Summary
Online connectivity can do wonders formultiplayer games, but when it’s forced on single-player experiences, things get messy. Unreliable servers, unexpected downtime, and the ever-present risk of a game becoming unplayable if the developer pulls the plug are problems that have frustrated players for years. Even games that are genuinely fantastic can end up suffering from this requirement, forcing players to deal with unnecessary obstacles just to enjoy what should be a seamless experience.
Here are some great games that could have been even better if they weren’t shackled to an always-online requirement.
WhenNeed for Speed (2015)tried to bring back the series’ street racing roots, it had all the right ingredients: stylish nighttime visuals, deep car customization, and a return to a more underground-inspired racing culture. But there was one big problem—everything was tied to an internet connection.
Ghost Games wanted a “connected world” where players could seamlessly interact with each other, but that decision ended up creating more frustration than fun. Even in single-player mode, the always-online requirement meant that pausing wasn’t an option, and server issues could randomly boot players out mid-race. A game that could have been a strong revival ofNeed for Speed’s legacy ended up as yet another reminder of how risky always-online requirements can be.
Ubisoft’sThe Crewhad a unique premise: an open-world racing game that let players drive across a scaled-down version of the United States. With vast landscapes, from snowy mountains to sunlit deserts, it was a technical marvel. But the always-online design made everything feel more fragile than it should have been.
The game’s main appeal was its seamless multiplayer, but even those who just wanted to enjoy thesingle-player campaignhad to stay connected. If the servers went down, so did access to the game. Worse, AI traffic and other elements felt inconsistent because they were tied to online synchronization, leading to bizarre moments where cars would flicker in and out of existence. And when Ubisoft eventually decided to shut the servers down on March 31st, 2024,The Crewbecame unplayable—permanently.
The Divisionhad an incredible setting: a winter-ravaged New York City, overrun by chaos after a deadly virus outbreak. The atmosphere was perfect, thecover-based shootingwas satisfying, and the RPG progression system kept players hooked. But one thing that kept pulling it down was always-online connectivity.
Even for solo players who just wanted to experience the story, an internet connection was mandatory. Ubisoft designed the game to be a shared-world shooter, which made sense for its co-op and PvP elements, but it meant that technical issues could make evensingle-playermissions unplayable. Server outages, lag, and random disconnects could ruin progress, and for a game built around methodical combat, that was a big problem. It was a case where the online requirement made sense on paper but ended up hurting players who just wanted to play at their own pace.
Gran Turismo 7was supposed to be a celebration of car culture, with meticulously detailed vehicles, deep customization, and a campaign mode that brought back the magic of the series’ early days. And yet, despite all of that, it came with an online requirement that turned agreat racing gameinto a frustrating experience.
Most of the single-player content, including the main campaign, required an internet connection. That meant if Sony’s servers had issues or went down for maintenance, players were locked out of features that shouldn’t have needed an online connection in the first place. This led to massive backlash, especially after a patch in 2022 made the game temporarily unplayable for over 24 hours.
The reason? Polyphony Digital tied everything to online servers to prevent cheating in the game’s economy and leaderboards. While that’s understandable, it came at the cost of players’ ability to just enjoy the game without interruption.
Diablo 3should have been a triumphant return for Blizzard’s legendary action RPG series, but its always-online requirement made sure it was anything but. The infamous “Error 37” message on launch day became a meme, as countless players were locked out of a game they had waited years for.
Blizzard’s justification for this wasto combatcheating and item duplication sinceDiablo 3had a real-money auction house at launch. However, even after the auction house was removed, the online requirement remained. Lag spikes could ruin fights, disconnects could send players back to the menu, and those who just wanted to enjoy the campaign alone had no choice but to stay online.
Ironically, whenDiablo 3was later released on consoles, it had an offline mode—proving that the requirement was never truly necessary in the first place.
IO Interactive’sHitman (2016)was a fantastic reboot, bringing back the creative, sandbox-style assassination gameplay that made the series great. The problem? Even single-player progression was tied to an online connection.
Players could still technically play offline, but doing so locked them out of crucial features, including unlockable weapons, mission scores, and leaderboards. If the servers were down—or if someone simply wanted to play on the go without internet access—they would lose access to content they had already earned.
IO Interactive designed the game this way to support its live content updates, like elusive targets and user-generated contracts, but it ended up being a major inconvenience for those who just wanted to play at their own pace. Even now, years later, this remains one of the biggest criticisms of an otherwise stellar game.
Assassin’s Creed 2is one of the most beloved entries in the series, thanks to its gripping story, engaging parkour, and the introduction of Ezio Auditore. But when it launched on PC in 2010, it came with a DRM system that became infamous for all the wrong reasons.
Ubisoft’s DRM required players to be online at all times—even during the single-player campaign. If the connection dropped for any reason, the game would kick players back to the main menu, potentially losing progress. The backlash was immediate, with players and critics alike calling it out as an unnecessary restriction.
Ubisoft eventually patched out this requirement in later years, but by then, the damage was done. What should have been one of the best PC gaming experiences of its time was marred by an always-online policy that made no sense for a single-player game.
