Most gamers prefer single player games - via Midia Research

[Bryank75]

Most gamers prefer single-player games

It’s no secret that the bulk of AAA games market revenues come from in-game purchases , mostlyfrom live-service games. It’s also impossible to ignore that the live-service market is fiercely competitive....

www.midiaresearch.com

It’s no secret that the bulk of AAA games market revenues come from in-game purchases, mostly from live-service games.

It’s also impossible to ignore that the live-service market is fiercely competitive. Thanks to the oversaturated attention economy, only so many consumer hours are available.

And live-service games suck up so much attention and engagement. There are still opportunities in the space, but breaking through is extremely challenging.

With every new live-service hit that does manage to carve a spot for itself, there is less space available for new entrants to cast their net.

AAA developers on console and PC are continuing to chase the live-service jackpot, but single player remains the favourite way to play for most (53%) gamers.

There is also less risk, as there are more openings on the calendar for single player to stand out versus live service’s always-on engagement vacuum.

MIDiA's latest gaming report looks at the growing viability of(re)allocating resources towards single-player games.

We zoom in on gameplay preferences by platform and age, motivators for trying new games, preferred game themes for puzzle, action-adventure, sports, shooter, and RPG fans, and offer data-backed strategic recommendations.

This article shines the spotlight on some high-level takeaways from the first section of the report. If you’re ready to dive deeper, let us know.

Several single-player studios were pushed into making live-service games – the trend chasing did NOT pay off

Many AAA game makers have been chasing the live-service trend, looking to replicate the success of Fortnite, League of Legends, Roblox, and other success stories.

Even developers that rose to prominence thanks to single-player – with games that helped put their publishers on the map – were pushed to chase the live-service trend.

For many, it was a wild goose chase, and the list of failures is growing. SEGA cancelled Creative Assembly’s Hyenas and PlayStation did the same thing for Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Online after years of development

Profiling gamers by platform
This report presents key metrics and consumer insights regarding mobile gamers, console gamers, and computer gamers. It is targeted to help investors, distributors, developers, and publishers understand...
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Other revered single-player names in the industry have tried their hand at live services – with dire results: Crystal Dynamics (Marvel’s Avengers), EA’s BioWare (Anthem), Platinum Games (Babylon’s Fall), and Microsoft’s Arkane (Redfall) – the list goes on.

This underlines an undeniable opportunity cost:

• These studios’ single-player offerings have respectively generated hundreds of millions in revenue
• How much revenue and positive consumer sentiment was left on the table because these companies were pushed to make live-service games?
• Aggravating things, the market is too delicate for most publishers to take huge risks in an oversaturated space

Hitting a few singles and doubles beats trying to hit a home run and striking out.

The timing of live service’s oversaturation is not ideal. Publishers now need to cut costs to adapt to a challenging macroeconomic climate (and to course correct from overextending during the pandemic).

There's a way forward for these studios: returning to what has always worked, single-player games

While new live-service games have floundered, new single-player games have continued to smash records and generate hundreds of millions – or more. And it is not just juggernaut IP like Zelda and Spider-Man proving successful but also new franchises like Elden Ring (25 million copies sold) and Black Myth Wukong (20 million).

While live-service games and in-game purchases dominate spending and attention in the games market, over half of gamers prefer solo play:




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[Kokoloko]

Theres millions of gamers around the world. I think its gonna adjust all the time.
Personally Im 90% Single player

 

[Danja]

Why not both? We need to go back to the PS3 days where single player games also had a multiplayer component... Everyone gets a piece of the Pie that suits them.

 

[ethomaz]

These are both sides.

Most gamers prefer single-player.
Most multiplayer monetize more than single-player.

That is what I think companies weigh when deciding what is best… online multiplayer even with lower sales end having more revenue return and for a longer time than single player.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

First gen GAAS

vs

Late gen SP

This will look wildly different in 5 years.

 

[Evilnemesis8]

Why not both? We need to go back to the PS3 days where single player games also had a multiplayer component... Everyone gets a piece of the Pie that suits them.

The issue with this is that approach is that now you've got a SP game that has a MP component that has a reduced audience because a lot of MP people who would want to play that mode don't want to pay the premium price tag.

There's so many games nowadays, the average player's taste is way more specialized(IMO).

There's a reason why big AA(A) games decoupled SP and MP barring a couple a remaining few.

 

[DarkLordOtaku]

Interpreting this graph with a business lens, suggests that as a publisher, you should strive to have a mixed portfolio of games.

You should have one, maybe two, extremely dedicated teams working on multi-player/live service experiences, which you develop new content for in seasons to maintain a dedicated stream of recurring revenue. If you do not think you can make a game which can knock out the king of the hill style winner takes all ecosystem of live service games, then you should buy a studio which already has a successful title, and take a cut of the revenues moving forward.

You then need to own a larger amount of studios who focus on single player experiences, and establish a pipeline which delivers at least one strong selling single player game per quarter. Ideally, you're maybe doing one AAA per quarter, with smaller studios pumping out AA and Indie games to supplement your revenues.

 

[Danja]

The issue with this is that approach is that now you've got a SP game that has a MP component that has a reduced audience because a lot of MP people who would want to play that mode don't want to pay the premium price tag.

There's so many games nowadays, the average player's taste is way more specialized(IMO).

There's a reason why big AA(A) games decoupled SP and MP barring a couple a remaining few.

They end up paying more than a premium price when they buy GaaS only so what's the difference?

Player taste ain't specialized, variety has simply shrunk

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

Interpreting this graph with a business lens, suggests that as a publisher, you should strive to have a mixed portfolio of games.

You should have one, maybe two, extremely dedicated teams working on multi-player/live service experiences, which you develop new content for in seasons to maintain a dedicated stream of recurring revenue. If you do not think you can make a game which can knock out the king of the hill style winner takes all ecosystem of live service games, then you should buy a studio which already has a successful title, and take a cut of the revenues moving forward.

You then need to own a larger amount of studios who focus on single player experiences, and establish a pipeline which delivers at least one strong selling single player game per quarter. Ideally, you're maybe doing one AAA per quarter, with smaller studios pumping out AA and Indie games to supplement your revenues.

Resources need to be spent on whatever generates the most money.

As the GAAS market matures, and gets more competitive, GAAS gamers are going to demand more and more. That means your one or two GAAS hits need more and more developers to keep it competitive.

 

[DarkLordOtaku]

Resources need to be spent on whatever generates the most money.

As the GAAS market matures, and gets more competitive, GAAS gamers are going to demand more and more. That means your one or two GAAS hits need more and more developers to keep it competitive.

Right, so you scale those teams in line with growing demand.

 

[Evilnemesis8]

They end up paying more than a premium price when they buy GaaS only so what's the difference?

Most won't, the vast majority of players spend no money or like $10-20 bucks. Millions upon millions of players paying a smaller amount (plus a few weirdos paying hundreds/thousands) is more revenue, there's a reason the model works.

Even if somebody pays more in the end, the psychological barrier of entry to begin something is always there.
There's been a gazillion monetization panels over the years at the GDC that cover this and more.

 

[Bryank75]

Why not both? We need to go back to the PS3 days where single player games also had a multiplayer component... Everyone gets a piece of the Pie that suits them.

Jk

 

[Boswollox]

GaaS narrative btfo

 

[YeezyDude]

Why not both? We need to go back to the PS3 days where single player games also had a multiplayer component... Everyone gets a piece of the Pie that suits them.

This for sure!

 

[toucandela]

First gen GAAS

vs

Late gen SP

This will look wildly different in 5 years.

When did First Gen GAAS start?

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

When did First Gen GAAS start?

For the vast majority of the industry, it started in 2017.

 

[Gediminas]

For the vast majority of the industry, it started in 2017.

No, it is not, but you should know it, you are gaas guy after all.

 

[Vertigo]

Single player games haven’t moved the needle for me in a long time. Don’t like how most games are open world rpgs and you’re not really going to do much better than Zelda, Elden Ring or cyberpunk anytime soon.

The narrative driven software hasn’t been that great either. Even that is bloated or values the wrong things over gameplay.

Hopefully smaller action games make a comeback.

NO MORE OPEN WORLDS!

 

[Sloane_Ranger]

Hot-take: I have a sneaky feeling that those couch co-op numbers are more a result of the number of games which actualy include couch co-op than peoples preferences.

 

[Nym]

I found it interesting when I was researching card games that they were traditionally always multiplayer games and that "single player" games such as solitaire are a relatively new invention. Gaming used to be primarily interacting with other people in a fun competitive way but now the ratio is skewed in favour of isolated experiences