Why isnt single-player-MMO more of a thing yet?

[Ragona]

Back in the 2010s I used to be a pretty hardcore World of Warcraft player - a game which still sercves as a shining example of a service game.
Yet I always felt that a "singe-player WoW" would have gone through the roof - yet it never happened.
Big open world, endgame dungeons and raids, quests, (unforced) Coop, farming for progress...
You could argue that Diablo or similar games are that - but still feel different enough in their scale. Other modern service games like Destiny all focus on the Multiplayer aspects.

Now, 10 years later, Genshin Impact does feel abit like that, but sadly has a shitcrown of F2P mechanics ontop.
Looking at Ubisoft and co forcing live service elements into their single-player games - isnt this a game formula that combines single-player experience with the live service trends of today?

Oh and by single-player MMO, I obviously dont mean 1.000 kill and fetch quests (hello Kingdoms of Amalur) - but escalating challenges, regular new content etc.

 

[Kalentan]

I mean, there's plenty of SP games with MMO-like grinds these days.

 

[_zoipi]

You have Xenoblade Chronicles for that...

 

[Taruranto]

Most MMORPG already play like SP games with co-op these days lol.

 

[signal]

Are you asking for a game like WoW or FFXIV but all of the raids / dungeons / etc. only require one person?

 

[Real]

Sounds expensive.

 

[Abhor]

Not sure it quite fits but I'm just gonna mention

Guild Wars 1

 

[Lego Killer Moth]

Because people are more likely to buy the dumb shit when their friends who play the game have also bought it and they want to play with them.

 

[Transistor]

Isn't that just an open world RPG? As for games with new content, there has to be a way to financially support that new content, so there will be microtransactions / season passes.

 

[Jonnax]

The business case for a single player version of this doesn't make sense.
Content is expensive to produce.

But at the same time, Bethesda makes these games in a way?

 

[LumberPanda]

If you want "regular new content", there will be microtransactions. No developer is going to do a year+ of unpaid labour...

 

[Rosebud]

I think you can play many MMOs by yourself these days.

A strictly SP only game probably wouldn't have as many spenders.

 

[StrangeRoboMemory]

Genshin Impact has this whole forum in a tizzy, goodness gracious.

 

[Stuggernaut]

Buy WoW --> Character Boost to 60 --> Play all non current content (Let's say everything before last 2 expansions) --> Boom... single player WoW ;P

 

[RelaxItsJustMe]

I don't think scaling down end game mmorpg raids to 1 person raids is gonna work out as well as you think, or hope, it does.

 

[Vylder]

I mean, there's plenty of SP games with MMO-like grinds these days.

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If you have a few suggestions, I would gladly take them! Looking for more of these.

 

[delete12345]

You have Xenoblade Chronicles for that...

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Wait what? There's a Xenoblade Chronicles MMORPG?

 

[Graven]

The Secret World.

 

[Harmony]

Oh and by single-player MMO, I obviously dont mean 1.000 kill and fetch quests (hello Kingdoms of Amalur) - but escalating challenges, regular new content etc.

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FWIW the only series that I can think of that does this completely free of charge is Monster Hunter.
Although MHW did just get its last update a few months ago.

 

[My Blue Heaven]

normal people like playing this type of content in a social space or at the very least a space of limited perfunctory interaction, not complicated OP lol

 

[Reddaye]

Sounds like what they're doing with Crimson Desert. Not sure exactly how they're going to implement it though.



I'm personally looking for a single player game that is like Runescape...or any game similar to Runescape at all :-/

 

[OrakioRob]

Wait what? There's a Xenoblade Chronicles MMORPG?

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Xenoblade games borrow many mechanics from MMOs, specially Xenoblade X.

 

[Dad_and_Videogames]

One of the big reasons I love the new assassin's Creed series.

 

[Homura]

So Xenoblade?

 

[Fiksi]

I feel like many MMOs play like singleplayer games to a degree for me, but I do understand. There's always a moment where in GW2 for example, I realize I will need to team up with many to experience the raid content. RuneScape goes pretty far by having a mode dedicated to playing the game solo (ironman), which is kinda cool. But there's still content that is made for groups.

 

[StereoVSN]

You have Xenoblade Chronicles for that...

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I was going to reply with that. Also, Kingdoms of Amalur is MMOish as well.

Edit: I see, OP wants updates. Division 2 / Destiny but SP? Unless they gatcha/MTX the hell out of it, how would the developers monetize this? That sort of support isn't cheap.

 

[Ales34]

Big open world, endgame dungeons and raids, quests, (unforced) Coop, farming for progress...

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You're practically describing Fallout 76. It plays like a single-player game with optional multiplayer content.

 

[Dylan]

I've made it to level 19 in FFXIV and I've yet to see another human say anything for whatever that's worth. A few people have emoted but that's it. What the balls is going on with this game?

 

[iceblade]

Isn't that just an open world RPG? As for games with new content, there has to be a way to financially support that new content, so there will be microtransactions / season passes.

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This.

Even something like FFXIV, which has a ton of content you can do solo, has most of its story progression and content locked behind the main story quest. So you're forced to do raids and dungeons (at least the first time around) with others, and if you don't you won't progress.

Further why (and how) would a developer keep adding content without getting paid for it in some way?

I've made it to level 19 in FFXIV and I've yet to see another human say anything for whatever that's worth. A few people have emoted but that's it. What the balls is going on with this game?

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Join a Free Company and/or go to a big town (Limsa especially). There's plenty of conversation but it's not always in the public channels.

Also, noone said anything during your

Spoiler: Dungeon names

Sastasha, Tam-Tara Deepcroft, or Copperbell Mines

runs? That's strange.

 

[Freeglader]

I have played all the content in XIV except for the really challenging optional raids and the game really feels like a single player mmo to me. I never/very minimally interact with anyone when I play it. Like 90% of the time it feels like a single player rpg. XIV is a FF game first and an mmo second.

 

[Pellaidh]

Elder Scrolls Online lets you solo a large part of its content, including most of the dungeons that are meant for groups.

Dauntless also kind of works as a solo experience if you like Monster Hunter-esque games.

I also played Warframe and Phantasy Star Online 2 exclusively as solo games, although I never reached their endgames so I don't know how well they hold up there.

 

[Tbm24]

For what it's worth, I'm currently playing WoW Shadowlands solo. Got no friends who play anymore and guildless. I group up when needed, otherwise I'm just enjoying what the expansion has to offer as I'm super invested in the story this time around. From all I'm hearing, FFXIV is also very solo friendly. So, in essence, you can already do what you're asking.

 

[signal]

I've made it to level 19 in FFXIV and I've yet to see another human say anything for whatever that's worth. A few people have emoted but that's it. What the balls is going on with this game?

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Interaction is something you have to seek out but you can't do all of the content solo. The game is solo friendly because of the duty finder and stuff but it's far from being something you can do without the help of others.

 

[Dylan]

Interaction is something you have to seek out but you can't do all of the content solo.

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It just strikes me as odd compared to playing WoW back in the day and seeing a sea of incessant speech bubbles wherever I went, heh.

 

[justiceiro]

So, GaaS?

 

[Xita]

I've made it to level 19 in FFXIV and I've yet to see another human say anything for whatever that's worth. A few people have emoted but that's it. What the balls is going on with this game?

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People usually talk in their own separate chats or linkshells. Go to Limsa Lominsa (and even Gridania sometimes) and you're much more likely to see people chatting in the open.

 

[My Blue Heaven]

anytime someone in FFXIV says oh i never talk to anyone you know they are like well before any of the important content lol

 

[Failburger]

You played Dragon Age Inquisition? Cause that's your answer.

The world quickly becomes a theme park where actors go back to their starting position every 20 minutes to fight the same battles on repeat.

 

[Vincent Grayson]

Are you asking for a game like WoW or FFXIV but all of the raids / dungeons / etc. only require one person?

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I mean, that'd be fucking awesome. If FFXIV let you build a full party of NPCs to go with you through the whole game, I'd be super into that.

 

[RomanticHeroX]

Going through FF14 to the level cap I've only ever been in a party for group content (dungeons, trials, raids), and for 99% of them I've never spoken to or interacted with other people beyond gameplay mechanics. For all intents and purposes it's been a single player game I'm paying a subscription for.

 

[Dylan]

Spoiler

Sastasha, Tam-Tara Deepcroft, or Copperbell Mines

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I feel like I missed those entirely because none of those names rings a bell for me. I don't think I've done any dungeons yet? I've been mostly running around killing things for people or delivering random crap from one NPC to another.

 

[AndyD]

Are you asking for a game like WoW or FFXIV but all of the raids / dungeons / etc. only require one person?

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Yea, WoW was good for SP up front, but once you got to endgame there was no way to progress or complete it. And grouping with randoms is not SP to me.

 

[signal]

It just strikes me as odd compared to playing WoW back in the day and seeing a sea of incessant speech bubbles wherever I went, heh.

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Yeah someone in another thread mentioned this was a reason why interaction seemed lower in FFXIV vs XI because XI had bubbles instead of a chat box

 

[Ragona]

So, to clarify a few aspects. Obviously its a pipe dream and I see that raids propably wouldnt be much fun solo for long.

However, I think many responding here clearly never fell into an MMO - people saying play Xenoblades, or Dragon Age or a random Open world game:
Most people that fall for MMOs dont do it for the leveling up phase, the boring standard combat encounters. The big pull is the progression and escalating challenges AFTER you reached max level - just like most people dont play Diablo for the story.

So it would have to be an rpg with a massive endgame phase, and of course to keep it updated it would need to be monatized - thats not my issue with Genshin Impact (its more HOW and how much it is monitized).
But I understand alot of the concern and that this concept prolly doesnt have much of a business case

 

[aett]

As of Shadowbringers, you get to use an NPC party for all the story-based dungeons and only need to join people for the Trials (major boss fights).

anytime someone in FFXIV says oh i never talk to anyone you know they are like well before any of the important content lol

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So, what, "important content" equals raids/EX trials/etc.? That stuff is entirely mandatory and you definitely don't need to be sociable to complete the story content (especially now, as I said above).

 

[OrakioRob]

I mean, that'd be fucking awesome. If FFXIV let you build a full party of NPCs to go with you through the whole game, I'd be super into that.

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Same here, I would love that. I love MMO mechanics, but for a variety of reasons (time/family/etc) it's very hard for me to play multiplayer games.

I was interested in Final Fantasy XIV because I'm a FF fan and heard it's great as a single-player game, but...

anytime someone in FFXIV says oh i never talk to anyone you know they are like well before any of the important content lol

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... thanks for that!

You played Dragon Age Inquisition? Cause that's your answer.

The world quickly becomes a theme park where actors go back to their starting position every 20 minutes to fight the same battles on repeat.

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I installed Inquisition weeks ago, but I was disappointed because it's 30fps on my Series S...

 

[bshark]

I echo what others have said, that this is basically an open world RPG. Not sure why that isn't sufficient?

Also, users that might say "I want an MMO experience without having to interact with others/real people" just seems bizarre.

 

[astro]

Not sure it quite fits but I'm just gonna mention

Guild Wars 1

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That game was so ahead of its time...

Respec fully any point.
Simple yet incredibly in-depth skill system that allowed for a huge variety of incredibly imaginative and effective builds.
Splitting PvE and PvP balance (so many games still can't get this right...).
AI team mates that allowed you to finish the hardest content in the game.
Unique aspects, like runner services from starting area to Droknar's Forge.
Some of the best PvP ever seen in a game of its type, not tacked on but a lovingly made and constantly supported system with real competitive lure.

Just a beautifully made game.

 

[More_Badass]

Astrox Imperium is essentially single-player offline EVE

 

[My Blue Heaven]

So, what, "important content" equals raids/EX trials/etc.? That stuff is entirely mandatory and you definitely don't need to be sociable to complete the story content (especially now, as I said above).

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i mean if all you want to do is the MSQ that's certainly fine but i feel like it's a waste of money and cutting yourself off of a lot of content but as they say i don't pay their sub lol