A new study reveals that it’s not multiplayer titles with a live service model that are preferred by most…

A new study by Rhys Elliott shows that the majority of AAA game revenue comes from in-game purchases (microtransactions), and these are mostly live service titles. However, the market is highly saturated and many games using this model are failing (most recently Concord). But the most important information is that 53% of respondents prefer single-player games!

According to Midia Research, the public is more open to titles that can be played alone. There have been developers who have tried and failed to create live service games instead of single player experiences. A good example is Naughty Dog, who dropped the multiplayer component (Factions) from the second part of The Last of Us to make a bigger project, which failed.

The research shows that while live service titles are making the money, new, successful single-player titles are breaking records. Examples include The Legend of Zelda, Marvel’s Spider-Man and Elden Ring, with Black Myth: Wukong reported to have sold over 20 million copies. Of these, Elden Ring offers a multiplayer option, but it is not a must-have, nor is it what FromSoftware is building its game around.

Younger gamers tend to be more focused on live service games (Fortnite being one example), but this changes around the age of 25, when they begin to focus on single-player titles. Those who prefer single-player games also have a strong preference for portable devices (e.g. Steam Deck, PlayStation Portal).

Baldur’s Gate 3 is another great example of how a single-player title can be a huge success, but the managers of the major publishers are only thinking in terms of short-term cash-in.

Source: WCCFTech, Midia Research