Top Games Ruined by Always-Online Requirements

Summary

Always-online requirements hinder single-player experiences with server issues and potential unplayability.
Need for Speed, The Crew, Division, Gran Turismo, Diablo 3, Hitman demonstrate this flaw.
Design choices prioritize online features over player convenience, leading to frustration and backlash.

Internet connectivity greatly enhances multiplayer games, but it can cause complications in single-player games. Issues like unstable servers, unexpected outages, and the constant worry that a game might become unplayable if the developer decides to discontinue it have long annoyed players. Even games of exceptional quality can be marred by this demand, as players are often forced to navigate unnecessary hurdles in order to have an enjoyable, smooth gaming experience.

These are some fantastic games that might have been even more enjoyable if they didn’t necessitate a constant online connection.

7. Need for Speed (2015)

Drifting Through Connection Issues

In its 2015 reboot, Need for Speed aimed to resurrect the street racing essence of the series. It boasted sleek nighttime aesthetics, extensive car customization, and a revival of an underground-influenced racing scene. However, one major flaw emerged: all aspects relied on an active internet connection.

Ghost Games aimed to establish a “linked gaming environment” allowing players to smoothly engage with one another, but this choice ultimately caused more annoyance than enjoyment. In solo play, the necessity for constant online connection meant that taking breaks wasn’t an option, and technical glitches could unexpectedly kick players out during races. A game with potential to rekindle the glory of Need for Speed‘s past, unfortunately, became another cautionary tale about the perils of always-online gaming requirements.

6. The Crew

A Road Trip You Can’t Take Alone

Ubisoft’s game titled The Crew presented an innovative concept: an open-world racing experience where players could navigate through a miniaturized representation of the United States. The expansive vistas, ranging from snowy peaks to sun-kissed deserts, were truly impressive feats of technology. However, its always-online structure gave the game a fragility that was unexpected.

The primary attraction of this game lay in its smooth multiplayer functionality, yet even those seeking a solo single-player experience found they had to remain connected. If the servers ceased operation, so did access to the game. It was more frustrating because aspects like AI traffic and other elements were synchronized online, causing odd instances where vehicles would intermittently vanish and reappear. To make matters worse, Ubisoft announced the shutdown of the servers on March 31st, 2024, rendering The Crew unplayable—irreversibly.

5. Tom Clancy’s The Division

A Pandemic Without an Offline Mode

In a more relaxed and conversational style,

“The game titled The Division boasted an exceptional environment – a frozen New York City decimated by a lethal virus, teeming with disorder. The ambiance was spot-on, the cover-based shooting was enjoyable, and the role-playing game (RPG) advancement system kept players captivated. However, one aspect that often detracted from the experience was its requirement for constant online connectivity.

For those solitary gamers aiming to immerse in the storyline alone, an internet connection was indispensable. Ubisoft crafted this game as a multiplayer shared-world shooter, which was logical given its cooperative and player versus player aspects. However, this design choice meant that technical glitches could render even single-player missions unplayable. Issues like server downtime, lag, and spontaneous disconnections could disrupt progress significantly, and for a game emphasizing tactical combat, such interruptions were particularly troublesome. Essentially, the online requirement served its purpose theoretically but ultimately caused frustration for players desiring self-paced gaming.

4. Gran Turismo 7

The Racer That Couldn’t Leave the Garage

Initially, Gran Turismo 7 was intended to be a tribute to automotive culture, featuring intricately crafted vehicles, extensive customization options, and a story mode reminiscent of the series’ initial charm. However, despite these appealing features, an online requirement was included which transformed a promising racing game into a disappointingly frustrating experience.

The majority of the game’s single-player content, including the main storyline, necessitated an internet connection. Consequently, if Sony’s servers experienced problems or were undergoing maintenance, players found themselves unable to access features that arguably shouldn’t have been online-dependent in the first place. This decision sparked significant criticism, particularly after a 2022 update made the game inaccessible for more than 24 hours.

The explanation for this lies in the fact that Polyphony Digital linked all aspects of the game to online servers, primarily to deter cheating in the game’s economy and rankings. However, this strategy inadvertently took away from the players’ simple joy of playing the game uninterrupted.

3. Diablo 3 (On PC)

Lagging Through Hell

Diablo 3 might have been hailed as a successful comeback for Blizzard’s renowned action RPG franchise, but its mandatory always-online feature turned it into quite the opposite. The notorious “Error 37” message on its debut day became a popular joke, with numerous gamers denied access to a game they had eagerly anticipated for years.

Blizzard’s rationale for keeping an online requirement stemmed from their efforts to prevent cheating and item duplication, as Diablo 3 initially featured a real-money auction house. Even after removing the auction house, they maintained this online requirement due to issues such as lag spikes disrupting battles, disconnections forcing players back to the main menu, and limiting solo campaign enjoyment for those who preferred offline play.

Interestingly, when the game Diablo 3 was eventually launched on consoles, it included an offline mode, demonstrating that the initial need for online play may not have been as crucial as initially thought.

2. Hitman (2016)

A Silent Assassin With a Loud Problem

IO Interactive’s 2016 release of Hitman was a spectacular reinvention, reviving the imaginative, open-ended assassination gameplay that put the series on the map. However, the drawback was that even single-player advancement required an active internet connection.

Although players can technically opt for offline gameplay, it prevents them from enjoying key aspects like acquiring new weapons, tracking mission scores, and competing on leaderboards. If servers are inactive or if one chooses to play without an internet connection, they’ll miss out on content they have already unlocked during their gameplay experience.

IO Interactive structured the game in such a way to accommodate ongoing content updates, including elusive targets and player-created contracts. However, what was intended as a beneficial feature has become a significant drawback for those preferring self-paced play. To this day, this aspect continues to be one of the main criticisms leveled at an otherwise exceptional game.

1. Assassin’s Creed 2

DRM That Should Have Stayed in the Shadows

Assassin’s Creed II is highly cherished within the series due to its captivating narrative, exhilarating parkour sequences, and the debut of Ezio Auditore. However, upon its release on PC in 2010, it was accompanied by a DRM system that gained notoriety for all the wrong reasons.

Ubisoft’s DRM necessitated continuous online connectivity, even during single-player mode. Any interruption in the connection, regardless of the cause, would force players to return to the main menu, risking loss of progress. This move sparked instant criticism from both players and critics, who deemed it an unnecessary limitation.

In later periods, Ubisoft resolved this necessity through updates, however, the harm had already occurred. Instead of providing one of the finest PC gaming encounters of its era, the experience was tarnished by an unjustified always-online policy that was incongruous with a single-player game.

2025-03-30 16:54