Ex-Sony man Phil Harrison: Single-player games are doomed
- May 29, 2008 00:00 AM PST
Phil Harrison, who was dead on with his predictions that the DS and Wii were gimmicks doomed to quick deaths, has predicted an end to the single-player video game.
I can see the future. Just not very well.
Former Sony Computer Entertainment America front man and current Infogrames president Phil Harrison made the bold claim Wednesday that the games industry will soon move away from single-player titles, like Alone in the Dark, and into strictly mutliplayer experiences.
Speaking to Eurogamer, Harrison said consumers today want "network connectivity and embedded communities" in their games, not the solitary experiences that one might find in popular games that feature solitary experiences (like BioShock, for example -- J.L.)
"Alone in the Dark is a beautifully crafted single-player adventure game. I don't think the industry is going to make many more of those," Harrison said. "I just don't think consumers want to be playing games that don't have some kind of network connectivity to them, or some kind of community embedded in them, or some kind of extension available through downloadable content."
Donning his farseer cap, Harrison added that the video game industry is changing, and the role developers and publishers will change to reflect those changes.
"I don't think I'm alone in having those views, either," he said.
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- May 29 2008 at 08:45:41:AM PST
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Single-player games may be decreasing, but I doubt they are "doomed." If developers keep making great titles like Bioshock, Mass Effect, Mario Galaxy, and MGS4, people will keep buying them.
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greensabre Posted at: 05/29/08 at 8:45 AM PST Single-player games may be decreasing, but I doubt they are "doomed." If developers keep making great titles like Bioshock, Mass Effect, Mario Galaxy, and MGS4, people will keep buying them. ^ back to top of comments ^
thats true i play alot of single player games like assasins creed
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What a retard. I know a lot of people who only play the campaign part of games and refuse to go online.
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Thats nonsense....from what I hear the Wii sells alright, and Multiplayer is like icing to the single player cake
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single player will always exist... might not be the majority of games sold, but they will always exist!!!
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Phil Harrison, who was dead on with his predictions that the DS and Wii were gimmicks doomed to quick deathsNow THAT made me laugh.
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