Couch play: Why developers are championing for more local multiplayer games

These days, finding someone to play games with is easy. All you have to do is sign in — to Steam, to the PlayStation Network, to Xbox Live.

And while some of us prefer the anonymity of our Internet connections and others are hungry for more competition than our friends’ schedules can handle, playing online is just, well, convenient. In a matter of minutes, we can find teammates or opponents from all over the world. Why play with the same old people?