God of War recently released on PC, and the quality of the mythological adventure proves not all games with that platform need a multiplayer mode in order to succeed. Using the current battle royale craze overpowering many franchises and microtransactions dominating the gaming industry, multiplayer modes are quickly becoming the norm. Unfortunately, forcing non-multiplayer series to consider a web-based mode can have negative consquences. At a time where game publishers and studios are under increasing scrutiny thanks to botched launches, God of War's PC version offers several important lessons for future titles around the platform.
God of War's recent release on PC has already taken the web and gaming community by storm, gathering more downloads than Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone in just a few days. God of War concentrates on Kratos and Atreus as they visit the highest peak in the realm to spread Faye's ashes. Hunted by Norse gods and monsters alike, Kratos and Atreus must put aside their strained relationship to outlive in a world on the point of collapse. Throughout the game, players may also encounter beings from popular Norse myths, like Magni, Modi, Mimir, Sindri, and Brok also seem to provide an immersive (and entertaining) experience.
Though God of War initially launched like a PlayStation exclusive, its success on PC proves that Santa Monica Studios uncovered an important formula to success in a turbulent gaming industry. After Cyberpunk 2077's catastrophic failure and Halo Infinite's less-than-stellar multiplayer launch, individuals are more critical from the gaming industry than ever before. While the factors of these failures vary from budgetary concerns to remote work from the pandemic, God of War's PC version proves games can succeed with no pressures of microtransactions, online multiplayer servers, and expansions.
God Of War PC Proves Story Games Aren't Lonely
While online multiplayer can be an enjoyable addition to implementing a social aspect of games, developers should realize that it isn't always necessary and may hurt the product in general. 2022's God of War focused on mythology and character growth, a profoundly personal experience that a multiplayer mode could have hindered. Additionally, updates dedicated to multiplayer take developer attention away from the story mode, souring the look of the game. This incident occurred with Red Dead Redemption 2, whose lack of single-player updates ruined the game's longevity. Though God of War won't have additional expansions, any glitches will likely be patched promptly without distractions from multiplayer.
In a competitive gaming industry, profits and customer loyalty would be the keys to expanding the lifespan of an IP. This means developers have to start playing to their strengths and cornering off sections of the market rather than succumbing to popular trends. Though battle royale games are trendy now, a God of War battle royale may likely fail spectacularly and compromise what makes the series great. While multiplayer presents a moneymaking opportunity, its negative effects on God of War could cost the series dearly.
Multiplayer can be an excellent accessory for many titles on PC, but the inherent competition and fast-paced action aren't essential for every series. Rather than embracing typically the most popular trends, franchises should play to their strengths and incorporate unique, original twists on those concepts. God of War can be obtained now for PlayStation and PC, with God of War: Ragnarok scheduled to release in 2022.
