Doestheirresistibleriseofbattleroyaleand
games-as-a-service mean bad news for the
narrative-led single-player campaign?
Steve BoxerThis may be an unfashionable view
in these Tweet-length, emoji-voiced
times, but surely the greatest strength
of videogames is their ability to tell
complex, involving stories at a greater
length – and in a more immersive
manner – than any other medium?
Unique experimental stories, like
What Remains Of Edith Finch, and
sprawling 100-hour epics, such as Red
Dead Redemption II, are what makevideogames a special and unique
medium for storytelling.
Yet, right now, it feels like narrative-
led single-player campaigns are facing
an existential threat. Is this a case of
the industry throwing the baby out with
the bathwater, in the pursuit of locking
gamers into shared-world experiences
and loot box economies with high profit
margins that keep business executives
and shareholders happy?Are single-
pl Ay er
cAmpAigns
doomed?
oxm investigates
062 the official xbox magazine