The gaming industry has come an incredibly long way over the course of the past two decades or so. It's hard to fathom that even as recently as the start of this century we thought the graphics exhibited on the PlayStation 1 and Nintendo 64 were cutting edge. Obviously they were at the time, but between now and then, graphics have come on leaps and bounds.
Why Don't More Games Have Co-Op?
What hasn't come along quite as much is the enjoyment we get from playing games. There's an argument to be made that the industry has actually regressed slightly in that arena. We pine for the days during which four of us would be gathered around the same tiny TV screen playing with and against each other, and we're sure we're not the only ones. What makes the lack of split-screen opportunities in the present day even more frustrating is how much bigger TV screens are nowadays.
As well as playing against our friends, we also miss playing alongside them. Co-op used to be the order of the day for many games when it came to a multiplayer option, and we believe now is the time to return to those days. Naturally not every game needs a co-op mode (Marvel's Spider-Man was just fine without it), but many current titles would benefit from it greatly.
Co-Op Should Become The New Norm
For starters, a co-op mode in games is easier to do today than it has ever been. Even though we rarely sit alongside those we're gaming with nowadays, pretty much all of us are playing with friends online. There was a period of time during co-op gaming's downtime when online gaming was in its infancy - a time during which very few of us had made the jump online, and even if we had, chances are our ping wouldn't match up and it would make for an incredibly frustrating experience.
That is no longer the case - unless you or your gaming buddies live in a cave and have steam-powered broadband. Two, three, or even four of you could wade into battle together and it would feel as if you were all sitting in the same room. All of this being said, if developers are going to dive headfirst into working on a co-op mode for a game, they'll need to be wary of making that a game's only option.
Titles needing an internet connection has caused quite a bit of friction in recent years. Some games are being bought by parents for their kids where one or both of them have no clue about the game's requirements. Perhaps the child in question isn't old enough/allowed to have an online account, but their mom and dad don't realize the game they just bought requires one. If that game also has nothing but a co-op mode, and its owner has no one to play with it locally, therein lies a problem.
Nintendo: An Example Of Co-Op
If developers are considering trying to revive the co-op genre, then they should look to Nintendo's recent work for inspiration. Nintendo's last three consoles have been all about playing with others, and that includes the Switch. Two terrific co-op titles that jump out at us on the platform are Pokémon Let's Go and Ultimate Alliance 3. Both games allow other players to jump in and out of the game as and when they like. There's no need for a separate save file or to search for a save point alone should your partner in crime need to duck out early.
How To Implement Co-Op
What needs to be avoided when implementing a co-op mode is turning your game into a watered-down version of what previously made it great. Fallout 76's co-op mode is one of a few reasons the game didn't perform particularly well. Rather than let players play through the story together, Bethesda just half-heartedly included a co-op mode that only really exists to let players level up and unlock the next meaningless co-op mission. When it comes to co-op, definitely be more Nintendo and less Bethesda.
When it comes to the next generation, Sony and Microsoft have the chance to make it all about co-op gaming. Nintendo has led the way, and we would very much like to see its rivals follow suit. As we mentioned above, we don't want games to be exclusively co-op, we just want the option. We have the technology to make it easy, and we no longer need to be in the same room as those we're playing with. Let's make it happen!