I've asked this question on c/gaming, but I'd love to see what KotakuinAction2's members think of this topic:
In an age where every game genre from shooters, strategy, fighting, and racing games are seeing a decreased emphasis on single-player content and in some cases, obstructing the single-player experience through mechanics like forced Internet connections to save progress, I want to ask this community:
Do you think the increased push behind esports and dedication of more resources to it has ruined gaming?
I've noticed that developers have been increasingly neglecting the offline experience and sometimes making some features exclusive to the online modes.
Take how Rockstar stopped adding content to the single-player mode of GTA V, Blizzard and Respawn omitted single-player modes from extremely popular games like Overwatch and Apex Legends, and how racing games like GT7 and the upcoming Forza 2023 are forcing everyone to play online to "prevent cheating", even those that would never touch multiplayer.
Do you think that this has done more damage to gaming in the long run? Do you see things ever trending back toward a more balanced approach where both single player and multiplayer gamers are equally accommodated?
How do you think developers can know that they're alienating a big part of their player base by focusing so extensively if that's how you feel?
Would love to see your thoughts on this topic.
As far as multiplayer goes, I would have to say that streamers have made online multiplayer much less enjoyable in terms of having a fun casual match. I remember the days of Halo 3 and Modern Warfare 2 where you would be matched up with people who have random skillsets and you would effectively be evenly matched.
Nowadays people just seem to copy whatever the streamers are doing, and if you try to do something that isn't meta, you essentially tank your team's odds.
As far as microtransactions, that has been a problem for awhile, and I don't see a solution to it outside of some sort of gambling law for lootboxes, etc.