Research: More than half of players prefer single-player games

In recent years, the gaming industry has made a significant shift towards multiplayer games and game-services. This is because the majority of AAA companies’ revenue now comes from in-game purchases such as microtransactions, battle passes, and cosmetic items. Therefore, every big game company wants to launch its game-service that could bring stable income for a long time. However, despite this trend, most players still prefer traditional single-player games.

According to a survey of the consulting company MIDiA Research, conducted among gamers in the USA, Great Britain, Australia, Germany, France and other countries, 53% of respondents prefer single-player games. However, the results strongly depend on the age category. Among players aged 55 and over, 74% prefer single-player games, while this figure drops to 41% among players aged 25-34, and to 30% among young people under 19. Young audiences, especially those between the ages of 16 and 24, are more likely to choose multiplayer PvP games.

Differences in preferences explain why many modern multiplayer games are aimed at young audiences, with bright, saturated colors and dynamic characters. Companies that develop games for users are forced to compete for the attention of young people who prefer fast, action-packed PvP projects. However, high expectations and high competition among game services often lead to the failure of new projects.

However, individual games continue to show impressive sales results. Games such as The Legend of Zelda, Spider-Man, and Elden Ring have sold 25 million copies, and sales of Black Myth : Wukongs exceeded 20 million This shows that, despite the development of multiplayer games, classic single-player projects are still in demand and can bring record revenues.