Would You Play a PvP Only Game?

Today’s post is really just about me asking you a question: How important is single player content to you? You see, I’ve had an idea for a game in my head for a while that might actually be feasible to independently produce in my free time. The catch being that I would not trust myself to program any decent AI to play against. Lacking an AI, the game would have to be played against other players only.

I’m torn on the issue myself. I really enjoy playing other players, but it is also quite stressful and it can be really awful to learn a game while up against other players. Most PvP centric games offer at least some sort of training mode against an AI. Shooters allow you to play against bots and real-time strategy games give you a campaign and a basic AI to play against. I think the last game with pure PvP content I’ve played was the Starcraft 2 beta.

I could, of course, implement a scripted tutorial so that players at least get to learn the interface before having to fight others. The game concept would also lend itself to some sort of “target dummy” mode in which you simply get to try out the game mechanics without an opponent at all. Still, neither of those will be a very good preparation for what awaits in the dark depths of PvP.

So, without knowing anything about the game concept, would you (theoretically) play a game in which you have to face off against other players from the get-go? Which parameters would have to be in place for you to consider it?