone buys that game for multiplayer Deathmatch. So why bother? You could even make the strictly multiplayer games cheaper by making those entirely downloadable in the future (we're going in that direction, anyway). The bottom line is that many who play a lot online really don't care about any single-player experience, and the vice versa can be said about those who couldn't possibly care less about the multiplayer. And with the "time-sucking" aspect of these multiplayer games, and so many millions jumping in, how can sales of games like Heavy Rain not suffer?
Just a thought.
By YOUR theory, the real future of gaming is actually Wii Fit and wii motion control. They completely destroyed MW2 and multiplayer. Think about what you say before typing that long essay of yours.
Be gone.
Wait a minute. Limited thinks of Drithe when he's in bed? That's pretty disturbing.
Wii Play is the biggest selling game next to Modern Warfare 2, doesn't make it good or better. And it isn't online either!!!
MP the future of gaming?
in that case my PS3, PSP and PC are going on ebay.
who wants to start the bidding?
ive skipped heaps of games because there online only like warhawk, MGS online, syphon filter spec ops, and im not going to buy MAG or FFIV.
*loads shotgun*
"SUPER MULTIPLAYER EVERYONE LOVES TO PLAY"
Except for the part about everyone liking it
Put the bong down, and step away from the computer.
@Damcemachine
I dont count wii play as a best seller because it comes with every console.
@Drithe…
You're just trolling. Please go away and the rest, stop feeding him.
@LV
Hilarious stuff!!!
One big problem I have with multiplayer is also that all these leaderboards and stats devolve it into nothing more than a "mine is bigger than yours" attitude. It's less about actual fun and more about piling up numbers.
I am drawn to characters and stories, which is why I detest FPS games. I need to see my character to connect with them, and then have them actually HAVE a personality along with the story. THEN I will truly enjoy a game. Finishing the year with UC2, AC2, Batman:AA, and GoW collection filled my gaming hours. And the likes of Bayonetta, Darksiders, Dante's Inferno, Heavy Rain, God of War 3 and Final Fantasy 13 will eat up even more of my time in 2010.
I used to be in CAL league play in Counterstrike back in the day and it was an addiction. It no longer was about entertaintment, it became a chore and all about the KDR. You nailed it, FPS often just break down to 2 key numbers kills and deaths. Thankfully there have been plenty of SP games to keep things interesting. A good story always beats the best KDR.
the only problem i see with leaderboards is all the people who hack it. the reason i dont care about it anymore.
Ohhh the long nights I spent in PC cafes and in front of my computer playing counter strike. Those were the days.
I agree with you Ben 100% my husband if not for me would be missing out on so many great games that have been released and soon to be released games, he is so addicted to WOW I can't see why?
I can't wait for Heavy rain but when I talk to people about it they're like whats that, its so sad to see some of these great games coming out being second fiddle to MMO's. I have nothing against MMOs just wish I had friends to talk to about other than that.
The PS3 crowd sometimes pisses me off. The 360 gets bombarded with the same ole same ole (ODST) and the 360 crowd eat it up. We PS3 players get treated to a variety KZ2/UC2 and their sales while good are nothing spectacular given the PS3 user base. Heavy Rain looks amazing and it's sad to see how many are not informed.
I've played the developers previous games and they know how to make a game seem like reality.
Tell me about it Limited, I mean with 20 million odd PS3s out there, Uncharted 2 should have sold at least 10 million. Hell it everyone with a PS3 should own the damn thing but they are probably busy in some MP addiction to FPS.
It really makes me wonder how many bought a PS3 for the blu-ray and media applications. It's great that the PS3 is selling but I just wish the software was supported more.
Seriously, I mean if your a PS3 owner, U2 should've been immediately on your list, but unfortunately there either smashing their controller on the ground, yelling at their mom for interrupting them, or my personal favorite, crying and whining to tv as if the it were shrink.
Gotta love online huh?
@LV, that 360 crowd who lap up ODST and mW2 are exactly the people that are killing creativity. They move like a swarm of locusts from one game to another. When the swarm's group mind locks onto a new 'host' the swarm leaps to the new game. Look at MW2, it's sales numbers were outrageous. Why? Because all the locusts already playing Modern Warfare jumped to the new host body, and brought some new friends with them. Friends who wanted to join in with the feeding frenzy of the swarm.
I bet you could model the behavior of the audience of MW2 or Halo on the behavior of insects that swarm.
I know that it means that sales of PS3 games may disappoint in comparison, but I don't think it's fair or healthy to make that comparison.
Perhaps I should have said hive instead of swarm, it's like there is a hive mind in control of the group of gamers stuck on MW2 and games like it….
😀
Last edited by TheHighlander on 1/4/2010 12:34:14 AM
The difference is the PS3 user base is thought of as older and more intelligent when it comes to choosing games. Honestly, someone that forks over 600 dollars for a system is going to be a little more choosey about their gaming lineup than someone that paid 300. Even now a PS3 is 300 and a 360 can be found for fewer than 200. I understand that the 360 crowd's choices in gaming are hurting creativity (can you imagine how low the sales would be for Heavy Rain if it was a 360 exclusive).
The PS3 user base needs to be more vocal and productive if we're going to continue to see the trends established on the PS3 thus far. I'm buying Heavy Rain day one and I expect the rest of you to do so as well.
@TheHighlander
That swarm metaphor is exactly what I believe the gamers with shooters are like. Developers make "New" IP's with new game mechanics or RPG element to it and everyone "swarm" over like its the next best thing.
PS3 may not sell 10 million of one genre of games, but they sell 2-3 million for a large diversity of games each. Gamers have a choice of what to play instead of shooters, shooters, and more shooters.
@HighLander
I want to personally thank you for one of, if not THE most accurate comments ever.
I will now create thousands of PSXE accounts so you will have the most thumbs up possible.
@Highlander,
"I bet you could model the behavior of the audience of MW2 or Halo on the behavior of insects that swarm."
Just for clarification's sake, not everyone who likes playing the Halo games falls into this mindset. I've played all of the FPS Halo games, both SP and MP, and like playing them, and also love a good single-player experience. UC2 is, quite frankly, one of the best games I've ever played because I found its story riveting and the game play well-executed. Heck, even on the 360 I have the most fun with the single player games such as Dead Space, Oblivion, BioShock, Fable II, etc. Multiplayer games are only fun, to me, when I can set up something with friends.
I say this because there's a tendency on this board that if you happen to like MS's games, especially those of the Halo series, you're looked at as some kind of immature, mindless moron and the like. Yes, the 360 does have a fair share of morons that play (and sadly, most of them play online); we're all not like that, though.
@Drithe,
Just curious, what sport is travel ball???
hurting games that have MP?
no of course not!
hurting games that have MP?
well, quite obviously.
but than thats arguable because assassins creed 2 does not have MP and thats flying off the shelf.
batman AA does not have MP and thats not struggling to sell well either.
sales are a peculiar thing, something ill never understand, and never be able to explain.
you would think the best games would sell better than the crappy games, but you would think wrong.
funny how people are always bitching how theres so much piracy on the 360, but than the 360 version of games always sell better than the ps3 version.
well,99.99% of the time.
I think you made a typo
theres a first for everything.
Yeah this is true all the people at my school talk about is MW2. Nuke this, care package that blah blah blah.
Haha care package that
+1 thumb
@Biker Saint.
Travel ball is a term used for USSSA BASEBALL that is played on WEEKENDS ONLY or any other form of WEEKEND baseball. Well it is also used for basketball and girls softball as well. These kind of events are for kids that are looking to expand thier horizons in these particular sports, or other sports for that matter.
End of Line.
@Drithe,
OK, thanks.
Sounds like what we call Little League in the US, but here it's played on any day during the week for the young ones
No, we call basketball, girl's softball, and baseball travel ball here in the U.S. If you haven't heard of it then you probably weren't exposed to it early on. I started traveling and playing basketball when I was 11 years old, going to tournaments all over the state. It was great fun and a great way to improve on the fundamentals of the sport. My niece is currently traveling all over the country playing softball and even though she's a freshman in high school, has many universities looking into scooping her up.
As a single-player only guy, I hate buying a used game & finding out that it's only for online play, or finding that it has a short ass single mode, but with a huge multi-player mode.
Luckily I still need it for completing my collections, or I'd be mighty pissed off otherwise.
Do you plan to own every single game some day?
I think he should open up a gaming rental service. I bet he has a ton of classics many have never played but would pay to play.
@BikerSaint
No new information about that copy of ICO, my friend should be coming in on Tuesday so i'll keep you posted.
All i know is, if the world ever heads into an era like seen in the movies or I, Robot or Surrogates, we'll be the ones coming to BikerSaint haha
If ever a university announces the creation of a real 'live' AI and has the complete stupidity to connection it to the Internet, you won't find me, I'll be off line for good. Cut the cord! It's the only way to be sure…
Skynet isn't fiction, it's the product of a fertile mind and a future echo caused by a temporal paradox in the near future!
</tinfoil hat mode>
When Skynet comes about I'm going to gladly let a cute robot eat my brains.
lets just hope theres that one asteroid.
Last edited by to_far_apart on 1/4/2010 1:11:11 AM
just noticed the time i edited my comment:
Last edited by to_far_apart on 1/4/2010 1:11:11 AM
doesn't get much better then that lol
I think a guy at work said it best when I was recommending a game with a great story (cant remember what it was now) but he said "FK the story, I just want to shoot people" If thats really what some people only want to do I cant really argue with that. We are just two different animals. I can say this: The day the single player dies, is the day I am no longer a gamer….. a sad day indeed.
Last edited by dragonx_HD on 1/4/2010 12:02:27 AM
Yeah I hesitate to call those people gamers myself. Not that I'm all elite and sh*t but as an entertainment medium, there is just so much more there for the taking that I am befuddled by those who don't embrace it. It would be like only ever seeing action movies and never taking in a comedy or drama or thriller.
@to_far_apart,
Thanks for keeping me updated, I appreciate it.
As for when the I-Robots(or any other pieces of hell's little technical glitcher demons) begin starting their march to take over the world, then all I can say is….
I sure hope the rest of you are all stored up on frequency and computer disruptor's, have tons of stockpiled food goods & plenty of 55 gallon barrels of safe drinking water, kept your ammo dry, all weapons & big-boomers on ready mode. Then start blasting away at any frigging thing that comes within a 500 yard range of your blast-proof concrete bunker out in the wilderness…..I know I'm ready!!!!
"LOCK & LOAD, MOTHERFLOCKERS"
@BikerSaint
I was half way through your comment and I thought, "I should reply with LOCK AND LOAD, that would be awesome!"
Then I finished reading and you had already done it. Thanks for crushing my dreams.
I agree with you Ben, I think this is hurting the industry. It's kind of a reprise on the theme from 2009 for me.
The craze for FPS games was soon followed by the craze for multi-player online. Massive games like MW2 drain gaming hours from potential customers for other games. It's no wonder Microsoft is so keep to charge $50 a year for XBL, that way they can monetize this trend. Sony on the other hand is not doing that since we play for free. As was considered in a recent article here, Sony and PS3 is really a better fit for single player games, and it really does show
I'm not dead set against multi-player, but as someone at the beginning of this discussion pointed out There are people who play multi-player games exclusively. They're like chain smokers going through cigarettes, starting the next from the remaining embers of the last. I like a limited multi-player environment, but let's face it, are you playing Uncharted 2 for the multi-player? Or a chance to watch chloe running? Or even a chance to play through an engaging story with complex characters?
There have been games (Soul Calibur for instance) where the single player story mode was all but omitted and the time/resource was allocated to multi-player online. Remember that Soul Calibur is a real time fighting game, who in their right mind thinks that a game that demands essentially real time control input will work well over a laggy Internet?
Devs should leave the multi-player to afterthough…
Finally! Highlander a guy that posts a ton at once but actually has some substance.
I think the problem is SP heavy developers are compromising their work assuming MP is needed to sell the product. I say it a lot but the co-op in RE5 really killed it for me. I didn't like the storyline (ya I know it's RE so what) and the setting was bla but the entire time I felt like the developer was trying to shove me into going online with the damn game.
I didn't forget you gave me a thumb down 🙂
I agree with both of you
@LV welcome to the party – thumbs down included…
I'm very worried that developers compromising and including MP components at the expense of story or campaign in the single player part will hurt the quality of games we see, and that will hurt the industry.
Exactly what i think highlander
Is it thumb down or thumbs down. You're only giving me one thumb down. I really want to know, I've already been corrected earlier for an obvious goof on my part concerning "I could care less" instead of "I couldn't care less".
BTW back at ya on the thumb/thumbs down.