Single-player video game
A single-player video game is a
Most modern console games and arcade games are designed so that they can be played by a single player; although many of these games have modes that allow two or more players to play (not necessarily simultaneously), very few actually require more than one player for the game to be played. The Unreal Tournament series is one example of such.[2]
History
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The earliest video games, such as Tennis for Two (1958), Spacewar! (1962), and Pong (1972), were symmetrical games designed to be played by two players. Single-player games gained popularity only after this, with early titles such as Speed Race (1974)[3] and Space Invaders (1978).
The reason for this, according to
Although most modern games incorporate a single-player element either as the core or as one of several game modes, single-player gaming is currently viewed by the video game industry as peripheral to the future of gaming, with Electronic Arts vice president Frank Gibeau stating in 2012 that he had not approved one game to be developed as a single-player experience.[5]
The question of the financial viability of single-player
A few years later in 2021, EA was reported to have revived interest in single-player games, following the successful launch of
Game elements
As the narrative and conflict in single-player gameplay is created by a computer rather than a human opponent, single-player games are able to deliver certain gaming experiences that are typically absent—or de-emphasised—in multiplayer games.[15]
Story
Single-player games rely more heavily on compelling stories to draw the player into the experience and to create a sense of investment. Humans are unpredictable, so human players - allies or enemies - cannot be relied upon to carry a narrative in a particular direction, and so multiplayer games tend not to focus heavily on a linear narrative. By contrast, many single-player games are built around a compelling story.[16]
Characters
While a multi-player game relies upon human-human interaction for its conflict, and often for its sense of camaraderie, a single-player game must build these things artificially. As such, single-player games require deeper characterisation of their non-player characters in order to create connections between the player and the sympathetic characters and to develop deeper antipathy towards the game's antagonists. This is typically true of role-playing games (RPGs), such as Dragon Quest and the Final Fantasy, which are primarily character-driven and have a different setting.
Exceptions
These game elements are not firm, fixed rules; single-player puzzle games such as Tetris or racing games focus squarely on gameplay.
See also
References
- ISBN 9789059730366.
- ^ "Unreal Tournament 3 Single-player Campaign Preview." Unreal Tournament 3 Single-player Campaign Pr. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2013.
- ^ "Speed Race." (Game). N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2013.
- ^ Koster, Raph (10 Feb 2006). "Are single-player games doomed?". Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 2013-02-25.
- ^ "Is single-player gaming under-threat?". Computer and Video Games. Future plc. 28 Oct 2012. Retrieved 2013-02-25.
- ^ Wales, Matt (October 17, 2017). "EA has shut down Visceral Games". Eurogamer. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
- ^ Sarkar, Samit (October 18, 2017). "EA's Star Wars 'pivot' is a vote of no confidence in single-player games". Polygon. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
- Gamasutra. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
- ^ Klepek, Patrick (October 17, 2017). "Today's Star Wars News Makes the Future of Single-Player Look Very Messy". Vice. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
- US Gamer. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
- ^ Purchase, Robert (October 23, 2017). "I've seen people literally spend $15,000 on Mass Effect multiplayer cards". Eurogamer. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
- ^ Chalk, Andy (December 7, 2017). "Bethesda kicks off a 'Save Player 1' sale for its single-player games". PC Gamer. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
- Venture Beat. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ Stuart, Keith (July 13, 2021). "Phil Spencer on the future of Xbox: we still want to take risks with games". The Guardian. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
- ^ "ThomasDaPsycho." : Video Game Story Elements. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2013.
- ^ "Tales of the Rampant Coyote: What Makes a Great RPG - Mechanics." Tales of the Rampant Coyote. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2013.
Bibliography
- ISBN 978-1498785877. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
- Mitra, Ananda (2010). Digital Games: Computers at Play. ISBN 978-0816067862. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
- Perron, Bernard; Wolf, Mark J.P. (2014). The Routledge Companion to Video Game Studies. ISBN 978-1136290503. Retrieved 30 January 2018.