Many hardcore gamers were confused and angered by comments that Jonas Antonsson made to [a]listdaily. In an interview, he claimed that the single player mechanic was a gimmick.
Who is this person by the way? Why, he's the CEO of Gogogic. Which produces social games, naturally. Antonsson explains:
"I also think that it is worth to note that the single player mechanic is a gimmick – games are meant to be played with others and it doesn't matter if it's in-person or online. The first games were designed as multiplayer experiences, but when computer and console games became a thing there was a need to construct an antagonist and/or a protagonist for commercial purposes. You couldn’t depend on people coming together to have a synchronous experience over a game. That would have simply stifled sales. And since there was no reasonable way to connect people in other ways – the arcade was the only serious attempt – it became an industry need to project the game as the other player. Playing a game is a multiplayer activity and can easily be seen as such when you watch young toddlers play by themselves. They invent someone to play with, someone that they talk to and interact with."
Truth be told, his comment is not nearly inflammatory as many are making it out to be. There is some food for thought, yet his argument also doesn't hold a lot of water either.
First of all, calling single player games a gimmick was perhaps Antonsson's worst move, and people understandably have little patience to truly examine the arguments he has put on the table.
Ultimately, Antonsson sounds a lot like old time-y movie people who also thought sound and color were gimmicks that ruined motion pictures. Point being, just because something was first does not necessarily mean it was better.
