No Split-Screen for Destiny

The thing about modern gaming that has frustrated me most is the loss of couch co-op. Fewer and fewer games have included split-screen or local multiplayer, opting instead for online multiplayer only. I'm not sure if this stems from some antiquated idea that gamers are solitary creatures, or a half blind attempt to "connect" players. Regardless of the reason, it's excluding millions of players out there who enjoy games most when playing alongside friends and family.

The few holdouts that I've regularly been able to count on for split-screen play dwindle a little every year, and now I've had to cross off a dear old friend from the list. In an interview with Gamespot Bungie has confirmed that Destiny will not support split-screen play at all.

Alone at Arm's Length

From classic board games to early arcades and consoles, people have sat or stood side by side to play together. The advent of the personal computer and the internet, games have shifted away from this model, largely to one supporting only online multiplayer. This has always been a thorn in my side, and one that often seems to fall on deaf ears within the gaming community.

Games are meant to be played in the company of others. Yes, many are built with a single player in mind, but often these are more enjoyable in tandem with friends and family; watching over the shoulder, pointing out items, offering advice and sometimes just helping to share the weight of particularly emotional moments. I wasn't able to finish The Last of Us without my wife there to experience it with me. 

I love single player campaigns. I rarely buy a game for it's multiplayer alone. Even when I have, it's been to share that game with friends either across the country or across the couch. That's why I am so apprehensive about the loss of local multiplayer.