Single-Player Games Are History, Ex-Sony Exec Says

Former Sony Computer Entertainment America front man and current Infogrames president Phil Harrison made the bold claim last week that the games industry will soon move away from single-player titles, like Alone in the Dark, and into strictly mutliplayer experiences.

Speaking to Eurogamer, Harrison said consumers today want "network connectivity and embedded communities" in their games, not the solitary experiences that one might find in popular games that feature solitary experiences. BioShock is one example.

"Alone in the Dark is a beautifully crafted single-player adventure game. I don't think the industry is going to make many more of those," said Harrison, who left Sony last February. "I just don't think consumers want to be playing games that don't have some kind of network connectivity to them, or some kind of community embedded in them, or some kind of extension available through downloadable content."

Donning his farseer cap, Harrison added that the video game industry is changing, and the role developers and publishers will change to reflect those changes.

"I don't think I'm alone in having those views, either," he said.

For more computer gaming news, visit GamePro. Story copyright © 2007 IDG Entertainment. All rights reserved.

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