Why are so many computer games for kids connected online?

[FancyRedRobin]

Just read an article on the guardian about how dodgy Roblox is.
So many games now are online (is it even possible to play things off line) where weirdos can access children?
It's an almighty head wreck about deciding what's safe etc? No online controls seem to be any way foolproof.
It's an absolute minefield.

Aibu to think that children's games should be playable offline?

Most games offer single player/offline mode, but if you want to play with others, even friends or family in the same house on pc/console for example, online is required in most cases.

Terraria, Stardew valley, Starbound, Forza Horizon and Minecraft are a few good ones that all offer single player offline gaming. Fortnite as well, it really depends on what ages and games you kids are into. My kids enjoy a lot of different PC/Switch games

No game is 100% safe, but as a parent you should learn what's what and be able to understand how to keep your child safe.

Its about control, ownership and money.
By putting the game online they can put micro tractions in so you are always paying more. i.e season passes, themes, clothes DLCs etc.
You never actually own the game, as they can stop you playing at any point and they can essentially bin the game making you pay for the new version.
It also means that they can put out unfinished products and then patch them as they go.

It’s a very lucrative business model, that's why. You pay for access to content not the content itself.

DS plays plenty of games offline and isn't allowed online. Pokemon, Minecraft, Zelda, Crash Bandicoot etc.

I don't let my kid play anything online where it isn't possible to completely disable voice and text chat. Fortnite has good parental controls. I supervise anyway.

A few years back most games had a mode for multiple players and a split screen. My kids friends used to call over to our house with their own PlayStation controllers and they'd all pile in front of the tv and play together, some maybe taking turns.

Very few games have that option anymore. If you want to play with your friends you have to play online, each in their own house.

It's such a shame.

Presumably it's deliberate, so that game companies can make more money with more subscriptions.