There's no single-player video games in the top 20 most played PS5 games in July

On a sweltering Saturday morning in late July, Mat Piscatella, a Circana analyst, took to social media to share some striking data on the most played games on the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles in the US. As gamers and industry enthusiasts eagerly devoured the numbers, one trend stood out like a sore thumb: not a single traditional, offline single-player game was to be found in the top 20 most played titles on the PS5.

For those who still hold onto the notion that single-player games are the true heart of gaming, this news must have been a bitter pill to swallow. The data, which covered the week ending July 25, painted a stark picture of a gaming landscape dominated by live service games and annualised sports titles. Fortnite, the battle royale behemoth, held the top spot on both the PS5 and Xbox charts, reclaiming its position on the former platform after a brief stint by Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2.

The dominance of live service games on the charts is hardly surprising, given the lucrative model's ability to sustain itself through microtransactions and continuous updates. Publishers continue to pump out new live service games, often with disastrous consequences, as seen in the case of Concord and Highguard. Despite these high-profile failures, the allure of live service games remains strong, with gamers clamoring for the latest titles and updates.

In contrast, single-player games, which were once the backbone of the industry, seem to be struggling to find their footing in the modern gaming landscape. The absence of single-player games in the top 20 most played titles on the PS5 is a stark reminder of this trend. Even GTA 5, a game that was once a single-player powerhouse, has seen its popularity dwindle to the online multiplayer mode.

The top 20 most played games on the PS5 include a mix of familiar live service titles, annualised sports games, and perennial favourites like Roblox and Minecraft. The most recent additions to the list are this year's versions of NBA 2K and EA Sports College Football, which barely crack the top 20. The lack of new releases in the top 20 is evidence of the dominance of live service games, which continue to draw in large numbers of players.

While the data may seem bleak for single-player game enthusiasts, there is a silver lining. Mat Piscatella's expansion of the charts to encompass the top 20 revealed a glimmer of hope for single-player game fans. On the Xbox chart, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced managed to squeeze into 14th place, making it the only pure single-player game in the top 20. However, the PS5 chart remained stubbornly single-player-free.

As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, it's clear that live service games have become the norm. While this model has its benefits, including continuous updates and new content, it also raises concerns about the future of single-player games. Will publishers continue to prioritize live service games over traditional single-player experiences?As a writer, I'm left wondering what this trend bodes for the future of gaming. Will we see a resurgence of single-player games, or will live service titles continue to reign supreme? Only when we see a shift in the balance of power between these two models will we know for sure. But for now, the data remains a stark reminder of the live service conundrum that has come to define the gaming industry.