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

I think the actual question is is this game coming out this year or will it be delayed? If we don't see any new footage of this, Dreams, and TLG until E3, I will start getting worried. :\ This is a massive new IP. It looks like they will focus on SP in the first title to ensure single player is good and possibly add MP on the sequel if they can make it work.

It's gonna be 2017. Did we ever get an official 2016 date for it outside of interviews in which they said they were hoping/targeting 2016?
 

DrArchon

Member
Didn't Fallout 4 just come out? I don't remember anyone complaining that it didn't have multiplayer.

Good on Guerrilla for not shoehorning in some bullshit VS mode. It'd be an easy way to sell DLC/microtransactions, but I'd much rather see all those resources go to the mode I care about.
 

Staf

Member
They shouldn't have to. I'm liking this semi trend of single player only games making a comeback.

Rise of the Tomb Raider
Wolfenstein New Order
Shadow of Mordor
Witcher 3
Dragon Age Inquisition
Horizon

Keep it coming devs.

Wait, didn't this have a tacked on multiplayer? With full on microtransactions and all?
 

Heidern98

Member
Since they are not adding multiplayer that's fine, but this game has always vaguely reminded of the possibilities that come from a co-op MP experience like in Monster Hunter. I think it would be really cool to work in a group to take down a large enemy with friends.

I'm actually quite surprised that not many people are interested such an experience.
 

black070

Member
It's gonna be 2017. Did we ever get an official 2016 date for it outside of interviews in which they said they were hoping/targeting 2016?

wjw7Mll.gif
 

Teletraan1

Banned
Do critics do this for The Witcher 3, Elder Scrolls etc?

Do critics ever follow any sort of guidelines as to what to praise or dock anything? Nope. It is all opinions remember.

Is Horizon going to be as meaty as those games where you aren't looking for some more value on this disc because they gave you a lot to do? A game might only be 10-15 hours so the lack of anything else might be a negative. A 60-100hr game is going to get less flack for the omission of MP.
 
I'd be happy if they explore co-op in one of the sequels, but for now all they need to say is that they are focusing on delivering a great single-player action RPG. It doesn't need any justification beyond that.
 

Syril

Member
That's kind of a weak explanation, but their demonstration video didn't look like multiplayer would have worked well for this anyway.
 

Tobor

Member
Yep, no one expects Bethesda to explain why fallout 4 doesn't have online, so why is it ok for Bethesda to go that route but not others?

Someone asks them about it every time a new game is released. They always give the same answer.

"Believe it or not, every time we do a game we design a multiplayer mode just to see what we would do," Fallout 4 director Todd Howard told Mashable at E3 2015.

Howard and his team sit down and figure out what multiplayer might look like for the game they're working on. Pre-production is the best time to do that. Before anyone starts to do serious coding or content creation, concepts and mechanics are written down on paper and discussed. Multiplayer is always in the conversation at Bethesda.

"Then we go, 'Yup, we shouldn't do that. That's an awesome idea that is way too distracting from the main thing we want to do, which is single player,'" Howard said matter-of-factly. "I could see ways it would work, but development-wise, they're very different experiences."

http://mashable.com/2015/06/25/fallout-4-multiplayer-nope/#4dF4w0Mkmuqr
 

TheSloth

Member
lol were people even demanding an explanation? Hilarious.

I still remember how underwhelming multiplayer was in FarCry 4. It just didn't need it. Good to see Guerrilla learning from such lessons.

Was already looking forward to Horizon, but I am even more now.
 
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.

I know a couple people who are hoping this is co-op hunting game, playing with multiple people taking down robot dinosaurs. but I respect GG for sticking to what they want to do. making a new IP is hard enough as it is, especially in open world rpg genre. better to stay focus on what they want to accomplish first, they can add multiplayer later if the game is a success and got a sequel.
 

Alienous

Member
I have no positive expectations for this.

I think they've admitted Zero Dawn is going to be a franchise they carry forward? I just don't expect the first game in a series that the developers know they'll make more of will be any good.

I'll wait for 'Horizon First Equinox' or whatever.
 
Yep!
My buddy who played it said the Mass Effect 3 multi was more fun.

I Actually Loved Mass Effect 3, truthfully I didn't mind the ending at all. I haven't played the multiplayer but i would see why people found it fun sins the gun play was really good and if you wear disappointed in the story and the conclusion that you found the multiplayer better sins it didn't depend on a story and the characters unlike the single player to have fun. I think that multiplayer makes some of the games better but for others it just gets in the way of the single player.
 
Wat. There was a huge dreams stream for psx that showed a tone of new stuff.

And they are keeping TLG stuff secret because of the nature of the game. They did have the interactive trico exhibit at PSX though.
There was? :S Did not know this. Hopefully Dreams makes a summer to before September release date.
 

Wagram

Member
They really didn't need to explain it at all. Horizon (and other games) don't need forced or tacked on multiplayer. If the package has enough value in it then ship it. I don't need to see multiplayer verisons of Aloy running around shooting each other with electric bows and dino mounts.
 

Some Nobody

Junior Member
It's gonna be 2017. Did we ever get an official 2016 date for it outside of interviews in which they said they were hoping/targeting 2016?

The developer interview released at PGW clearly says 2016 at the end. No "targeting". It's going to get pushed back tho. The game I want the most always does, lol.
 
I have no positive expectations for this.

I think they've admitted Zero Dawn is going to be a franchise they carry forward? I just don't expect the first game in a series that the developers know they'll make more of will be any good.

I'll wait for 'Horizon First Equinox' or whatever.

I can not even begin to understand the logic behind this comment?!?
 

HGH

Banned
It's rather that they need to explain or justify this sorta statement. Good on them for using their resources well. We need more developers like this, CDPR, and Machine Games (Wolfenstein The New Order) that can create effective and fun single player games.
 

injurai

Banned
Wut

Thats the best mp of last gen

Well, it did start the trend. I agree it was great.

But after Cod4 everyone wanted to jump on the MP success, and every game had to have a tacked on MP component. Even God of War Ascension had MP... like wtf?
 

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
I have no positive expectations for this.

I think they've admitted Zero Dawn is going to be a franchise they carry forward? I just don't expect the first game in a series that the developers know they'll make more of will be any good.

I'll wait for 'Horizon First Equinox' or whatever.

If the game isn't good enough then there won't be more of them. The Order was billed as a franchise and Sony decided not to continue with it.
 
Well, it did start the trend. I agree it was great.

But after Cod4 everyone wanted to jump on the MP success, and every game had to have a tacked on MP component. Even God of War Ascension had MP... like wtf?
I've not played this but impressions have been really good from people that played that game's MP.
 

injurai

Banned
I've not played this but impressions have been really good from people that played that game's MP.

Point is, things got MP just to help sell the game. It became a fan expectation last gen, and it became a corporate expectation last gen. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. At the end of the day single player campaigns suffered because of the splitting of resources and funding. MP was used as an excuse to get a half-baked single player experience out the door, when the game should have been purely single player.
 

Bluenoser

Member
I look at multiplayer in two ways.

1) a game has two distinct modes such as Call of Duty or Uncharted. These have a single player mode and a MP mode, and the two don't mesh. SP experience is just that- SP only.

2) a game that incorporates multiplayer into the SP experience such as Souls/Bloodborne, Monster Hunter, etc.

I could see #2 working for Horizon as someone mentioned- it would be like Monster Hunter, and it's too bad this isn't a part of their vision, even though it may not be necessary to have a great experience with the game.

As long as the game delivers a long campaign with lots to do, I'll be fine with it. aka. learn lessons from what Ready at Dawn did wrong with TO:1886.
 

Faenix1

Member
Nothing pisses me off more than seeing multiplayer just for the sake of it. Makes me happy this won't have multiplayer, honestly.
 

DeepEnigma

Gold Member
If the game isn't good enough then there won't be more of them. The Order was billed as a franchise and Sony decided not to continue with it.

And I still have the sads, because despite it's shortcomings (not enough of the rock solid gameplay), I rather enjoyed the story, and wanted to continue, especially the way it ended.

Fingers are still crossed for a possible sequel (pipe-dream I know). They know what they need to do now that the foundation is laid.
 

Grisby

Member
Yeah, they really didn't need to explain.

I do have tepid expectations when it comes to crafting an involving story though. The Killzone games didn't have the best narratives. Good world building ideas, but it'll be interesting to see how how much better their storytelling might be with an increased focus on it.
 

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
Yeah, they really didn't need to explain.

I do have tepid expectations when it comes to crafting an involving story though. The Killzone games didn't have the best narratives. Good world building ideas, but it'll be interesting to see how how much better their storytelling might be with an increased focus on it.
They've hired several new writers for this game, including the lead writer from New Vegas. The nature of an RPG versus an FPS also will allow them to fit more of the cool lore and presentation into the actual game.
 
Not even sure why they needed to even answer this question

Maybe the Monster Hunter crowd got a little giddy from the way the game played

Could be a fun co-op hunting game and fuck if Capcom is ever going to do it in this level of fidelity

Pretty sure its not that kind of game and was never telegraphed as such
 

Arzehn

Member
Singleplayer is fine by me, however, I'd like for the game to have some form of online functionality. Be it some sort of leaderboard, or marketplace, etc. Dragon's Dogma had a cool online component for example. Maybe something that adds some replayability.
 
Dont know why everyone thinks they can do the same stuff Witcher 3 did especially with their protagonists. Geralt has a deep lore and backstory associated with him and is a very good protagonist that is neutral, but can also be a hardass. Not everyone can be him especially since he had 3 games to establish himself.
 
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