Is It Time for Single-Player Games to Go Fully Online?

You sit down to play a single-player game, but instead of jumping in, you’re met with an error:

🚫 “Internet connection required.”

Welcome to gaming in 2025, where even single-player experiences are starting to demand an always-online connection. Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows, The Crew Motorfest, Diablo IV, and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League are just a few examples of games that force you online—even when playing solo.

The argument for online single-player is clear: cloud-based AI, seamless live events, and real-time world updates. But the downside? If servers shut down, so does your game. Just ask anyone who bought Babylon’s Fall—a full-priced title that became completely unplayable once Square Enix pulled the plug.

So, what does this mean for the future? Will there come a time when owning a game no longer means you can actually play it whenever you want?

Is this the inevitable direction gaming is headed, or should we push back to keep true offline single-player experiences alive?

What’s your take—should single-player games go fully online, or is this a dangerous trend? Let’s hear it.