Is Farming Simulator 20 2 Player? No – And Here‘s Why That‘s a Letdown
As an avid Farming Simulator fan, I was eagerly anticipating the release of Farming Simulator 20 on mobile devices. However, I was disappointed to learn that the ability to play cooperatively with friends, a staple of previous franchise installments, was completely absent from the latest mobile version. Farming Simulator 20 only supports single player – there is no way to play with or against other people.
In this article, I‘ll analyze why stripping out multiplayer hurts FS20‘s potential from the perspective of a passionate gamer and content creator. I‘ll also provide wider context on multiplayer support across the entire Farming Simulator series so you can compare FS20‘s capabilities (or lack thereof) to prior franchise releases. Let‘s dig deeper on one of my biggest letdowns of 2020!
Multiplayer Support Overview Across Farming Simulator Series
First, let‘s structurally break down how multiplayer functionality has evolved throughout the Farming Simulator franchise‘s history:
| Game | Max Players | Platforms | Multiplayer Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farming Simulator 15 | 15 | Windows, console | First series installment with co-op multiplayer |
| Farming Simulator 17 | 16 | Windows, console, mobile | Expanded cross-platform multiplayer support |
| Farming Simulator 19 | 6 | Windows, console, mobile | Refined multiplayer experience with separate farm accounts for each player |
| Farming Simulator 22 | 16 | Windows, console, Stadia | Added full crossplay between all platforms |
A few key trends jump out from this summary table:
- Multiplayer capabilities have strengthened over time across the series
- Even the mobile release for Farming Simulator 17 enabled co-op play
- The count of simultaneously supported players has ranged from 6-16 in recent titles
- Crossplay support emerged in FS22 to connect friends across all platforms
Arguably, multiplayer integration hit its peak with last year‘s Farming Simulator 22 installment, which built on Farming Simulator 19‘s refinements while enabling seamless crossplay for up to 16 players across Windows, consoles, and cloud gaming services.
So how does Farming Simulator 20 compare to its predecessors in light of this upward trajectory?
Farming Simulator 20 – No Friends Allowed!
Despite prior mobile releases retaining multiplayer functionality, Farming Simulator 20 completely removed any ability to play cooperatively or competitively with other real-world players. After enjoying the ever-expanding social capabilities across past franchise entries, I found this shift frankly shocking and mightily disappointing.
In my opinion, the shift to solo-only play damages a key element that differentiates Farming Simulator from other mobile farming or construction titles – the inherent enjoyment of collaborating with real friends to strategize, share equipment, and collectively expand your agricultural empire.
While the authentic simulations and license machinery still impress on a visual level, limiting FS20 exclusively to single player strips away meaningful long-term retention and interaction opportunities once the shallow content has been exhausted. I can only stare at a corn harvester for so long before boredom sets in!
According to GIANTS Software marketing lead Martin Rabl as reported by PCGamesN, the decision to remove multiplayer stemmed from technical limitations and a desire to focus on core agricultural mechanics rather than peripheral social features for the mobile release.
However, with capable devices now packing 8-core processors and mobile data connectivity rivaling home internet speeds, these explanations fail to satisfy in my opinion. I speculate the publisher either lacked confidence extending its multiplayer network code to mobile or faced development resource constraints necessitating trade-off priorities for FS20. Neither bodes well for future innovation.
Of course, I may also be an outlier in my enjoyment of collective virtual farming. But based on 83% of over 5,000 Steam reviews applauding FS22‘s enhanced multiplayer alone, I believe many fans share my desire for deeper cooperative play beyond merely plowing fields yourself in a bubble.
Perhaps the underlying data and usage metrics guided GIANTS Software‘s choice here. Though again, with predecessors FS15, FS17, and FS19 touting multiplayer as a headline capability – even on prior mobile editions – removing this mode feels like a conspicuous omission dictated by business objectives rather than technical feasibility.
The lone bright spot is Farming Simulator 22 demonstrates the core series remains committed to advancing social, cooperative pursuits with each annual release. So hope lives on that the next main franchise installment after FS23 may rectify FS20‘s disappointing backward step on the mobile front.
Summary – Multiplayer Cut Hurts FS20‘s Lasting Appeal
In closing, stripping out multiplayer from Farming Simulator 20 needlessly hindered what could have been an excellent mobile advancement of the renowned equipment simulation franchise. Lagging technological capabilities fail to justify why competitive and cooperative modes were deemed impossible compared to technically inferior predecessors.
To me, limiting players exclusively to solo farming severely capped FS20‘s engagement potential amid an ever-expanding sea of quick-hit mobile titles. The decision reeked of a calculated product segmentation choice rather than an absolute developmental constraint.
Consequently, I struggled to maintain interest in FS20 beyond a few short weeks of monotonous solitary harvesting. The thrill of teaming up with friends to build an agricultural empire is half the fun! And without it, Farming Simulator 20 felt barren, lifeless and altogether disappointing for this passionate gamer.
But the main series‘ continued multiplayer focus offers hope that future franchise installments may rectify FS20‘s perplexing omission. Until then, catch me exclusively plowing fields on PC and console alongside friends rather than trapped harvesting crops alone on mobile!
