Single Player Gaming is Dead?

[DarthProdigal]

I feel like there are a lot of more introverted people who feel the same way. When I play a game, I want to use it to escape from people. If there's a multiplayer option, then it's nice when you have a friend or two over, but for the most part, needing someone else to play is simply an irritant (Even moreso if you can be paired with random people online). I hate group projects. Similarly, I hate forced multiplayer.  Instant turnoff for me in a game

I'm still trying to formulate a response that isn't filled purely with venom, because that's mostly what this "concept of what gaming is becoming" fills me with. So I'll just start out by agreeing with LR. Gaming for many is meant to be a fun, stress reducing (unless you live for the challenge), and enjoyable experience. Why eagerly await, buy something, pay for additional DLC, spend all the time on updates, downloads, installs... and all to get annoyed by other people? I get it, kids like to play with their friends. Adults like to "hang out" with others they can't see often and enjoy a game together. MMOs can be massively fun (in theory) and sometimes hit the mark of epic awesomeness. Though this all tends to pale in comparison to me when game culture often "demands" a shift to the "new cool title". People hop on the new trend/release. Or the toxic environment kills the experience. Don't get me started on hackers, try hards, trolls who just enjoy verbally abusing or causing grief to other players. Let alone the new (personally horrifying trend, and why microsoft lost my business permanently) you "must be connected to play this game". Even if it's just for solo campaign, seriously?!?! Forget that, long live a deep and meaningful campaign or well written story experience. I loved titles like Final Fantasy, Devil May Cry, even Halo & Call of Duty long before everything started shifting toward multiplayer being the main selling point. So, I guess I'll leave it there for now, with a final thought. I only feel that the developers and producers need to find the integrity to not focus as much on the money to be made from micro-transactions, parceling out games piece by DLC piece when unnecessary, and promoting herd mentality toward "this is the only future of gaming".
Long live a true storyline.

[SirLiftaLot]

I do not have anything particularly insightful to add, but I will say that God of War (2018) is an absolute gem of a single-player game, in regards to gameplay, graphics, and story/characters.

The Leviathan Axe is so satisfying to use, and has a "weight" to it very few video game weapons do. And the way they incorporate Boi (Kratos' son) into the gameplay as a helpful tool rather than a crutch is also great. And of course the game looks incredible. The story though, and the characters, is something you rarely ever see in a game. Kratos is a complex character, and you can enjoy his growth is very enjoyable, whether you know about his story from past games or not, and his evolving relationship with his son, and his personal demons, and a few other characters is, in my opinion, blockbuster-movie worthy. When you play the game without knowing Kratos' past, you sort of view it in the lens of his son. And if you know his past, you view it from more of his perspective.

Horizon Zero Dawn is also an incredible game. More open-world than GoW, with a beautiful environment and landscape that you can just explore for hours. The mechanical animals, ranging from your grazing herbivores to apex predators, are incredible in how they go about their own business and interact with their environment and each other, often independent of your character, making the world seem authentic, and meaning that no two trips through the wilderness will really be quite the same. And the main character, Aloy, is also solid, and her story, and the story of the game's world, seemingly more primitive than ours, despite the futuristic mechanical beasts roaming around, unfolds and develops as we learn more about Aloy herself. The gameplay is also very unique in my opinion, with many ways to take down enemies, and responsive mechanics. I mean, you can shoot flaming arrows at a mechanical T-Rex. What more needs to be said?

[DarthProdigal]

I'd have to reinforce my definitive NO for the foreseeable future. At least with Sony offering a console that (for the more expensive version) remains backwards compatible allowing for countless epic titles from PS4 with bold single player stories, offline only capability, and keeping game discs in the loop. I for one will be willing to (eventually) shell out extra funds for this model just like I originally hunted down the rare backwards compatible PS3. Now, Sony could eventually discontinue this (like with the PS3) due to fabrication costs or sales not meeting projections/comparisons to Digital PS5 sales, but I keep optimistic this wont be the case.

I'll take the discussion of a need for a beautiful (often single player) storyline back to the literary world. The most enduring epics of time often dating back hundreds or thousands of years are exactly that because of a story that endures. I wont deny the limited existence and shocking success of some titles with drop-in drop out co-op (Halo, Gears of War, Bloodborne, Resident Evil 5, heck even in it's own way Mario kart and original SW Battlefront for sure) but more often than not there is a great storyline underlying the action unless the simplicity of gameplay revolves solely around "the action". But I assert that this does little to enrich the spirit. It's fun but there are no lessons to be learned from firing a blaster at the enemy except aiming, strategy, actions undertaken under pressure, so on. The moral dilemmas faced in these more serious titles make us seriously consider our choices on occasion (especially if it affects the overall outcome of the story and there are no retries on this play through), or it forces us to bond with/relate to the character on their journey. (Don't get me wrong I've had fun doing full blown "Dark Side" playthroughs, and clicking that "Renegade option" at every turn, but not always.) Which is why Gears of War endured/endures as a franchise with a link to the eternal human struggle and our resilience, but so many COD fans or sports gaming titles just release new versions each year or a player just plays the multiplayer without experiencing something deeper. Look at how many games come back in online stores and have longevity. I doubt people redownload Halo Reach trying to play in the online servers, it's a gem among the treasures in the amazingly well thought out Halo storylines (which ironically spawned many books and deep lore). Making it one of those paradoxical series that simultaneously produced epic campaigns, great co op within those stories, and encouraged the wave of insanely intense multiplayer online that moved away from the former. I've witnessed most of this playing out as it unfolded throughout decades, and my fervent desire for gamers of the future is to not be denied the depth of experience full immersion in single player conquest titles like Elder Scrolls: Oblivion or Skyrim offered. Heck these games have ruined marriages for some like Fable had a quality to probably do... Some husbands or wives frowned on "being cheated on" with video game spouses. Although I argue that is a serious experience if it even vaguely stirred feelings of jealousy or thoughts of infidelity. I'll admit a degree of attachment/love to some of my video game counterparts and teammates over countless adventures. And even a twinge of sadness (some will admit to full on crying) with the deaths of some valued party members. To see real grief result from a storyline seems much more powerful/meaningful than rage quitting over online multiplayer stupidity. So I'll drop the mic there...