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Most gamers prefer single-player games [teenagers prefer Online PvP tho]
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this post was submitted on 03 Oct 2024
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As an adult gamer, I have a lot less time for games. Single player games are nice because I can make meaningful progress on a storyline/etc, and even do things like finish a game and move onto the next one.
Playing online pvp games can be fun, but it usually takes a huge time investment to be good. And in the time I have to play, there's rarely a feeling of progress. Spending 1-2 hours on a single player game and I have progressed in a distinctive way. Spend that same time in League or some other multiplayer game and I have nothing to show for it except a few ranking points.
For me funnily enough it feels the opposite for me, multiplayer competitive games get right to the point in a similar way that sports do, the motivation, depth and deep mental stimulation are always right there on the surface, meeting me head on the moment I open up the game and jump in. Very few singleplayer games do that and almost none of them can come close to the dynamic and always evolving experience of playing against (and with) humans.
I hate overly competive toxic players, it really isnt needing to win that motivates me, it is the mental stimulation from competing with humans that stimulates my brain because nothing is there to simply entertain me, rather everything is there to create an emergent experience that always surprises and challenges me and doesnt waste my time trying to make me feel like a powerful hero.
I like how differently we see this and I can definitely see where you are coming from!
I'm glad I'm not the only one like this. I don't play single player games often because it seems like they're all 60+ hours long. That's such an investment in my mind. It's especially frustrating for me getting stuck on a level or boss in a single player game, because when I get stuck, that's it. I can't progress, and now I'm stressing about the video game I just bought and can't complete.
On the other hand, with multiplayer I can do a quick match whenever if I have a spare half-hour. And I like that you compared multiplayer games to sports, because that's how I see it too. I'm just there to improve my skills and test them against real people in an even match. So what if I lose? That's part of the game, I'll get them next time. Or not, I'm honestly ass at video games in general, but I like a little healthy competition, and I like reading opponents and trying to get into their OODA loop. I don't even play with mic chat on except with friends, so I don't hear trash talking, it's just that NPC's in singleplayer games don't do it for me. They feel like puppets. I get bored of that so fast. I'd rather watch a movie or read a book if I'm going to entertain myself alone without Internet.
I don't mean for this to come across as bashing single player games, tons of them look like a lot of fun. Truthfully, I'm jealous of the people who enjoy them because it seems like I'm just not wired to.
May I ask what your total play time on a multiplayer game is? Some people rack up 100s of hours on both multiplayer and singleplayer games. So, I was just curious because you said 60 hours long felt like too much of an investment, but I feel like you've probably played plenty of multiplayer games that were well over that 60. :P
I just happened to check a couple days ago and apparently I have about 135 in rocket League, but that's pretty much it for real games, everything else I've played looks sub 50 hours. I think the longest I've stuck with a single-player game is 30 hours in mad max. I did play a ton of pubg mobile when I was younger, PC/console-less, and had more free time.
It's not really the total hours that bothers me though, it's the commitment, the games that demand x amount of hours from me before I get a conclusion to the story. I hop into rl whenever I feel and think "one more round...one more round...k I've had enough for today". There's no real demand on my time.
Now I'm sure there's tons of holes in that logic, but this isn't really a logical thing, I'm just trying to explain how I feel
I understand completely and there is no need to feel like you need to explain yourself! I was really just poking at you. 🙏
Same here, especially if I can play ranked matches. I get matched with other players that are just as bad as me! lol
Same lol
Yeah I mean so long as the playerbase is good your win rate is always going to trend towards 50/50 which as someone who really doesnt need to win to have fun is honestly ideal, it means every match I play is a compelling self contained narrative where every choice I make matters towards tipping the scales in my favor.
From my perspective the competitive part is just there to pull the strings taught on the core gameplay experience and make the game come together into a cohesive experience where every element matters and is genuinely in conversation with other elements.
Again I cant stand playing with toxic competitive players tho, and I understand people being turned off by that.