Why I Stopped Playing Competitive Multiplayer and Now Prefer Co-Op Instead

There used to be a time when I’d look forward to jumping into a multiplayer game, either alone or with friends. However, I’m sticking to co-op content and single-player games these days.

Competitive Multiplayer Has Me Down

I’ve spent a lot of my time playing competitive multiplayer games. Whether it’s Apex Legends, Warframe, DotA 2, League of Legends, or a dozen other titles, I’ve been consistently playing these with a few breaks here and there for the last decade. In that time, I’ve realized that these games had changed from being something I looked forward to into something I suffer to enjoy (or, maybe, enjoy to suffer?).

It’s not that the games are bad. These are high-quality titles with incredible polish, and each is excellent in its own way (or else I probably wouldn’t still be playing them). No, it’s more about the people I play these games with or against that highlight the worst parts of these communities.

One of the things that made me realize that player vs. environment (PvE) and single-player are better for me happened while I was “pubbing” (climbing the public ranked ladder) in DotA 2. I’ve been playing this game since it was in open beta, and even so, getting caught in “Elo Hell” (where you feel like you should be winning a lot more than you should) was a nightmare of toxicity. Some companies are using AI to help with gamer toxicity, and DotA 2 is a title that could benefit from that.

Now, granted, I love a few things about multiplayer gaming. Being able to load into a game with some friends and blow off some steam is one of the best feelings there is. However, ranked gaming has become gaming-as-a-service, meaning that player satisfaction isn’t the mark of success it once used to be.

Farming for Fun Is Now Frustrating

Games are supposed to help us unwind. Yes, even the most frustrating games you can play play a role in relaxation. However, it’s an entirely different thing when those games are designed to be consistently frustrating. When I was pubbing for fun, I used to look forward to each new release because they’d change things a little and allow for fresh ways to play the game.

While this is still largely true, the amount of time I can spend on these games has dwindled. With so many other things calling for my attention, I can’t dedicate an entire evening (or five) to learning a new meta when it comes out. My buddies have their own lives and responsibilities, meaning I no longer have a dependable team to play with.

So, I’m left training in unranked play for a fraction of the time the game developers want a player to train for before jumping into ranked. While this might be the best way for some people to play the game, it’s just not something I can do anymore.

Naturally, after some time, burnout sets in, and I have to look back at what I’m playing these games for. I used to enjoy them, and ranking up was fun. But getting stuck in a game with mechanics that I don’t fully understand, or with teammates yelling at me (or teammates I want to yell at), doesn’t do much to help me relax. If anything, it makes me more anxious. And I’d probably still be doing this if I hadn’t decided to dive into a single-player game.

What Single-Player Games Get Right

When most of your time is spent grinding for ranks in a multiplayer game, you forget the simpler things in life, like exploring the world around you. When I got Tears of the Kingdom for the Switch, it was years since I’d tried a single-player experience. Still, it’s The Legend of Zelda, so I had to try it out, and it reminded me of all the things that single-player games get right.

For the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel the need to get things done immediately. I didn’t feel like every second was life or death or that seeing an enemy first was crucial. I could take my time, at my own pace, and explore the world around me. And since this was a Zelda game, there was a lot to explore and no toxic multiplayer chatter made me feel more confident in my judgment.

Don’t get me wrong; there are some significant downsides to being stuck in a single-player universe. One is being unable to share the story with a friend directly. I could always record a video and share it with my friends, but that’s not the same as exploring a story with them. I appreciate the detail, and storytelling, the pacing, and the lore, but being able to do all that with a friend in tow would make it ideal.

Meeting In The Middle

Are there any games that offer the deep story of a single-player world, along with well-designed lore and a fun multiplayer experience that doesn’t rely on ranked? One of the first games I tried like that was Monster Hunter: Rise, which wasn’t disappointing in the least. Even a pick-up group of hunters will try to support the weakest player in the group and offer them some advice.

And that’s not to say that Monster Hunter: Rise is easy. Some of the later fights can be frustratingly hard. However, you find it much easier to laugh with your friends when you get “carted” than swear at your teammates and the enemy team when you get killed in a ranked game like DotA 2.

So yes, it turns out PvE games are my sweet spot. I can hang out with friends in a non-toxic environment, working toward a greater goal, experiencing story and epic clutch moments in a social setting. I’m hooked.

I’d Give Ranked Multiplayer a Second Shot…

When Marvel Rivals came out, I decided to give it a shot and was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t suck. I’ve dropped off most of the ranked games I used to play, but Rivals seems like it might be fun to rank up with. Until they start releasing balance patches, new heroes, and meta-changing abilities, of course.

For me, the best way to avoid hitting burnout with ranked games is to try a few PvE and single-player titles in between, with or without friends. For now, I’ll stick to these titles for the near future, but I’m willing to see if ranked multiplayer gets more enjoyable with a game I enjoy.

Who knows, Marvel Rivals might turn me into a ranked player again!