I need an external opinion on this.
Me and my brother had a debate yesterday over whether a true multiplayer game cns exist. By true multiplayer it is meant a game where you have to work together, a game where it’s driven not just by good decision bad decision but driven by the spirit, a game where sacrifice is not just a good decision statistics wise, etc. .
The question is, is such a game possible?
Or is it inherently impossible to make true multiplayer?
What are your opinions
That’s too deep for me 
so you wouldn’t consider e.g. WoW to be a “true multiplayer”? What checkbox doesn’t it check for you?
I think the main criteria was most games when you get good enough are a single player game which you play next to other players. A game where you need multiplayer and where you can’t just prepare for everything.
There are other things but those are kinda just romanticising it lol.
Then how WoW doesn’t fit? You can’t solo an end-game dungeon, you need a hefty team to do that (I’ve never played it though, so I may be mistaken).
TBF I’ve never played it either but my experience with MMOs is yes you need several players for the damage output maybe heals. But you aren’t really playing it together you know? You are playing with your characters next to each other. But it’s not really playing together. Often these games will just make you each deal damage and maybe heal in your own way. Instead of a true relationship where you need eachother. Does that make sense. As said I haven’t played wow specifically though.
I think your ‘true multiplayer’ concept is very limited. So it’s hard to debate from that. At the end, it needs to be fun, that’s the only actual thing. The rest of the features are just feeding to if it’s fun or not.
For me a true multiplayer is a game that is not too complex for random people to join and have a good fun together! In this sense, Super Mario (side scroller) games are really good multiplayer games.
Another one I recently played and, it was one of the most fun I’ve ever had for a long time, is Ultimate Chicken Horse.
Yeah no there is a big difference between fun multiplayer and what I’m describing here as true multiplayer. True multiplayer as in truly working together. It is MULTIplayer. But like I love a load of multiplayer games and I don’t describe those as true multiplayer.
I think it’s more on the players than the gamedevs to create such a place. In any MMORPG, you always have some players that are truly roleplaying, so they create this aura that you would probably call a “true multiplayer”. They don’t play to level up, to beat monsters and get loot, but rather to emerge into the character and live the life through your character’s eyes.
But at the same time you have min-max players who dgaf about roleplaying, but are focused on leveling up.
As a gamedev, you can’t really force one way or the other (and I would argue you even shouldn’t be trying), so you end up with a mixed type of game.
I agree with @lastbender though, your definition of a “true multiplayer” is not something I would agree with.
If I understand this correctly, you’re looking for a game that meets the following criteria:
Do “crew simulator” games like Sea of Thieves, Guns of Icarus, and Star Trek: Bridge Crew fit these criteria? In those games you’re controlling a character, sure, but collaboratively you’re also piloting the “main character”, which is the vehicle you’re collectively driving.
In such games you’re using teamwork to crew a vehicle, no one person can staff all the stations (though some games provide bots to do it for solo play), and no individual station is a complete game in of itself.
Paddle Paddle Paddle is probably the “cleanest” example of what I’m talking about, as in the multiplayer mode two people each take control of one side of a canoe, and neither of them can pilot it without the other.
Oh, interesting take. I was focusing on the MMOs, but what about games like It Takes Two or Split Fiction? You literally cannot play these games alone, you need a partner and you need to work together to finish the game.
I would call Foxhole a true multiplayer (MMO). Hundreds of player in two factions fighting one war over a couple of weeks. No NPCs, every item must be crafted by a player, someone has to transport them to the front line. Larger equipment can only be used with multiple player. No level up, so every player is on the same level. Every player is a vital gear in the system.
Thank you. Same games I named to my brother. I do admit the definition I gave is a bit lax. It’s one of those things where the people debating knowing the exact definition just it’s hard to explain you know. THANK YOU EVERYONE for the extra ammunition against my brother lol
I however don’t quite agree on this. Yes it’s partly up to the players but as a game Dev you have the full ability of which direction the players take the game even if you don’t have direct control of what happens.
Open Steam, Google or 
go, search for “party slop”. Or go check out Peak.
All split screen games on consoles have people together physically.
Yes, true multiplayer games according to your definition exist and have for a long time
Chess, poker, D&D and all other TTRPGs, boardgames (including wargames), etc.
Cheers!
This i disagree with. A lot of these game types are more playing next to eachother than together. As said I already believe these types of games to exist, I’m just trying to disprove my brother. But a lot of these aren’t really playing together.
Play the Portal 2 coop campaign together, that ought to convince him 
Already did lol. Don’t think that I’m gonna convince him but gotta try you know.
Have you ever heard of PUBG? In bad situations, teammates share bandages, first-aids, and ammo. One guy even gave me an 8x (pretty rare).
Also, when you get knocked, your teammate will revive you on the battlefield.
Sometimes in the last zone, some teammates snipe while others give them backup so a vehicle wouldn’t crush the sniper lol.
Isn’t it true multiplayer?
I wouldn’t describe that as true multiplayer. It’s fun for sure. But true multiplayer I would say requires a constant codependance like in most coop games.
I think this is a presumptuous question, because it assumes your opinion of what makes multiplayer “true” or “real” is the only one that matters. I think a better name would be Truly Cooperative Gameplay based on your definition.
Games like WoW are “truly multiplayer” IMO because without a large number of players to play the game, it will literally fail. There will not be enough money to keep the game going, and it will be turned off for good. Then there is no game to play.