Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is only a week away, and with the video game world in a fierce debate over single-player games, developers everywhere are speaking up on the issue. The folks over at Game Watcher recently spoke to one of the members of the Wolfenstein II team about the issue and how they feel regarding the state of single-player games.
When asked why there didn’t seem to be as many single-player first person shooters these days, MachineGames Senior Games Designer Arcade Berg was quick to note that it probably had to do with money. “Personal standpoint? A lot of it is probably money. A good solid multiplayer game will yield great revenue, and people will tell their friends to get a game to play it with them. “ he said.
Berg went on to say that a multiplayer game selling on a console requires the players to keep the disc, whereas a single-player game might be more easily traded in or returned. This thought, he said, might make developers and publishers weary, as they don’t typically see money from trade-ins. He also pegged technology as a leading factor, stating that with broadband internet being so readily available, the “playing field” has been changed.
While the issue might be a bit deeper than just money, it’s highly likely that Berg is right and that the business side of things plays a much bigger role than we think. Though Berg noted a couple of strong reasons for the lack of single-player games, he did say that developers still love to make them. “A lot of developers still creatively love to do single-player campaigns just as much as ever, because that’s how you can really tell the story.” he said.
As the debate continues to rage on in the world of gaming, it’s likely that more and more developers will get in on the conversation. While single-player games may seem down, it’s good to know that plenty of creators still love making them.
[Source: Game Watcher]
