Today, the gaming industry is able to offer us a flood of options and content capable of satisfying any preference or need. Often, however, it is precisely this abundance that puts a strain on the player, who is forced to make an initial selection upstream in order to be able to find something really suited to his needs. This selection inevitably has to start with the distinction between online and offline games. Let’s find out the pros and cons of both categories.
Advantages of Online Games
Starting with online games, there is one undeniable advantage that must be emphasized right from the start: they are able to offer truly unparalleled convenience – suddenly, games are at your fingertips anywhere and everywhere that you’ve got an Internet connection! What’s more, online game stores often have way more titles and genres, making it easier to find an option that suits one’s tastes and preferences.
Board games, cards, puzzles, and many others have been adapted to be played on digital screens, allowing players to play alone against the machine but also to compete in multiplayer in virtual settings that faithfully reproduce the excitement of the physical game.
This transition has opened up new horizons, allowing traditional games to reach a wider audience and to be accessible anywhere, anytime, as evidenced by the success of online casinos.
As a result, we’ve seen a major evolution going on in a whole bunch of different spaces. Today, you can play games anywhere, whether you’re looking for a quick hand of poker against some savvy enthusiasts or you want to play keno with Bitcoin – you’ll find an option out there.
And talking about cryptos, nowadays, you can use them to play almost any game since this approach has proven to be highly effective and offered great success to the digital casinos that have adopted it.
Thanks to digital gaming platforms, not surprisingly, it is possible to interact with people from all over the world, make friends, and compare notes with other players. That makes gaming more interactive and engaging, even to the point of allowing players to confront each other in teams, as in the case of online FPSs. Plus, you’ve got tech like augmented reality available, especially for wearable and mobile devices, as we saw with the ultra-popular Pokemon Go. Finally, you can play from smartphones as well, but this is an advantage that belongs to offline games as well.
Disadvantages of Online Games
Despite the many advantages of online games, they also have some disadvantages. One of the main ones is their dependence on an Internet connection: if you are without network access, you simply cannot play unless that video game also possesses an offline mode.
Quality of service can also be a major problem. Overloaded servers, lag, and disconnections are factors that can negatively affect the gaming experience. Finally, the social aspect, although it can be an advantage, can also lead to toxic behavior and harassment by other players, and in some cases, even identity theft and other unpleasant consequences, such as cyberbullying.
Advantages of Offline Video Games
When it comes to offline video games, one of the most obvious advantages is independence from connection.
This allows one to enjoy the gaming experience without having to worry about network problems. Classic video games, then, allow people to have fun without having to find partners for it, whether they are casual or not. In short, they can be played “solo.”
Offline games, among other things, tend to be more tactical in the sense that they require more strategy on the part of the player, although this obviously depends largely on the genre chosen. Usually, however, they focus heavily on aspects such as the story and progression of the protagonist, with a more intricate plot. In contrast, online games aim more for dynamism and adrenaline and often focus on teamwork.
In addition, offline video games usually do not suffer from security problems. Since no Internet connection is required, hackers don’t really have the chance to put users’ data at risk, unless there is malware in the file to be installed.
Disadvantages of Offline Video Games
Having read thus far, it is easy to guess what some of the disadvantages of offline games are. First, as mentioned, the social component is lacking, as one will not have the opportunity to interact or engage with other players (unless they’re sitting beside you!). Second, in most cases, traditional games might require a greater commitment, both in terms of study and hours spent.
Just think, for example, of role-playing games such as Final Fantasy, or action RPGs such as Elder Scrolls. It is also rare for offline games to be updated with new content, as in the case of DLC, but this factor varies from video game to video game.