Report: Amid Trend-Chasing, Single-Player Games Are Still The Preference Of Most Gamers Globally

Whether it’s the competitive nature of multiplayer-focused titles or the degree to which your gameplay experience can dull down due to online toxicity, the single-player genre in gaming continues to reign absolutely supreme. According to a new 4100-word report published by MIDiA Research, a trusted analysis platform, just about 53% of players prefer kicking up their feet to enjoy a single-player title as opposed to booting up a multiplayer one. 

Do note that MIDiA has compiled the stats from a consumer survey that was pushed out in Q1 2024 and Q1 2023, and was “fielded in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Poland, Turkey, and South Africa.”

The results of another study conducted in 2023 stated that the vast majority of players prefer not to play a multiplayer title if it’s labeled as having a toxic community. Having been in the situation many times, I know for sure this is an accurate finding. 

7 out of 10 players reported avoiding playing certain games because of the reputation of the community.” 

If this is genuinely the case, why does everyone and their grandma want to make a live service game? One word. Profits. The returns, if the model works for you, are lucrative, but making a good live service title is a tough nut to crack. Arrowhead did it though, and now it benefits from its diligent efforts. The problem is, most other devs can’t. 

A recent (and the most applicable) example is Concord, followed by Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and others.

With Games Like Elden Ring And God Of War Ragnarok, I Don’t Wonder Why

The single-player genre has almost always flourished, and each year, we are introduced to more lavish experiences that grip us hard and fast. In 2024, Black Myth: Wukong, Stellar Blade, Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, and the upcoming Silent Hill 2 are all nothing to sleep on. Similarly, 2023 gave birth to Baldur’s Gate 3, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and the Nintendo mega-hit Tears of the Kingdom. 

All of these are games that can etch themselves deep into your memory, should you choose to spend your due hours with them. It’s easy to see, therefore, where this player pattern comes from, given how we’re bombarded with quality on the single-player front.