Actually i've kinda missed the point of your post now...
if the point is the fact of single player content, then put simply - people don't want to put in the time and effort it requires to actually develop such titles!
But you must understand that Baulder's Gate is no different from CounterStrike - the universe is open and you have objectives ... people sometimes stick to the rules and oftenly they'll come in either fireing their M4 or throwing fireballs at a level 10 magic ability!
It really doesn't matter multiplayer really is identical with the exception of SimOnline and Creatures ... as with them you just flo
Where-ever you have an actual objective people will just do what they feel like!
When CounterStrike was first released back in '97 (when alot of the player now didnt even have net access) - it was a battle of 56kers, our shots took several seconds to fire, and you have to use skill and prediction to actually help your side win!
I believe that this point of skill have been lost on the DSL generation - with pings equvilant to LAN playing games are no longer about skill and thought but just reacting quicker and offloading all your ammo ... especially against the guys who still are using 56k modems
until you find a way to stop people abusing the fact of multiplayer and killing thier own team mates and such the actual players who want to play seriously will just quit, as there is no point in playing on a team or a game where those who have better connections, more experience, and just kill thier own team for fun are about!
I mean i used to love CS, until Beta 6.5 ... that is about the time all the loosers who came on and TeamKilled - it really wasn't an issue before that, CLANs ruled. And i don't mean a team of morons who go out rambo style, i mean a bunch of people who actually enjoyed playing and worked as a team!
Solo Players suchas myself we're also excellent players - we may be out to kill everyone, but everyone fought honourably ... your put on a team you kill enemy!
Someone is out of ammo you didn't kill them there was no challenge!!
People or kids who play now only care for the frags, not on how they are achieved! But then again when older player like myself are on LANs, they don't stand a chance
Had a Renegade match at work the other day ... 4hour fight - only 12 casulties per side
and trust me no one was camping, cause those maps are just setup really so you can't (^_^)
but we did go through a good number of tanks
Anata aru kowagaru no watashi!