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How important is Local Multiplayer important to you?

T

thomasmahler

Member
Since we're currently adding local multiplayer / splitscreen to our RPG project here at Moon, I wanna ask a question here... every time you see a developer cutting local multiplayer / splitscreen, there's a bit of an outcry from gamers. Halo 5 was the last popular example where it was announced that splitscreen would be cut and gamers frowned upon that decision.

...that said, the numbers just don't add up: Splitscreen usually gets cut or becomes a lower priority in development simply based on numbers. Only 5% of folks who played Halo 4 actually played in splitscreen? Well, then we should probably spend our resources elsewhere...

So among GAF, how often do you play games that support Local Multiplayer? Is Local Multiplayer important to you at all? Would you not buy a game if it only supports Online Multiplayer? How about your friends, are they all only using Online Multiplayer these days?

I think since the numbers show that most gamers just don't care about it anymore, local multiplayer / splitscreen is a feature that mostly gets boxed through by developers who grew up with that stuff and loved it and want to see that in the games they're making: Even if it's financially a dumb thing to do and even if only a small, small percentage of your player-base is actually going to use that feature.

Personally, I'm hoping that Local Multiplayer gets a bit of a boost again thanks to Nintendo's Switch. It's going to be MUCH less of a pain in the ass to support it if you don't have to render 4 cameras on the same device, make UIs work if they're only using 1/4th of the screen, etc. It also finally solves the problem of you seeing where everyone else is and what everyone else is doing on the same screen, since everyone now just has their own screen.

I feel like there's just something cool about having everyone on the couch, actually sharing the experience, instead of everyone being separated in their own places. Diablo 3 on consoles in Local Multi was more fun to me than playing it online. But how do you folks feel? Are you still on the lookout for games that support Splitscreen Multi or is Splitscreen a thing of the past for you?

Edit: Beautiful typo in the title... geez, why can't you edit titles on GAF? :D
 
C

Chalupa Batman

Member
I've only played split-screen twice in my life--GoldenEye N64 and Halo 1, and only GoldenEye was the MP portion (Halo was co-op campaign). I only did this because at the time online wasn't as prolific as it is today (or in the case of N64, online didn't exist at all). I don't miss it or think about local MP at all when I make a buying decision. I don't really have any friends who play games so I can't speak for them, but most people I play with play online now so I don't think local MP is that important.

Also, your typo is really bothering me--do you need a copy editor? Happy to come on board!
 
W

Worldshaker

Member
Depends on the game.

Local co-op RPGs are always a huge plus. I'm still shocked nobody has taken Secret of Mana and expanded upon it.
 
A

AGoodODST

Member
Extremely important.

Games like Mario Kart and Smash would be awful without local multi. I was super dispppinted when I learned Destiny wouldn't have it. I think it would add loads to that game.
 
D

DrunkShogun

Member
5 years ago a lot but no value at this point. None of my friends really game anymore and the ones that do only play specific games such as Fifa or GTA.
 
E

enixbelmont

Member
It's really important to me and leads me to buying games I wouldn't have bought otherwise, such as Battleborn. I bought Black Ops 3 over Halo entirely for local multiplayer. Tales games are consistent day 1 purchases, as well. I try and support pretty much every multiplayer game.

I feel like local multiplayer is something that draws people looking for local multiplayer to your game, not something the core base for your game needs. Of course, it depends on the game. Towerfall or fighting games without local would be DOA.
 
D

deleted

Member
I don't buy too many games anymore, but it guess around 80% - 90% of them are for the multiplayer.

I think more than half of that I buy explicitly for the local mp component. It's extremely important to me and it's the most fun I can have while gaming.

If the game is easy to pick up, hard to master, it's even better. I'm not too big on random party games, it's more of Smash, Tricky Towers, Mario Kart, a whole steam list of small indie local mp games. It's just the best..
 
Melchiah

Melchiah

Member
It's pretty much irrelevant to me these days. The last time I've played something locally with friends was years ago.
 
D

DBT85

Member
0. I don't know many people that play games.

But then I'd say 0 is my answer for multiplayer at all tbh. I like my single player campaigns.
 
PSFan

PSFan

Member
Not important at all. My Joy-cons will probably never be used as two separate controllers. They'll either be in the charging grip when playing on the TV or attached to the Switch when playing portable.
 
T

thomasmahler

Member
Worldshaker said:
Depends on the game.

Local co-op RPGs are always a huge plus. I'm still shocked nobody has taken Secret of Mana and expanded upon it.
Click to expand...

That's kinda the reason why we're doing it. I even bought 'Blaze and Blades' (I think that's what it was called) on the PS1 simply because it was an RPG that I could play with my buddies... that said, that game was utter rubbish, so the Local MP didn't help :D

Anyway, I think it's just fun if you have friends that can just 'come over' and keep playing their own characters if they just log-in with their account on your system. Obviously Local MP should never replace Online, but it's just a super fun positive if you have it. Whether or not it's worth the pain to implement it is up to the developer, but since people do expect it from games that have done it well (Mario Kart, Smash, etc.), I think it might just be an underrated thing. I'd love to see people getting together more, sharing beer and food and forming actual 'parties' and battling it out together, instead of sitting in their own chambers and not connecting with one another.
 
J

JoeM86

Member
Very important.

Playing online with friends is great, sure, but nothing beats actually having friends round and playing games together.

Plus nights in chilling out and playing games with the girlfriend always is fun too :)
 
M

May16

Member
Very.
Love playing games with my wife and siblings.

Edit: On the couch on without online required, I mean.
 
C

Captain Smoker

Member
Very important because I always play together with a certain bunch of friends and it's always hilarious and very fun if the game is cool.

That's why I'm really looking forward to Splatoon 2 because it has local multiplayer finally.
 
S

Syinn

Neo Member
Me and my mates try to get together as often as possible for smash/MK8/L4D2 so yes offline multiplayer is important and more fun imo.
 
D

Devilgunman

Member
Not at all. All my friends and family have moved on from playing video game. The kids also have no interest. They only play on their phone.
 
D

dd492941

Member
I only typically play games with couch co-op with my fiance. I will buy a game even if it doesn't have the option but I'd much rather play a game knowing she can jump in with me. So very important for my household.
 
E

enixbelmont

Member
thomasmahler said:
That's kinda the reason why we're doing it. I even bought 'Blaze and Blades' (I think that's what it was called) on the PS1 simply because it was an RPG that I could play with my buddies... that said, that game was utter rubbish, so the Local MP didn't help :D

Anyway, I think it's just fun if you have friends that can just 'come over' and keep playing their own characters if they just log-in with their account on your system. Obviously Local MP should never replace Online, but it's just a super fun positive if you have it. Whether or not it's worth the pain to implement it is up to the developer, but since people do expect it from games that have done it well (Mario Kart, Smash, etc.), I think it might just be an underrated thing. I'd love to see people getting together more, sharing beer and food and forming actual 'parties' and battling it out together, instead of sitting in their own chambers and not connecting with one another.
Click to expand...

I'm really interested in your game where I probably wouldn't be otherwise because of this, for what it's worth. I think there is a fanbase specifically for local multiplayer, and if you advertise it as such, you'll get attention as a result of it.

Well, thats not fair. I bought Ori. But I waited a while. It'd be day 1 if co-op.
 
D

Donniewahlberg

Banned
OH a huge amount. Don't get me wrong, a game not having local multiplayer won't make me dismiss it, but a game having local multiplayer will 100% of the time put my eyes on it and consider it. If that makes sense haha. I won't criticise a game for what it's not or not got, but I see it as a huge boon if it has local multiplayer. It makes me spend more money too. One of our favourite family activities between my partner, my boy and I is playing 3ds games together. I've got three copies of multiple pokemon entries, yokai watch, animal crossing, fantasy life and so on. If it's a game we can all sit and play local multiplayer together, then it's something I'm super interested in and willing to invest in.

Part of what makes the switch enticing to me is playing actual home console level Nintendo & third party releases on the console, but with the potential for really great local multiplayer experiences beyond the tv screen, and more like what we do with the 3ds. Playing a full fledged Mario Kart and Splatoon locally between our systems will probably guarantee I have multiple systems by the end of summer. It's also really nice that the console has two pads you can split out and play together on the one device, depending on the situation. In terms of pure console games on the tv & splitscreen, again, if it's got it, we're interested and of course, we only need the one copy which is nice. The Lego games, Nintendo Land, Minecraft, Fable. Playing all that stuff together locally has been fantastic, and it's osmething that will draw me straight to the product.

So overall? I have no idea if my family and how we play is the minority these days, but it's very little on the online multiplayer but huge amounts of local multiplayer. Whether it's everyone together on the tv, splitscreen, everyone on the same screen etc, it immediately enhances the interest for me because there's a potential there it's something we all might play together, and thus enhances the fun. Also super big on local multiplayer between handheld devices, all together in the one room. Playing a game through over a week or two and everyone pitching in together whether it's having a session of everyone playing together, or trading, battling etc.

Also, completely off of local multiplayer and purely on Moon, I will definitely buy whatever you guys are working on after Ori. Such an amazing game! Linking it back in though, the big difference is I played Ori entirely alone. My partner and kid watched me play it through and loved it, lots of emotions and reactions as I played, but I think they both probably would have found it a little hard by themselves. However, if you guys are including local multiplayer, we could all enjoy what you make, which would be really nice.
 
MAtgS

MAtgS

Member
Absolutely important. I hate it when games that my girlfriend would enjoy makes the co-op online only.
 
Rakuyo

Rakuyo

Neo Member
For me it's very important and one of the reasons why I still have the most fun with a Nintendo console, when friends are coming around. I think me and my gf spent most of our gaming time this generation with Diablo 3 on PS4 because the couch coop was incredible.
I wish that a lot more games would offer split screen these days. If you consider doing it for your new game and the experience doesn't suffer from implementing it, do it :)

Btw, wanted to tell you that Ori is one of my favourites this generation and I am really looking forward to what your guys doing next!
 
J

joffocakes

Member
It's very important. Especially for racing, fighting and party games. Some games, like Towerfall, Garden Warfare or those top-down Lara Croft games I would have never bothered purchasing if the multiplayer was online only. They just aren't as fun without a friend beside you.

I do play the majority of my Street Fighter time online but playing local multilayer is a far more entertaining experience.
 
Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan

Member
I actively seek out multiplayer games that I could play with my siblings. I end up playing a lot of Nintendo games and last gen games as a result of the lack of support from modern day AAA. Very important to me.
 
D

Danchi

Member
If a game has four-player local multiplayer, I will almost certainly buy it at some point. Me and my friends have probably played almost every four-player compatible game on the PS3 at this point.
 
M

MadLaughter

Member
iRAWRasaurus said:
Depends on the game.
Click to expand...

This, in a way. I like games with local multiplayer. It's something for me to do with friends. I've played every Halo that allowed it with a friend beside me. Same with gears. I have a bunch of friends that, when we hang out, we play games with local MP. Diablo 3, for example. Overcooked is amazing. Lego games.
 
P

pvpness

Member
It sucks. I really like local mp and have passed on a number of games because they had online only, and vice versa. It's not that I love local mp or think it should be a standard feature of all games. I just want as many options of play available to me as possible so that in the exceedingly rare case that someone I know wants to play something, all doors are open. In my reality, my son is playing Roblox or some sandbox survival bullshit and all my friends are playing Facebook or Netflix. Lol.
 
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