Over the past few years, we have seen how most companies have focused on digital launches. Not only does this allow games to have a constant price, but the production costs for a physical version are abandoned. However, the public is not yet ready to fully commit to this new trend. This is something that Ubisoft He hopes that it will soon change in this industry.
As you probably already know, Ubisoft, like Xbox, PlayStation, EA and other companies, has a subscription service. Although in recent years not many have expressed an interest in Ubisoft+, the French company has restructured its model with the opportunity to have day one launch games, as is the case with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. In this way, Philippe Tremblay, director of subscriptions at Ubisoft, has pointed out that the public should be more willing to put aside the traditional model and accept subscription services.
In a talk with GamesIndustry.biz about the major restructuring of Ubisoft+, Tremblay pointed out that, as happened with the film and music industry, little by little we will see how new generations of players opt for the digital format and subscription services, instead of purchasing physical copies. This is what he said about it:
“One of the things we saw is that gamers are used, a bit like a DVD, to owning and owning their games. That's the consumer shift that needs to happen. They felt comfortable not owning their CD or DVD collection. That is a transformation that has taken a little longer to occur [en los juegos]. As players get comfortable in that aspect… you won't lose your progress. If you resume the game at a later time, your progress file will still be there. That has not been eliminated. You don't lose what you've built in the game or your commitment to the game. It's about being comfortable without owning your game.
I still have two DVD boxes. I definitely understand the players' perspective on this. But as people adopt that model, they will see that these games will exist, the service will continue, and you will be able to access them whenever you want. It is a calming feeling.
Streaming also works very well with subscription. So you pay when you need to, instead of paying all the time.”
Although Tremblay's statements may sound very general, the executive has only shared information related to the French company's service, such as the case of October, the most successful month for Ubisoft+. Tremblay says the company has had “millions” of subscribers in the last four years, who together have played more than 500 million hours of the game. Some sign up to try a title for a month or two, while others come in, stay, and enjoy numerous experiences.
The statements of Tremblay needs the support of Xbox and PlayStation, who dominate the subscription services market. In the case of Microsoft, we know that Game Pass has more than 25 million subscribers, but this information has been out for years, and no new update has been offered to reveal how this market has grown, or fallen. For its part, PlayStation Plus continues to be treated as an extra for Sony users, and we rarely see practices like day one games on this platform.
In this case, Tremblay assures that it is the new generation of players that is more willing to focus completely on the digital section and, as he mentions, accept that they do not own their games. However, it is still too early to have a clear answer to this issue. While there are people who are willing to pay to have games day one thanks to a subscription service, there are still many who buy discs.
For its part, Ubisoft+ Premium is now available on Xbox, PC and Amazon Luna. For $17.99, all users can enjoy an extensive list of games from the French company, including day one releases, as well as the definitive versions of some of its most acclaimed titles. On related topics, here you can check our review of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Likewise, Ubisoft talks about the remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
Editor's Note:
This is a statement that we have already heard, and while it is true that new generations are willing to pay for a service instead of buying a new game, many more of us still prefer this business model, and the companies know it. Xbox and Ubisoft may want to see it differently, but there are others who still sell discs.
Via: GamesIndustry.biz
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