Single Player Games Are Not Dead, Not Even Close

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At the start of the year, Sony canceled several ongoing live-service games, including projects from Bluepoint Games and Bend Studio. This news revealed that Bluepoint, famous for their remake of Demon’s Souls, had spent the last few years working on projects that never launched. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Games quietly shut down the servers for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and MultiVersus, with both games receiving little fanfare or sympathy.

Electronic Arts revealed it’s shutting down the servers for Anthem, a game many had forgotten about. Microsoft’s Halo Infinite has also scaled back its ambitions, moving into a maintenance phase instead of launching a decade-long expansion as originally planned. Even recently released games struggled – Remedy’s FBC: Firebreak didn’t perform well, leading to financial losses and the resignation of the studio’s CEO.

Even smaller games, like Wildgate and Jump Space, have lost players after initially gaining some attention. However, titles like ARC Raiders and Battlefield 6 have been more successful. ARC Raiders delivered a strong extraction shooter experience when few others existed, and Battlefield 6 was the first well-received main Battlefield game in years, despite having some flaws—including a weak single-player mode.

Games like PEAK and R.E.P.O. were huge hits with players who enjoy cooperative gameplay. Split Fiction further demonstrated Hazelight’s ability to create engaging stories and enjoyable gameplay for co-op experiences.

Over the past year, it’s become even clearer how valuable single-player games are.

Even though Sony has sold millions of PS5 consoles, they pledged to consistently release high-quality, story-driven games each year, recognizing their importance in attracting buyers. They succeeded, launching two impressive titles: Death Stranding 2 from Kojima Productions and Ghost of Yōtei by Sucker Punch. Both games were sequels to popular franchises, but still managed to surpass what players expected.

The sequel to Death Stranding proves Hideo Kojima still delivers his unique and often eccentric storytelling style, while also significantly improving upon the original game in areas like world design, combat, stealth, and how the game flows. Ghost of Yōtei builds on the solid combat system of its predecessor, adding new options like different weapon types, disarming opponents, and throwing weapons. Players and critics especially loved its open world, which felt vibrant and realistic thanks to naturally placed activities and seamless connections between them.

Sony wasn’t the only company to rediscover what made it successful. Konami also had a strong year, releasing two popular new installments in established franchises: Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and Silent Hill f. They’ve also signaled a continued commitment to both series, with plans for more Metal Gear Solid remakes and a remake of the original Silent Hill developed by Bloober Team.

Several of the year’s best games have been designed for a single player. Clair Obscur was a huge hit, and despite debate over whether it truly qualifies as an “indie” game, it’s been widely praised for its exciting combat, compelling story, and immersive world. Its record-breaking number of nominations and awards at The Game Awards simply confirm its success.

It’s not the only strong contender, as many of the nominated games focus on single-player experiences. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 stands out with its engaging quests, relatable characters, and extensive role-playing options. Remarkably, its developers achieved a level of detail, responsiveness, and realism comparable to Bethesda’s games, despite having fewer resources. On the lighter side, Donkey Kong Bananza, created by the team behind Super Mario Odyssey, offers a charming 3D platformer that combines classic collecting with the fun of complete destruction.

What’s really amazing is that this is just a small taste of the incredible single-player games released this year. Games like Blue Prince offer completely unique experiences – it’s a puzzle game where you build a house room by room, trying to reach the legendary 46th room. And after six years of waiting, Hollow Knight: Silksong from Team Cherry finally launched, exceeding all expectations. Demand was so high that many online stores actually crashed when it became available!

And that’s just scratching the surface! Games like Hades 2, Sektori, Keep Driving, Marvel Cosmic Invasion, Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo, StarVaders, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, Sword of the Sea, Ender Magnolia, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, Absolum, the Drifter, Ball x Pit, Bionic Bay, and Look Outside are just a few examples – the list is extensive. You could easily spend the next couple of years just playing all the amazing games that came out this year.

Surprisingly, the most exciting games coming next year aren’t multiplayer – they’re single-player experiences. Grand Theft Auto 6 is at the forefront, and it’s the story mode driving all the hype, as details about its online component are still unknown. Resident Evil Requiem quickly gained over a million wishlists after being announced and is expected to be the biggest installment in the series yet. Marvel’s Wolverine delivers exactly what you’d expect from a Wolverine game, and considering Insomniac’s fantastic work on Spider-Man, it’s likely to be a major hit. Don’t overlook Saros either, the next game from the creators of Returnal. It looks to build on everything that made Returnal great, especially its atmospheric and unsettling world and creatures.

Microsoft has some promising single-player games coming in 2026, including Fable, Gears of War: E-Day, and Forza Horizon 6. While it’s still too early to know how Halo: Campaign Evolved will perform, it’s shaping up to be a strong title as well.

Unlike games that generate a lot of excitement, titles like Fairgame$ are currently flying under the radar – some reports even suggest it might be cancelled before it’s released. While Sony isn’t abandoning live-service multiplayer games completely, they’re being much more cautious after experiencing significant financial losses with previous attempts.

While the game’s long-term success isn’t guaranteed, Where Winds Meet has a strong foundation as a game with both online and extensive single-player content that will continue to expand. Ananta is also gaining attention for its open-world gameplay and anime-inspired style, often described as similar to GTA.

Publishers are still interested in games that generate ongoing income through things like microtransactions, but it’s single-player games that are really pushing the gaming industry forward with better stories, more immersive experiences, and innovative gameplay. Players seem to agree – a recent study by Ampere Analysis found that most gamers in Japan, the UK, and the US prefer single-player titles, although younger players are more likely to enjoy multiplayer games.

I usually don’t pay much attention to the story in Destiny 2, but certain moments from this year really stood out. Meeting Monoco and going to face the Paintress, exploring the mountains of Mexico, and figuring out what was happening with Hinako in the Otherworld – those experiences were memorable and truly deserve to be. I think I’ll remember them for a long time.

The opinions shared in this article are the author’s own and don’t reflect the official stance of GamingBolt.

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2025-12-31 23:23