just because it is, your words, "better played online with others" does not mean that the game should always be online. When playing with others, obviously that requires connection. However, for the base game, there is no valid reason from a consumer standpoint to have always online.

From a preservationist standpoint this tactic is a means to ensure the game is done when the developer/publisher say it's done, by pulling online services rendering the entire game unplayable. It's a grander part of the pay for everything, own nothing mantra surrounding businesses and industries today. Just because we can do something does not mean it is something that should be done.

Have to agree with @Seraphim. It is becoming more and more frustrating for me, and I know many others feel this way too... That we can't buy a game physically and as long as my hardware is working, play it in the future.

Maybe even in the far future! I still play Mario 64 and original Goldeneye with my son on my older Sony Trinitron CRT TV. And I never have to worry about NOT having them available to me, because I *own* them. If they break? Have a great video game repair shop in my area, so not a worry.

None of it is online limited. None of it has a countdown timer on when the servers shut down and the game is a mere icon on my dashboard when it inevitably becomes useless. Classics should be revisited, and the gaming industry is moving farther and farther away from preservation, and more towards a temporary industry.

I disagreed with the recent article that Konami is the only dev respecting game preservation... They aren't. And arguably got rid of their most prominent dev in Kojima. Sorry, a personal jab there... However, most game companies do not have their old games on new hardware. Unless you have the original system and hopefully it still all works... Then you can play said game.

But aside from that? Where are the Panzer Dragoon games? Where is the Chrono series? Where is Earthbound? What happened to F-Zero? Wipeout? Jet Moto? Hell even Motorstorm even! I loved those games but if I sell my Ps3 it's gone. Same with MGS4 for that matter, my fav in the series of Metal Gear.

So many games are being lost to time. I feel like the game industry should do what Hollywood does (and only that, mind you... Fuck Hollywood) and preserve games in some kind of "vault" if you will. The original source code preserved. And if it makes sense or there is a demand, release them every few years on a new platform so new generations can experience these masterpieces. It's sad I have to tell my son about the glorious-ness of Gradius without him having the ability to play it.

Eh.
This always online aspect really needs to die in situations like this but, all the same, sometimes I just want to enjoy the gameplay, itself, and opt to play with bots.

Sometimes you just aren't feeling competitive.

Still no reason to renew the PS+ subscription.. man i miss the offerings during PS3 days.

second this.....its not great but rockay city became my " Payday 3.