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Guerrilla Games Explains Why Horizon Zero Dawn Doesn’t Need a Multiplayer Mode

K

Khalifa Jayy

Banned
http://www.playstationlifestyle.net...n=why-horizon-zero-dawn-multiplayer-wont-work

Back in October, Guerrilla Games said that its upcoming RPG Horizon Zero Dawn will tell an “incredibly rich story,” which revolves around a hunter named Aloy. The game won’t feature a multiplayer mode, and according to Executive Producer Mark Norris, it’s because multiplayer elements wouldn’t work well what the developer is aiming to achieve. In an interview with IGN Latin America this past week, Norris said (translated):

There are questions as to why a multiplayer will not do. The reality is that we are putting together a new IP. We are making a new franchise for the first time in 10 years and what we really want to do is improve the experience for the player. When you get to face these machines as Aloy, with this great character, who is the real star of the story and everything that happens, have this connection with her, what happens when you add the elements of multiplayer? You play as a supporting character? How does that work?
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Click to expand...

Although I think that reasoning is a bit flawed (the supporting character bit), I am fully convinced that this needs to be solely a single player affair, and a showstopper at that. With KZ3 and KS:SF both being somewhat disappointing, I'm guessing Sony is pressuring Guerilla to craft something spectacular. The vision and concept is there, truthfully, I just really hope they execute. If they nail the "organic" part of the living world, they'll have something great on their hands.

Original source: http://latam.ign.com/horizon-zero-d...vista-con-mark-norris-productor-de-horizon-ze [Good, lengthy interview]

Expanded upon:

Y claro, jugamos otros títulos y realmente nos gusto que en Witcher 3 con Geralt of Rivia, que es un personaje icónico y es fantástico… no tenga multijugador. Es un RPG de acción con una experiencia para un jugador que no pide perdón por nada. Creo que somos similares en ese modo, queremos que esta sea la historia de Eloy. Aunque un modo multijugador es genial y tal vez pensemos en algo así para el futuro, para Horizon Zero Dawn queremos que la historia de Eloy sea lo central y que cuando juegues con ella, sea fantástico.
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Translated to:

And of course, we played other games and we really liked that Witcher 3 with Geralt of Rivia, who is an iconic character and is fantastic ... without multiplayer. It is an action RPG with a single player experience that is not apologetic. I think we're similar in that way, we want this to be the story of Aloy. Although a multiplayer mode is great and maybe think of something for the future, we want to have Horizon Zero Dawn's story have Aloy center and when you play it, it's fantastic.
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N

Newtype-001

Member
I agree there reasoning isnt good but im glad they dont feel like tacking on multiplayer to tick a box.

This could have been a cool MonHun clone with online tho
 
V

VanWinkle

Member
I am a big multiplayer proponent, but I don't think anybody expected one in this game. Open world RPGs don't really ever have it.
 
M

Markitron

Is currently staging a hunger strike outside Gearbox HQ while trying to hate them to death
Kyoufu said:
I'm surprised they had to even explain why a single player RPG is a single player RPG.
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Tacked-on multiplayer was the scourge of last gen.

Thanks CoD4.
 
EL CUCO

EL CUCO

Member
Good on Sony for not pushing them to tack on MP in fear of people trading in the game after its completed.
 
kavanf1

kavanf1

Member
VanWinkle said:
I am a big multiplayer proponent, but I don't think anybody expected one in this game. Open world RPGs don't really ever have it.
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And a damn good thing too. Hopefully the phase of thinking MP needs to be tacked on to every game to make it sell has passed.
 
F

FF Seraphim

Member
This makes me happy. Focus on the core mechanics that you want to work with the game and if it is a success build MP on to the sequel.
 
J

JCX

Member
kavanf1 said:
And a damn good thing too. Hopefully the phase of thinking MP needs to be tacked on to every game to make it sell has passed.
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I hope so too, but it's been going on for a long time. Still remember that awful Metroid Prime 2 attempt at multiplayer.
 
C

CMojicaAce

Member
While it would be cool to have some sort of co op mode where you hunt down giant mech monsters, it isn't required and it just means that they can spend more time on making the single-player as good as it can be.
 
E

EthanC

Banned
All they needed to say is that they're making the game they want to make. Not every game needs multiplayer.
 
D

Dynasty

Member
Not every game needs a multiplayer and I feel since it the first game of the franchise they should be putting all there effort into making a solid single player experience. I would be lying if I didn't say I wouldn't mind one. Personally would love a endless horde mode holding off waves of dinobots.
 
psychotron

psychotron

Member
EthanC said:
All they needed to say is that they're making the game they want to make. Not every game needs multiplayer.
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This. The fact that developers feel pressured to include it, or even feel the need to justify not having it is just ridiculous.
 
N

Ninja Scooter

Member
Well there was some people drawing comparisons to Monster Hunter early on so I guess maybe they were hoping for a MP mode? Good to nip this in the bud early.
 
K

Kyoufu

Member
There was nothing more painful than going through GAF posts crying about the lack of MP in Dragon's Dogma before release.
 
I

IvanJ

Banned
From everything I've seen about this game, it will be an amazing single player experience. Wedging a multiplayer component would not make it any better, but there would always be a chance that it would have made it worse.

Not every game benefits from multiplayer. (Tomb Raider proved this very well, I think).
 
M

Markitron

Is currently staging a hunger strike outside Gearbox HQ while trying to hate them to death
Ninja Scooter said:
Well there was some people drawing comparisons to Monster Hunter early on so I guess maybe they were hoping for a MP mode? Good to nip this in the bud early.
Click to expand...

A hint of a MP mode in Horizon and I would subconsciously start thinking of it as a grind-fest.

IvanJ said:
Not every game benefits from multiplayer. (Tomb Raider proved this very well, I think).
Click to expand...

Dead Space 2, Bioshock 2 and Arkham Origins are also great examples. I'd say Dragon Age Inquisition too, but I don't know anything about that MP mode, despite playing the game for 80 hours (says a lot I suppose).
 
T

Tagyhag

Member
I wasn't expecting it to, just have an awesome singleplayer, that's all it needs. If they ever do a sequel then we could add multiplayer into the mix.

And locked 30fps of course.
 
I

impact

Banned
Markitron said:
Tacked-on multiplayer was the scourge of last gen.

Thanks CoD4.
Click to expand...

uhhh?

CoD4 is one of the best multiplayer games of all time and easily beats out the awful SP campaign in it. You should be saying "thanks bad developers that put multiplayer in games like Bioshock 2, Tomb Raider, etc"
 
P

Pyros_Eien

Member
Kyoufu said:
What do you mean?
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Maybe in reference to DD:Online, the F2P mmo they released reusing the assets and such?

Can't say I care if a game has multiplayer or not, as long as it doesn't affect single player. If they have the funds to have a separate studio doing multiplayer stuff using the engine and assets from the main game, sure fine add it, but it has a cost and it doesn't necessarily pay for itself. I guess you can sell stuff, like the Bioware multiplayer modes do, but meh.
 
K

Kyoufu

Member
Pyros_Eien said:
Maybe in reference to DD:Online, the F2P mmo they released reusing the assets and such?
Click to expand...

Ah right, yes. As a big DD fan, I've already forgotten about DDO. It's not the direction I'd take the series in and anyone who played the first game on PS3/360 most likely agrees.

Multiplayer modes in single-player RPGs are so unncecessary. I played Dragon Age: Inquisition for over 50 hours and not once did I ever feel like even trying its MP mode. To me it's absolutely wasted resources.
 
C

Coffee Dog

Banned
Was everyone expecting multiplayer out of a generic open world action rpg? That's the only genre that doesn't have multiplayer.

entremet said:
This is the benefit of being a first party new IP.

You think EA or Ubisoft would've allowed this?
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considering that Ubi has been making this exact style of game without multiplayer, and WB has released multiple games of this style without multiplayer, probably?
 
D

Dinda

Member
Thank god, and there really shouldn't be a need for an explanation..

Whatever, what is far more interesting is that they continue to compare it to the Witcher 3. That makes me hopeful that it will be a "real" RPG and not an Action Game with RPG elements.

I really hope for good and many Quests and Dialog Trees etc.
 
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