MP-centric games and online gaming go hand-in-hand.

What more is there to say?

It is a risk because it is a game based on a TV show that was canceled almost 3 years ago. Much of that hype is gone now.

While I understand the sentiments of the article, I don't necessarily agree that a game needs to have a major online component in order to be successful in today's market.

Take for instance, Zelda or Final Fantasy. Both of which have thrived for decades and both are single-player driven games, and have been since their inception (disregarding the occasional MMO releases of FF or games like Triforce Heroes in the Zelda series). As for more recent examples (since Quantum Break is a new IP), Until Dawn was pretty successful and sold over a million units last year on the PS4 and there is no online in that game. Closer to home, Rise of the Tomb Raider also sold over a million on the Xbox One and I don't think that game has an online mode like its predecessor.

Basically, a game without a heavy online focus is a risk, but I don't think it's such a risk that it shouldn't be attempted if the game's artistic vision doesn't require it. Because at that point, you're compromising the quality of the game by using resources on something that doesn't need to be there.

Games with online are also massive risks. When they bomb thats a lot of money down the drain just like your single player game guys

what tv show?

Really? Pretty sure your competitors focus a bunch on single player driven games like Zelda, Mario 3D platformers, Until Dawn, Ratchet and Clank, God of War, Heavy Rain, Beyond 2 Souls, the Order 1886, Puppeteer, Sly Cooper, and Metroid.

You know Sony themselves said most of their games arent profitable, I assume that was in regard to 7th gen releases.

Numerous games you mentioned arent AAA and certainly arent the same scale as Quantum Break. Also, some of IPs you mentioned havent had a new release due to modest sales.

Big budget games are risky, period. There have been many flops with online play.

Zelda, Sly Cooper, Ratchet & Clank, Mario 3D and Puppeteer are fairly decent sized games clocking in at at least 20hrs due to being open world, having side quests, collectibles with easy to replay level structures etc.

GOW - there is simply nothing else like it out there. 

The worry with Quantum Break is the possible cost of making it and how soon it can be completed with rumours pointing towards a game that has a campaign between 7-10hrs (excluding cut scenes). It bares similarities to a lot of tps and if it like GOW & The order you can complete it quick and trade it, the secondary sales may cut into first hand sales. 

Hopefully, like GOW the hype and decent reviews will give it a big enough push to have big opening day sales as games with a short sp and no mp components usually struggle with legs. 

Edit - I wrote rumours, but it should have read ' concerns.' 

So now a single player AAA game is a risk? I remember people complaining about no single player for.... Multiple games, multiple times.

WTH INTERNET!