Some rather disturbing news has come out today saying that only 10 percent of gamers are actually finishing the games that they purchase. The new report from CNN discusses the problems that gaming developers are facing in attracting players to the world of the single player experience.
"What I've been told as a blanket expectation is that 90 percent of players who start your game will never see the end of it unless they watch a clip on YouTube,” said Activision production contractor Keith Fuller.
The news gets even grimmer from Raptr, an online service that tracks online playing sessions and achievements. According to the company, only 10% of people who played Rockstar's blockbuster Red Dead Redemption actually finished the game.
There are a number of reasons this trend is being observed, but much of the blame can probably be attributed to the rise of online multiplayer over the past decade. Where games used to possibly come with online, today it's almost standard. Gamers simply want more.
Added to that is the general rise in age of the gaming population; the average gamer is now at 37 years old. Time simply cannot be wasted by many who have jobs, families and commitments.
Regardless of how true the numbers are, the decline of single-player is happening. While it might not be 90%, there is still a lot to be said about the value that multiplayer is bringing to the table, and whether or not single player can last.
