Video games have come a long way since its debut as 'Tennis for Two' and 'Spacewar!'. Most people, especially adults that doesn't embrace video game, find it tough to understand why their children are so hooked on video games. They claim that video games are making people less and less sociable.
Video games were not originally meant for one player, games such as 'Computer Space' and 'Pong' are two-players games. But I guess that is when video game took a different path to making single player games with the advert of personal computers and the 'Magnavox Odyssey'. Still, going to arcade to play alone seems a bit odd, doesn't it?
Since then, video games revolve pretty much around arcade, home console, TV game, handheld game devices, personal computer and mobile phone. Interaction was mainly between you and the game (although some games such as Game Boy allows up to 2 players using Game Link Cable). But it wasn't until the increase usage of the internet that changes the way video games are played. Here is a video about the history of the internet:
The internet changed everything, communication, file sharing, shopping, and nearly everything that we used to do away from our computer. Interaction with digital media content and other people was brought to a new level.
The idea of Massive Multi-player Online games (MMO) was born as a text-based game that people can interact with each other. The first MMO that displayed graphic was 'Neverwinter Nights'. Some of the earlier MMO were heavily inspired by medieval and fantasy setting, such examples include 'EverQuest' and 'Ulitma Online'. I still remembered playing 'Runescape' when I was in primary school and that too was an example of a medieval-inspired online game.
During this time, casual online games were also born. While some were originally HTML-based, most of the latter were Flash-based and many others such as Shockwave and Java were later developed. One of Flash games I can remember was those stick man games that my primary school classmates played whenever our class were brought to the computer lab. I never played or liked them because I find the blood and mindless violence rather disgusting and stupid.
Anyway, casual online game were also something you will see often in website that features online interaction. Some examples include forums (i.e. SGClub), virtual pets websites (Neopets), instant messenger (Windows Live Messenger) and social networking website (Facebook). The type, variety, business model of games vary depending on the nature of the websites. Facebook has many third-party developed games where you can interact indirectly with your friends (i.e. MouseHunt, Pet Society, Waka-Waka).
Other ways of online interaction besides client-based MMO (such as most MMORPG) and web-base games are the seventh generation video game consoles and handheld game devices. With internet or Wi-Fi access, these game console were no longer bound to just single player or players next to you anymore. For video game console (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii), you can now play with nearly anyone in the world at home. And for handheld game device (Nintendo DS, Playstation Portable, iPod Touch / iPhone), you can play with your friends over the internet and even post your high score online for all to see!
Even as early as the first generation video game console, it was marketed for people to play together at home. And as with watching movies or television, you can choose to do it alone or with others. I don't see how video games should be blamed for this. But I will leave this for you to decide.
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