4 ms·

> Nearly all video games. Have any games development studio attempted a subscription model to games development and release? Not promoting the idea, wondering

> Nearly all video games. Have any games development studio attempted a subscription model to games development and release? Not promoting the idea, wondering if it's been considered. Some popular studios with a good track record could certainly entertain the idea.

kuschku 9y ago
EA has, with Origin All Access.
ocdtrekkie 9y ago
The DLC model is essentially an optional subscription. A full year of Call of Duty with DLC through to the next year's launch will cost you about $120. Since people move to playing the new DLC's lobbies, if you don't buy the DLC, you'll find much more limited matchmaking. I hate the segregating of games like COD by DLC pack ownership, and wish they WOULD just do a $10/month subscription, and keep adding maps and singleplayer campaigns instead of dropping all my favorite maps each year. It's a big reason I no longer buy their titles regularly.
problems 9y ago
EA offers one called Origin Access, it offers last year's crappy titles for $5/mo. Sometimes some older good stuff too. You also get early access to new stuff and a discount on new games, friends and I were buying it when Battlefield 1 got released because it was cheap enough that 1 month got you enough savings to make up the $5 price and got you into the beta. Not a terrible model, but not something I'm excited to pay for in most cases.
mysterydip 9y ago
Maybe not on a monthly basis per-se, but there are AAA games doing "season passes" for content up front, then release DLC over time (which you can pay for individually). A more direct comparison would be the various MMO games, some of which still do use a subscription model, though most have gone "free to play".
- Boothroid 9y ago
  Problem is lots of the DLC is not up to scratch! Fallout 4, I'm looking at you :(
aaron-lebo 9y ago
That's what DLC is, yeah? The games industry has largely moved to a 1) ship broken/buggy software, 2) charge for content packs, 3) improve game. Some franchises really buy into this. Battlefield 4 was basically broken on release, but a couple years and season passes later and it finally plays like the game it should have shipped as.
hasenj 9y ago
PlanetSide used to be subscription based. PlanetSide 2 moved to in game purchases.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
mbesto 9y ago
World of Warcraft is a monthly fee and has been for 10+ years now. They also charge for major releases. It's incredible how much commercial value the Warcraft brand has generated and how it's been able to do it in light of other games not being able to do so.
- jwong_ 9y ago
  Initial users got on, and people stay because the game exploits human nature. The IP helps as well.
codefined 9y ago
A bunch of online games have tried this, some of the most popular ones include World of Warcraft, Runescape and EVE Online. It works with these MMORPGs, but for other styles of games it doesn't work.
archagon 9y ago
Unfortunately, de facto subscriptions have infested video games in the form of microtransactions for gear and loot crate gambling -- even for single-player games.

kuschku 9y ago

EA has, with Origin All Access.

ocdtrekkie 9y ago

The DLC model is essentially an optional subscription. A full year of Call of Duty with DLC through to the next year's launch will cost you about $120. Since people move to playing the new DLC's lobbies, if you don't buy the DLC, you'll find much more limited matchmaking. I hate the segregating of games like COD by DLC pack ownership, and wish they WOULD just do a $10/month subscription, and keep adding maps and singleplayer campaigns instead of dropping all my favorite maps each year. It's a big reason I no longer buy their titles regularly.

problems 9y ago

EA offers one called Origin Access, it offers last year's crappy titles for $5/mo. Sometimes some older good stuff too. You also get early access to new stuff and a discount on new games, friends and I were buying it when Battlefield 1 got released because it was cheap enough that 1 month got you enough savings to make up the $5 price and got you into the beta. Not a terrible model, but not something I'm excited to pay for in most cases.

mysterydip 9y ago

Maybe not on a monthly basis per-se, but there are AAA games doing "season passes" for content up front, then release DLC over time (which you can pay for individually). A more direct comparison would be the various MMO games, some of which still do use a subscription model, though most have gone "free to play".

Boothroid 9y ago
Problem is lots of the DLC is not up to scratch! Fallout 4, I'm looking at you :(

aaron-lebo 9y ago

That's what DLC is, yeah? The games industry has largely moved to a 1) ship broken/buggy software, 2) charge for content packs, 3) improve game. Some franchises really buy into this. Battlefield 4 was basically broken on release, but a couple years and season passes later and it finally plays like the game it should have shipped as.

hasenj 9y ago

PlanetSide used to be subscription based. PlanetSide 2 moved to in game purchases.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

mbesto 9y ago

World of Warcraft is a monthly fee and has been for 10+ years now. They also charge for major releases. It's incredible how much commercial value the Warcraft brand has generated and how it's been able to do it in light of other games not being able to do so.

jwong_ 9y ago
Initial users got on, and people stay because the game exploits human nature. The IP helps as well.

codefined 9y ago

A bunch of online games have tried this, some of the most popular ones include World of Warcraft, Runescape and EVE Online. It works with these MMORPGs, but for other styles of games it doesn't work.

archagon 9y ago

Unfortunately, de facto subscriptions have infested video games in the form of microtransactions for gear and loot crate gambling -- even for single-player games.