Do you enjoy a little bit of “me” time? Not having to worry about getting the team killed or someone snagging your loot? Ah – single player is great – but EA wants to make you more social.
Some gamers feel the need to take on the online world and destroy every geek, bro, and screaming ten year old in sight. Others tend to stay in their own world and they can be the only ruler or hero. I, too, enjoy flanking my enemy’s tank and hearing him or her shout my name in anger, but it is nice to have alone time, just you and the game. It’s a common trend now that games that are geared more toward single players now focus on both aspects. Some examples are: Fable 3 , Bioshock 2, Red Dead Redemption and EA’s upcoming Dead Space 2.
EA Games wants its gamers to be connected, whether it be through multiplayer/co-op or online services. I feel with some games, adding an online aspect isn’t terribly necessary, leaving me to wonder if this move is more financially driven. It would keep more games from becoming trade-ins. When questioned, Frank Gibeau, president of EA Games, stated in an interview with with Develop that the games can be high quality and still be blockbusters. The intent is to improve the image of EA Games.
Who knows? Maybe Dragon Age with co-op is possible? One can only hope.