Massive generational gap: Gen Z flocks to multiplayer, while 55+ sticks to single-player

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Editor's take: Publishers and developers will need to keep a close eye on these generational preferences. The younger set is gravitating toward live-service PVP games, but today's overall gaming landscape still leaves ample breathing room for richly crafted single-player adventures to resonate. This window could start closing, though, if upcoming generations continue embracing multiplayer experiences en masse.

New research shows a massive generational divide in game genre preferences. A study by MIDiA Research surveyed 9,000 gamers across several countries including the US, UK, Germany, and South Korea. It found that online player-vs-player games are more popular than single-player ones among audiences aged 16-24. Only 30% of this bracket wants to play alone, while a whopping 68% of them would rather play online or couch co-op.

However, for the oldest age group (over the age of 55), a whopping 74% of gamers say they prefer playing single-player games without any online components. If you look at the graph below, you'll notice a gradual but stark trend as you move from the youngest to the oldest audience.

The researchers suggest a few factors behind the popularity of PvP among the younger crowd. Younger players may be drawn to the social engagement and competitive thrills of PVP games they can experience with friends. Convincing this bunch to ditch their online hangouts for a new single-player adventure is an uphill battle. Older gamers, meanwhile, seem to prefer the solitary focus and narrative storytelling of solo experiences.

Interestingly, the data also shows couch co-op waning with the 35+ crowd – the very players who likely grew up with iconic split-screen multiplayer games. Perhaps online play has supplanted the need to crowd around the TV these days.

Despite these trends, it's worth mentioning that the official headline for the report is "Most gamers prefer single-player games." That's because single-player continues to reign supreme for most respondents overall at 53%. The research notes that despite hits like Fortnite, League of Legends, and Roblox, the PvP market is becoming over-saturated, leaving more breathing room for single-player experiences.

To keep this popularity up, the analysts advise smarter single-player release windows. For instance, launching these games during quieter periods in the online title release calendar could allow them to shine when players are looking for a change of pace.

Image credit: Sean Do

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Massive generational gap: Gen Z flocks to multiplayer, while 55+ sticks to single-player

 
I haven't read the original research, but based on this article I'd have to say this research was a waste of time.

Nowhere do I read anything about how income influences play a part. Young people have little money and most PvP is free. Is it preference or their wallet deciding what to play?

Also, is couch co-op no longer popular, or are their simply no couch co-op games anymore?
 
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I'm 44 and play only single player (mostly because 3 of My younger brothers, more proficient in gaming, used to kick My *** in LAN, and I abandoned playing with other human being in My youth).
Well, anyway, We know how betting on online only, and "as a service" games turned for studios, They are eventually being defeated most of the time.
I basically never "bought" one. Unless They hope the youngest demographic somehow will gain acces to higher disposable income?
The thing is, at least I believe so, that developers can shape those trends, creating good product, instead sitting on their hands, j*rking off to "general audience".
 
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Interestingly, the data also shows couch co-op waning with the 35+ crowd – the very players who likely grew up with iconic split-screen multiplayer games. Perhaps online play has supplanted the need to crowd around the TV these days.
Click to expand...
As someone very close to this age range, it’s not that it’s waning, they just don’t release many couch co-op games anymore, we’re starving for them but they just aren’t on publishers list of games to produce.

It Takes Two was the last truly good couch co-op game released in recent years.

There will ALWAYS be a place for single player games, I spend most of my time in multiplayer games (most recently, Deadlock) but this year I finally did a play-through of Cyberpunk 2077, honestly single player games are far more of an experience than multiplayer games, multiplayer games just are far more addicting, winning always feels good, but just that much better when it’s against other humans.
 
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When told PvP can be toxic , or you get ded at spawn point, plus time commitment, plus abuse if crap.
Older folks probably don't need the stress and value their time. Though could probably do OK as uncool support character.

Given that if done right I could see older folks playing PvP
eg not toxic, pretty relaxed, no demands to be online at a certain time for a certain duration, emphasising tactics, smart play vs twitch, controller accuracy , response time etc .

Maybe AI assisted play , "auto battler" where you design and give commands , you control movement and type of play

With a single player game, get up go to bathroom , take a call etc

Same as not sure oldsters want crazy micromanagement games either, enough of that stuff in real life, ie any game needing 60 plus clicks a minute is vomit to me, I want tactics , not how fast I can click endlessly - to me a sign game makers have no confidence to make a great game , so fill in with your are doing stuff hey right!
 
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I choose to avoid multiplayer games because of all the parents that let their 8 year old kids play that have high shrieky voices that shatter glass and they only know how to cuss and insult. Then to top it off with all the griefers that cheat, I've got better things to do with my time then waste it playing multiplayer games.

I enjoy playing coop type games with a few people I know. Otherwise single player games are just as good.
 
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There is limitations to the study that prevents concluding anything concrete without doing a meta analysis and knowledge of the hardware ( PC gamers, handheld, mobile, consoles).
The young players also don't stay static and trends tend to change based on the media content provided.
The older the research participants the bigger the spectrum of experiences in gaming they likely have.
Single player games like Star wars outlaw wouldn't sell no matter the age group and yet Helldivers and online PVE coop sold really well as well as SpaceMarine 2.

On PC single player games as of late are becoming too demanding to run with minimal improvements to visuals. Some might argue we are regressing in optimization. Online multiplayer games tend to have more rasterization graphics and less ray tracing emphasis.
 
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The last time I played a network game, any game, was about 4 years ago (during the pandemic), Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, running a local server, on a local network. And the multiplayer was 2 people, a 1vs1, against the neighbor next door.
I've never liked multiplayer, in fact, in some games that I "legally" kept, I removed all the MP content, maps, sounds, etc., to reduce the size. I only kept the SP content.
 
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Older people will eventually forever stop playing competitive multiplayer games, because with age the free time is usually a lot less, and the less time you spend on pvp games, the less you are competitive, and the less you are competitive, the fun you can get from pvp games.

nobody like to lose almost every game they play...
 
It’s a life situation thing. The young have the most time to play and hone their skills. A job and a family will start cutting into that, people no longer have time to ”git gud”, they just want to vent off and escape at the end of the day. Maybe at 40 or 50 we become too slow to play with kids anyways. All our friends moved because of work or love and they nolonger keep in touch. Getting old is getting lonely…
 
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Once we reach 40 years old, we are already busy with things that make our lives more meaningful, so playing games becomes just an casual activity..
and as we get older, there will likely be a lot of pressure in our lives so there is no need to add to the pressure of playing competitive games..
 
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darkeasterbunny said:
I haven't read the original research, but based on this article I'd have to say this research was a waste of time.

Nowhere do I read anything about how income influences play a part. Young people have little money and most PvP is free. Is it preference or their wallet deciding what to play?

Also, is couch co-op no longer popular, or are their simply no couch co-op games anymore?
Click to expand...
Today's "research"/"statistics" are almost always manipulatory in their intent, usually by exaggeration, half truths and twisted facts. Statistics only show how things are in small things or just in theory, in practice and when its about big things, its always about how those who payed for them want things to be.
Even I was forced to fake the statistics numbers in my exam papers to cast a positive light on the group teacher I was in (our college teachers where split in two group and had their respective proudness), so I couldn't come to the exam and presented the truth, no, I had to come with inflated or even fake result that reflect "my" teachers in a positive light.

Its all about higher up interests.
 
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I'm 35, I love me a good single player game to unwind to. I use to play COD competitively but mostly, but 99% of what I do now is I come home from work, play some EvE on Friday nights, ESO during the week and sprinkle in some stardew valley and CIV V to relax to.

 
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I gave up on online play with Quake 3 and Unreal Tournament.
A bunch of whiny cheaters, jumping up and down like a ballerina in a wet diaper, accusing me of cheating, and telling me what they think they did with my mom.
I will never get what happens in a person's life that makes them cheat at a damn video game.
What pride and satisfaction comes from winning because you cheated?
Probably because they can't win at anything else.
 
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PanGrns said:
Loneliness is a choice. Some people enjoy it, others cant handle it but if your friends no longer keep in touch, perhaps they never was your friends.
Click to expand...
It is hard to stay a friend with someone who moves a 1000 miles away.
The same goes for couples who have to split for a job or special situations.
A friendship gets stronger when friends see each other, and weaker when they don't.
 
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