Gaming Audiences Prefer Single-Player Titles Over Live-Service Games, Research Finds
A larger segment of the gaming community plays single-player titles over live-service games, a new research has found.
MIDiA‘s research consumer survey conducted during Q2 2023 has revealed that a majority of gaming audiences find single-player titles and not live-service games their preferred way of playing. To be precise, 53% of a total of 9000 survey respondents from countries including the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Sweden, and South Korea preferred single-player titles.
The research provided a breakdown of statistics based on different age groups. Out of the gaming population aged between 16 and 19, 40% enjoy playing live-service games, 30% enjoy playing single-player titles, 28% enjoy playing couch co-op games, and 15% enjoy playing PvE titles. On the other hand, out of the gaming population aged between 20 and 24, 43% enjoy playing live-service games, 35% enjoy playing single-player titles, 22% enjoy playing couch co-op games, and 18% enjoy playing PvE titles. Meanwhile, out of the gaming population aged between 25 and 34, 41% enjoy playing single-player titles, 40% enjoy playing live-service games, 24% enjoy playing couch co-op games, and 21% enjoy playing PvE titles. Next, out of the gaming population aged between 35 and 44, 49% enjoy playing single-player titles, 35% enjoy playing live-service games, 21% enjoy playing couch co-op games, and 18% enjoy playing PvE titles. Further, out of the gaming population aged between 45 and 54, 65% enjoy playing single-player titles, 30% enjoy playing live-service games, 18% enjoy playing couch co-op games, and 10% enjoy playing PvE titles. Lastly, out of the gaming population aged 55 and above, 74% enjoy playing single-player titles, 22% enjoy playing live-service games, 13% enjoy playing couch co-op games, and only 6% enjoy playing PvE titles.
The survey results show indicates a direct correlation between interest in single-player titles and age. The higher one’s age, the higher their probability of preferring games that don’t involve any kind of multiplayer element. As such, it further indicates that, contrary to popular belief, the market for single-player games is still very large. While new live-service games have undoubtedly increased in popularity, particularly with younger gaming audiences, new single-player games have continued to break records and generate hundreds of millions, including not only the likes of established IP such as Zelda and Spider-Man but also new franchises like Elden Ring and Black Myth Wukong.
