Many large publishers have subscription services that allow access to many games for a certain amount per month. These companies include Microsoft, EA, and Ubisoft. A representative of the latter entity recently gave an interview in which he expressed his thoughts on season tickets and players’ attachment to the traditional ownership model. Is subscription really the future of the industry?
A Ubisoft representative suggests that subscription services are the future of the gaming market. However, it is worth remembering that this solution, in addition to some advantages, also has a number of significant disadvantages, and the market itself seems to be resistant to such changes.
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Undoubtedly, a gaming subscription has some advantages. Usually, we have access to many productions at a disproportionately low price. The problem, however, is that when we stop making monthly payments, we lose it completely. This factor means that subscriptions are not as popular as some publishers would like. Another important factor is the time pressure that subscription players are under. The idea of making the most of the subscription period appears in the minds of many users, which encourages them to play superficially and only access the elements of the catalog of titles covered by the subscription.
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Philippe Tremblay, head of Ubisoft’s subscription department, gave an interview to GamesIndustry.biz in which he discussed, among other things, the issue of game ownership. According to a representative of the French company, players are very attached to the traditional sales model. The transformation of the electronic entertainment market occurs much more slowly than in the case of films or music, where subscription services have begun to significantly replace normal sales channels. While it is difficult to argue why the diagnosis of the situation is true, the statement that the transition to the subscription model in the gaming market will have to happen in the future may be controversial.
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Tremblay therefore clearly suggests that this payment model is the future of the industry. In another part of the interview he argues that freedom of choice is also important, which is why Ubisoft offers games in both traditional and subscription models. However, it cannot be ignored that the subscription model is very advantageous for large publishers, who in this way tie customers to their platform for longer and have greater control over the content offered. The gaming market has slightly different characteristics than, for example, the film market. Games last longer than cinematic works, and there is a greater chance that the user will want to return to a certain title in the future. This is one of the reasons why traditional forms of sales still prevail here. Therefore, one might be tempted to say that Tremblay is wrong in his certainties about the future of the gaming market. There are unlikely to be any significant changes in the near future.
Source: GamesIndustry
2024-01-17 10:40:00
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