Veteran games consultant Mark Cerny says we may only be three years from the death of single-player games – but warned that doesn’t mean a world dominated by what we now think of as multiplayer.

“I believe the traditional single-player game experience will be gone in three years. Right now you sit in your living room and you’re playing a game by yourself – we call it the sp mission or the single-player campaign. In a world with Facebook I just don’t think that’s going to last,” Cerny said in a Eurogamer-organised panel.

The consultant, who has worked on several prominent Sony games including Crach Bandicoot and Ratchet & Clank, pointed to games which already blur the line between single and multiplayer experiences – like Demon’s Souls, which sports messages, “ghosts” of other players, and even a player-controlled boss as well as co-op and competitive multiplayer.

“We’re already seeing the wall starting to crumble a bit,” he said. “I believe three years from now, if you aren’t doing that, you are being criticised in your reviews for your lack of innovation.

“A game without the presence of other players in it – you go out three or five years, I believe that is unthinkable given how connected we’re becoming.”

Cerny said the industry doesn’t yet have the terminology to describe blended user experiences, and this is hampering innovation.

“If you don’t have any word for freedom you can’t have a revolution. How can you be talking about design when we don’t have the words to describe it?” he asked.

“Yet, that will be the standard, I believe, in 2014.”

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Waht do you think, will single player experiences disappear in thre years or is he mad?

I think he's mad, it's way too early.

As long as there is a market for single player, these games will continue to be made. Is there a market for these games? Yes, and it's huge.

I only play single player, I don't want other people in my gaming experience. I am not alone in this.

how facebook is going to adopt the singleplayer experience is a mistery to me

i call bs on that

 I think he means everything will have online integration even if all you want to do is play it off line. Like we'll inevitably see an Uncharted 4 down the line, and I guess he sees them having some sort of Facebook or Youtobe or whatever integration even in the single player. Maybe collecting treasures with some Facebook App, I dunno.

 I think he's right tbh, he's not saying we'll never see a single player game in 3 years again - God if War V, Uncharted 4, Killzone 4 etc will all have their single player campaigns. Just the days of you playing them disattatched from the rest of the world are limited, you'll always be 'connected' to other players. Just think of stuff like FIFA / NFS:Hot pursuit where even if you play it offline all your record times / goals / stats etc are shared with your friendlist. Or L.A.Noire where you can look online at what people did despite it being an entirely offline game, or as he said Demon's souls etc.

3 years is way too soon. FFIIIXv won't even be out. ...but the trend is obviously moving in that direction. still, there will always be some single player games, just more niche in the future.

LOL no. It's never gonna happen.

Supply and demand, supply and demand... he's wrong.

In the sense that you'll have tacked on co-op modes or "social" things like achievements in everything? Maybe.

In the sense that people will be able to rape your shit in every game like they do in Demon's Souls? No.

Haha, Eurogamer.