Many companies are increasingly struggling to get into the saturated live-service market over making single players games because of the long-term and consistent revenue that it offers. However, a new study shows that single player games are still more preferred among gamers.
MIDiA’s latest gaming report shows that 53% of gamers (58% of mobile gamers) prefer single player experience. In the last few years, several AAA studios making single player games have pivoted to making live-services games in the hope of replicating the success of Fortnite, Roblox, and League of Legends. However, the new report noted that “the trend chasing did not pay off”.
ALSO READ: Ubisoft Confirmed Buyout Rumors, Claims It Regularly Reviews Strategic Options
The survey data was gathered from MIDiA Research’s Q1 2024 and Q1 2023 consumer surveys across the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Poland, Turkey, and South Africa. MIDiA report surveyed game preference by platform and age, as well as offered data-backed strategic recommendations.
The research found that 74% of gamers aged 55 and above prefer single-player titles—which should not come as a surprise because it was the most popular experience in the 80s and 90s.
On the other hand, 34% of players between 20 and 24 years old preferred to play PVP games. The report also showed that nearly a third of gamers were motivated to play on their own if a free demo was available.
Deviating from single player games has gotten some publishers’ fingers burnt
Although there is still a vast opportunity in the live-service games space, breaking into the saturated market is so difficult that some publishers have gotten their fingers burnt in the process. Ironically, some of these developers/publishers rose to the spotlight through single player games.
ALSO READ: 2 Ways To Play PS5 In Tesla Exposed
Behind every live-service game that successfully breaks into the market, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of others that fail. Also, every new success further shrinks the available space for new entrants.
Some of the biggest flops in the live service game scene include Sony canceling Concord barely a week after launch. Sony also canceled The Last of Us Online after sinking years into its development. Sega cancelled Creative Assembly’s Hyenas. The list goes on.
MIDiA’s advice to these companies is that they should return to what brought them fame because “Hitting a few singles and doubles beats trying to hit a home run and striking out”.
Do you think developers and publishers should focus more on single player games instead of live-service games? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
