Ubisoft's director of subscriptions Philippe Tremblay has suggested gamers will soon need to feel "comfortable" about not owning the games they play as more come bundled within a subscription service. Speaking in a new interview with GamesIndustry.biz about a new tier for Ubisoft+, Tremblay likens the process to your old CD and DVD collections being replaced by streaming services such as Spotify and Netflix.
"One of the things we saw is that gamers are used to, a little bit like DVD, having and owning their games, he explained. "That's the consumer shift that needs to happen. They got comfortable not owning their CD collection or DVD collection. That's a transformation that's been a bit slower to happen [in games]. Tremblay goes on to point out that you don't lose your progress or "engagement with the game" despite the lack of video game ownership, so "it's about feeling comfortable with not owning your game".
"I still have two boxes of DVDs. I definitely understand the gamers perspective with that," he adds. "But as people embrace that model, they will see that these games will exist, the service will continue, and you'll be able to access them when you feel like. That's reassuring."
The amount of membership services on offer has indeed grown dramatically over the past five or so years, and many are being embraced. For example, Ubisoft+ now has "millions" of users signed up, according to Tremblay. However, it's been noted how "subscription fatigue" is beginning to set in as spending on the likes of PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass plateaus. Sony has stopped reporting how many users are subscribed to PS Plus, but when it was, the count seemed to cap out at around 50 million. Of course, games also leave subscription services so you can lose access as a result of a deal expiring or the company choosing to withdraw access.
Perhaps there is a limit to how many people will accept Tremblay's vision. What are your thoughts? Share them in the comments below.
[source gamesindustry.biz]
Comments 118
We already don’t ‘own’ a lot of our games. Even a disc is just a license in many games nowadays.
Well, thanks to Ubisoft not giving the green light to Fenyx 2, that's another Ubisoft game I won't worry about not owning.
Yes and No.
Even with physical, I tend to immediately sell games when I finish with them and move on to the next thing (unless I plan on replaying them, I think my entire shelf is just Souls games and a copy of Returnal)
However, it does not work for gamers to have a licence for a 100 hour JRPG revoked from your subscription when you are 35 hours into it.
But we see that that DOESNT happen. You DONT get to keep playing them. Licenses end. Games leave sub services and go to new ones, just like video streaming. I don't mind digital purchasing, but screw game subscriptions.
I’m probably one of the oldest gamers on here and grown up with physical media of all types more than most.
But when CDs and Blu rays went I embraced it and love digital, so easy and convenient.
All my three consoles are all digital right now and I would never want to go back to physical for any of my media.
I thought being an old person it would be me rebelling against all digital but overtime I’ve come to embrace it.
"That's the consumer shift that needs to happen. They got comfortable not owning their CD collection or DVD collection."
Who said it "needs" to happen? Your CEO? Other industry "leaders"?
Biggest scam is people being told they don't need to own the content they are consuming.
I've been thinking about this a bit more recently. I tend to just buy whatever is cheaper and that can sometimes mean buying a game on disc.
However I think I'm leaning towards preferring physical media now. I was hoping to rewatch Battlestar Galactica recently and noticed that they took it off of BBC iPlayer just before I wanted to watch it. Where can I watch it now legally, short of owning the Blu-ray/ DVD? The answer : nowhere. I'm not entirely comfortable with a future where anything can be taken away like that with little to no warning.
@themightyant The best thing is with the is disc I can't buy it secondhand and cut them out of the loop. Even better there is so much content to consume if I stop buying new games I still won't be able to get trough all of it.
And Ubisoft should get comfortable with people not buying their games. But also what an absolute load of horse manure, I will NEVER be comfortable paying for something I dont own and nobody should, that is peak capitalism manipulation, horrifying.
@themightyant No almost all games can be put into a console that has never even touched an internet connection and will still play perfectly fine. Playstation and Xbox games just need to install their data because of how large their file sizes are that they can't just be read off the disc. Switch doesn't even need to download anything because of the cartridge format so if everything's complete right there, it just starts asap
"They got comfortable not owning their CD collection or DVD collection." Not so - I still have mine & continue to add to them.
@GuttyYZ That a good reason to use other ways if there is no option to get it legally why would you even care.
@OldGamer999 Untill they start to control what you can play and how long. Especially Ubisoft is the scum of the earth with their digital practices even stealing your payed for digital content by closing accounts.
Best thing anyway for humanity would be if everyone could consume everything just once. You actually would appreciate art and care more in general instead of a fast food mentality.
I don't want to own Ubisoft games anyway
I sort of agree and disagree with him. I agree, in that, yeah, I’ve digitalized my library. I prefer that now. It’s easier, less messy, etc. However, because streaming platforms with films at least are going downhill, I find myself cancelling subs nowadays and buying more films digitally and sometimes even getting the disk, as they have both digital and physical versions. I rent movies more often now. It’s like I’ve gone back in time ten years for my preference in receiving media because these huge companies actively make their experiences worse.
This is just sounds like the waffle of gaming companies chasing the $$ .
And yet they will moan when their profits take a drop because less people are buying their games day one and waiting for them to get added to subscriptions, as all their games do.
The worst part is everyone wants to go digital so we don't actually "own" anything yet at the same time they also want to charge us more money. I'm not paying £70+ on digital media that I may not have access to in the future.
If they want everyone to go digital then the first step is to lower the price of the games so they're in line with physical prices, Secondly have multiple storefronts on each system, or thirdly just have every game go into a subscription model.
@Flaming_Kaiser Sorry, I'm not sure what you're asking really. Nevermind hey.
@Grimwood interesting take, I’ll give you that.
IDC about owning games. I just want to play good games and Ubisoft stopped making good games in 2012.
ok, but...
only digital --> lower prices because there is no more distribution/physical costs.
I am very comfortable with it. I love that adoption of digital libraries has led to fully backwards compatible consoles which significantly lowers the possibility of licenses being lost by both digital and physical users which is an overblown fear to begin with. Good games will always be available either in the version I own or an updated version. I’ll always be happy to buy a new version of games I like because I prefer remakes and remasters to dusty old games.
You'll own nothing and you'll be happy.
And he should get comfortable with STFU.
I've bought a few digital titles,(predominantly indie games),& no fan of the extortionate import postage that get charged by the likes of LRG...
But I will always choose a console that offers choice of format's...& given some of rubbish remakes & spin offs on Streaming services, been finding myself finding some select DVDs & happily skipping streaming services like Netflix,Disney etc altogether!
What I haven't found myself buying much recently has been Ubisoft titles,funnily enough! Only picked up the South Park titles being the involvement of its creators...but away from Rayman Origins/Legends my interest largely dropped out after the Splinter Cell & Beyond Good & Evil HD remakes/ps2 era!🙄
They can keep their boring cookie cutter open world stuff & can keep being used to not seeing my money!
@Fighting_Game_Loser FYI the latest PS5 and Xbox both REQUIRE an internet connection during setup.
While it's true many games are then playable off the disc offline you still don't technically 'own' the game even with the disc. If you read the smallprint you only have a license, even if it's in your possession they have the right to revoke use.
Of course it's unlikely they would do that and enforcing it would be very hard, much like life 'possession is nine tenths of the law' and you will be able to play with the disc. But you don't technically own it.
If you aren't buying physical UHD movies, you're missing out.
The quality of the picture mixed with solid HDR implementation is the closes thing you will have to owning a digital copy of the physical film (assuming it was a movie shot on film, of course). Streaming is "good enough", but physical is pristine!
Plus, if you have a good AVR, the sound quality has more nuance over streaming - whether it be Dolby True HD/Atmos or DTS-HD MA/DTS:X over the Dolby Digital+ you get with streaming. I notice way more sound effects coming out of surround speakers using physical than I do streaming - it just has a fuller sound.
As far as games are concerned, the more perverse these Day 1 Patches become (where the non-patched game is borderline unplayable), the more a physical disc doesn't mean much anymore. I honestly don't even know the answer to this anymore because this idea of "voting with your wallet" also can take food out of a developer's mouth when the studio closes due to lack of funds.
I do wish Sony would figure out a way to allow you to install games to the console without the disc using their app. It's truly a nice feature that the competition has if you are expecting a game for Christmas/birthday/Amazon delivery: install it via the app (can't play it unless you have a disc/bought digital) and when the game shows up, it's playable out of the box - no waiting for lengthy installs upon disc insertion!
oh yeah? get comfortable in sucking my you know what.
I don't quite get the "got comfortable not owing their dvd collection" bit, my collection of hundreds of discs is 100% mine.
Even when I see ubisoft games on 90% off or more I'm incredibly comfortable not owning them. The only one i think I have is Scott pilgrim. I have a feeling that new star wars game is going to have that "classic ubisoft gameplay"
This isn't a particularly controversial statement from Ubisoft. Subscription platforms won't grow if people aren't comfortable with not owning their games. That's obvious.
What Tremblay is missing, however, is that there are the beginnings of a stir in the movie industry; consumers aren't as comfortable with the streaming subscription model as they once thought, and the bubble will soon burst.
He says that it's reassuring that games will remain in place, but I think there have been enough instances where that's actually not the case, and people are starting to embrace physical media more and more.
Companies need to get comfortable with digital piracy. I am more and more a fan of emulation with each day.
(I am probably one of the only ones here that still buys cds and dvds as well as games)
everybody wants subscrbtion services to succeed, except gamers.
if Sony would untie online functionality from the lowest subscription tier, they'd be surprised total number of subscribers will decrease dramatically.
It's pure arrogance plain and simple, I love physical media and will continue to buy it whether it's games,movies etc etc ,what planet are these people from lol and guess what, I 100% own my collection,utter nonsense it really is
Rocksmith+ showcases perfectly the future of gaming if they get their wish. You can't play anything without a subscription, subscription price hikes, the return of region locking and content is removed without warning at any time.
It does feel like Nintendo's the last line of defence for physical gaming. Hopefully they stick very strongly with physical for Switch 2.
I’m all for subscriptions playing a part in the gaming ecosystem, but as a supplement, not a replacement for physical (and digital) media. To say gamers need to essentially “get over it” and accept a sub only system, while at the same time downplaying (if not ignoring) the drawbacks of said system, is not only tone deaf, but outright disingenuous.
Ultimately, we should always have the option to purchase an individual story, whether that be as a book, UHD, digital file or game disc. While I understand the convenience of “all you can eat” subscription services like gamepass and Netflix, it’s still too limiting to work as the only option.
Where’s Olivia Newton-John when you need her? - RIP
I'm alright Jack, I'll stick to physical media thank you very much.
Right, I'm off to play The Crew.
@BeerMonster because you and several others here are the exception. The vast majority of the rest of the world feels differently. That's what they care about. Not a tiny percentage. They're a business after all.
As much as I buy mostly digital now, any company that disrespect people for collecting physical games is not gonna even be the one that I buy digital from.
So ya, Ubisoft. Get comfortable not even getting money from people like me.
It’s not about ownership for me, it’s about access. Losing access when they decide to take these games off the service, and losing access if I don’t have internet for a while.
No thanks! If subscription-only is the route the console market goes down it would be the driver for me to finally fork out on a decent gaming PC. I can’t see them ever getting away with this rubbish where the master race is concerned.
The difference between most films, series and games: The latter ones often take much longer to consume, and due to interactivity you get a stronger connection to them. So you often want to replay them at one day. And watching them standing in the shelf reminds you of the good (and less good) times you had with them.
Physical games will stay alive for a very long time!
@OldGamer999 @OldGamer999
I’m 66 years old. I feel exactly the same way. There was a time I liked my physical copies but now I am OK with digital. This way when I leave this planet my kids don’t get a lot of discs just a hard drive lol.
Agree, I always hated owning my games and playing them without the need for internet connection. Glad to see the shift is near
"But as people embrace that model, they will see that these games will exist, the service will continue, and you'll be able to access them when you feel like. That's reassuring."
They say this as they permanently delete The Crew from existence lol.
digital is the future ! save our planet 🌎 💙💚💙
It takes time to shift mentally from giving same amount of money for ownership to renting. It also takes time to buy into the idea of that being great value ☺️
And just like with movie and TV shows piracy will continue to grow...
Ubisoft is taking yet another new direction to try and control our leisure dollars? Whooda thunk?
Another thing if you should accept what every piece of garbage CEO says we would be truly F###ed.
-DLC announcement for before a release
-Liveservice
-ownership
-broken releases
-microtransactions that goes up above the €30
-gambling
Nothing of this has ever been in the favor of the consumer.
@BeerMonster Same here and if it's not available physically I'll just skip the game completely.
Films and Music are far more accessabile long term compared to games. If something isn't streaming (which in the case of music is almost nothing of real note) then there are plenty of other ways to listen or watch, especially with decades and decades of physical releases that are almost all universally available to be experienced simply and through one single appliance.
A 4K player can play UHD, BD, DVD, CD and some even VCD. One appliance covers practically all your digital music and video needs.
The obvious problem with gaming is backwards compatibility is an afterthought across the industry. It's got a bit better recently but expecting gamers to feel comfortable with the idea of games being lost forver even more than they are now is crazy.
Also the majority of films and music still get physical releases, comparing that to gaming it's actually this industry that is furthest behind already.
He's towing the party line.
It's the Edward Bernays approach - If you want the most profitable scenario to become reality, just talk about it like it's inevitable or like it's already reality.
Politicians and CEOs have been doing it forever.
We've discussed before how movies are disposable media but games can be more of a commitment, so the desire for ownership or at least for long term access won't fade away as quick.
At the moment I still see either physical or digital purchases being the main gateway with streaming as a convenient supplement. Nothing has changed my mind on that yet.
Edit: Deluxe and Collector's Editions make a lot of money too.
The enthusiast market is still lucrative.
One of my great pleasures in gaming is a new game disc arriving, looking at the game art and adding it to my collection on the shelf. Couldn't do this with Baldur's Gate 3 when it came out, which was a bit disappointing to me. Still bought it and played it, loved it. But something in the experience was lacking. Could just be the old-fashioned-ness in me. But I am not happy about the direction this is all going in.
Ubisoft 1 week later: Why are people pirating our PC games more now?
This does seem to be the way things are going. The big three would prefer if their consoles were all digital so they can cut out the middleman and force you to buy within their own ecosystems.
Aren't the subscription numbers going down for the likes of Disney and Netflix? If anything people look to be moving away from subscription models.
The only subscription I have now is Netflix and that's because its included in my mobile contract. I'd much rather just buy the movies I want to watch rather than hope they might be on one of 4 or 5 subscriptions.
As for gaming, my Gamepass sub has long since lapsed amd PS plus won't be getting renewed. I'd much rather buy the few games/films I have interest in and time to play, rather than pay subs for lots of games and films I might not even be bothered about
Some of us still buy CDs - I got The Beatles Red & Blue albums remastered recently - and DVDs, or in my case Blu-rays and 4K.
@carlos82 I have a similar sentiment re paying subs for junk I don't care about.
Plus, there's just too much content these days. Far too much. I don't know where to start when I turn Netflix on and I don't like most of it.
Crunchyroll is the only sub service I use multiple times per week now. It's the only one that consistently entertains me.
Why are people shocked about this statement!? That's been the obvious trend for years and many here even promote it full hearted, even as far as mocking those who support physical media. As Trevor Noah said, certain people just love to be flabbergasted 😂
I see a lot of comments about physical vs digital here, but isn't that sort of missing the point? This guy isn't just talking about digital, he's talking about subs, that's not the same thing at all.
Sure, digital is already a step back in terms of ownership compared to physical, but if you have sufficient storage, you can technically download your entire digital library and, as long as your storage remains intact, play it whenever you want (depending on online requirements, but that also applies to physical versions).
Subscription services are on another level, you have literally zero control over the availability of games at any given moment there. There's nothing inherently wrong with it as a complementary option, but it would obviously be a complete nightmare scenario if it was the dominant model, or even worse, the only remaining option.
@Nightcrawler71
C’mon dude, I don’t believe that you still buy CDs. I just don’t believe it.
I own plenty of Cds and DVDs/Blu Rays and will continue to buy them. So, jog on sunshine
@carlos82 same bro. My GP sub has lapsed and I am having a significantly better time playing games I want. The best games tend to swerve subs, in a similar way to Sony first party.
Obviously if you have never subbed and are new, the sub services are boss. Hundreds of games right there. Just no Street Fighter 6, Baldurs Gate 3, Spiderman 2, Diablo 4 or Tears of the kingdom.
In fact on Gamepass, the recently added includes Resident Evil 2 which was £8 to own outright in the sale a couple of weeks ago. Which is cheaper than subbing. And you keep it.
@Grumblevolcano " It does feel like Nintendo's the last line of defence for physical gaming. Hopefully they stick very strongly with physical for Switch 2 "
Ahhhhh don't jinx it Grumble. Not ready for the Switch 2 to be all digital yet. Though I think the Switch 2 Lite could be, Switch2go. Fortunately those cart readers take up very little space and probably cost almost nothing so Nintendo should keep physical going. Only reason not to is to sell us all of our physical Switch games again as digital Switch 2 DX games. My Switch library is half the size of my Wii U as I don't double dip. I will repurchase MK8DX Complete on Switch 2 though if there's no MK9 as it will have been 10 years since I last played it.
@zeppray57 " This way when I leave this planet my kids don’t get a lot of discs just a hard drive lol "
@OldGamer999 " I thought being an old person it would be me rebelling against all digital but overtime I’ve come to embrace it. "
I'm 58 and feeling pretty much the same. Only I'm not even leaving my kid a HDD they just literally took over my Steam account. If you see rjejr on Steam that's not me playing, it's my kid. They owned so many games on it that it was just easier. I don't PC game anyway. So as my kid went over to the PC master race they kind of became digital by default. I'm digital b/c I'm too lazy to get off the couch. And those Switch carts are kinda small to be messing with. 😂
While us older folk may be expected to rebel against digital and hold on to physical I'd like to think w/ age comes wisdom, plus some of us have kids, and kids play on mobile, and mobile has always been and will always be digital only. And Apple Arcade is rental only.
So while I think some people do confuse digital ownership w/ subscription rentals, like Google did w/ Stadia hence their quick demise, digital ownership is the gateway drug to rental services. "Cloud" "purchases" should be illegal, that's a hill I will die on, but Gamepass is the future, and cloud streaming the future after that.
Unless someone wants to Thanos snap half the population off the Earth we really have no more room for unnecessary physical media. Just ask Best Buy. Some AAA games will be purchases, maybe always, but the subscription services are taking over. The biggest fight against subscription services isn't physical, it's free to play games. And given those 2 options I think most people wind up siding w/ subscription. The kids under 20 know this, and us over 40, it's the 20-40yo who can't seem to deal. (gross generalization for effect)
@JbumiSandra indeed, I've invested heavily in 4k and bluray physical media owning 500+ films. In fact his statement is actually proving to be untrue as more people are realising the problem of accessibility to certain films. It was highlighted by Christopher Nolan last year and as result Oppenheimer initially sold out on 4k Blu-ray everywhere. As usual gaming execs are tone deaf and completely out of the loop, much like when they thought NFTs were a great idea.
And when there is no internet. No games.
I used to have a collection of games but after years of never touching them again I got rid of the clutter and I'll never go back. I see game, I play game, I have fun and move on. The boomer mentality of hoarding is not for me. I like playing games not owning pieces of plastic. I also no longer own that pizza I ate last week. I ate it and moved on.
Doesn’t this article miss a bit?
Because didn’t he actually say there is a place for ownership and subscription.
I paid for PS Plus Extra until 2025. I won't be renewing it. I've been a Playstation Plus subscriber since 2011 (think Stacking was one of the monthly games). I'm not really certain that the subscription has much value for me (especially when the offerings aren't anything I want to play). I mostly play Indies and niche games. I will probably end up buying a steam box (better sales and cheaper games - compared to Switch or PS5). I don't have an issue buying a digital only game but if the access is removed then start charging a cheaper rental price. I pay £40-50 for a physical disc then the digital should be much less if it's not ownership.
I won't be spending for a Ubisoft sub.
So basically, they want to trick people into a false sense of comfort with subscriptions like others have done. Guess I'll just have to get comfortable with not touching Ubisoft games until they're in the $10 PHYSICAL bin...6 months after release!
@themcnoisy yeah for newcomers it's a great way for people to jump in, just thinking about the games I played last year and I believe only Starfield was actually on one of them and the upcoming games I want to play aren't on them either.
Every time I look at the articles of games added to plus, the games I'd play such as RE2, I've owned since launch anyway and last year I ended up playing through more games than I have for years just by limiting myself to a few games rather than bouncing between lots of them
I think this may well be the last console generation I take part in. The digital only future is inevitable and I think streaming/subscription only is going to be a huge part of that.
I have a huge selection of older systems and some "new" retro systems like the Mega SG, Super NT, Duo and Pocket.
I can see myself quite happily collecting for and playing these systems until the day I can't be bothered to play games at all.
Gaming is dead and will never recover from Ubisoft's statement.
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life for me
I've kept my PS3 and 360 but recently got a PS2 for like £10 in great condition as well to play some games that I can't and have never been remastered.
SSX Tricky
Mercenaries 1
Underground 1 and 2
Got a PS5 at Christmas and I'm still going to collect the old games on disc for my PS3 still and 360. PS5 I think will be my last console I think I do game on PC and use Steam mostly because they've hardly removed any games from what I know of. But even though you can get quite a few classics on GOG the console versions to those games are better.
As for Ubisoft I vowed never to buy any new games from them since Wildlands came out. I broke that promise with the AC Ezio Collection because those were the best AC games personally but I've never bought a new game from them since Wildlands
@Miketeevee76 My girlfriend wanted me to get rid of my boy ray collection I told her to well anyway.... But I'm still collecting them because I told her I'm not going to subscribe to multiple streaming services that still remove films every month and I pay £10+ per month. When I can just pop in a disc any time I want for a film I love and only pay whatever it costs for the blu ray
He is speaking truth. However, I still would like to 100% own a game that I really really like. It goes to a very small percentage of games. Like 1-2 games in 5 years, but it happens.
Other games are just one time 100% platinum and move on, never play them again. However, if I pay 80 euro for a game, I want to have access for it indefinitely, even if it's digital. They need to find away for me to have access to it.
If it's on a subscription service, then I agree.
If they will remove the game from a servers due to licensing, but I have paid for the game and not for the subscription, that it is on, I want to have access to it.
@OldGamer999 not having to get up from the couch every time you want to change the game is a plus, isn't it?
@rjejr @rjejr
Good words, the older I get the more I just chill so I just don’t sweat the little things! 😀
Suddenly I'm supposed to alter my tastes to align better with Ubisoft's long-term business strategy? Nah, that doesn't work for me.
I'll just keep doing what I like to do if you don't mind, random exec of a disgraced publisher.
@RdRublas
Absolutely 👍
If you have everything digital like me, music, films and games. Also music on the go in the car.
Switch on the go.
It’s just a seamless transaction and less discs and cases to keep and keep swapping over.
The all digital life is fantastic for me in all areas.
Even at work with files and now cloud etc, seamless and wonderful.
@__jamiie Yeah digital is one thing, but even most cities in first world countries don't have access to sufficient internet for streaming modern games. You'd be lucky if 1% of the population would have access to game on modern streaming only consoles...
@WiiWareWave I know. But when games like Alan Wake 2 are digital only then I don't think that the devs, hardware manufacturers, publishers really care. It will be a case of catch up or lose out.
The only platforms I've gone all digital on is PSVR2/PSVR. Taking off the headset to pick up a game from my shelf (which admittedly is too far away from my TV) is too much of a pain, especially when most VR games I play are for short bursts.
Short bursts of amazingness though.
@zeppray57 Chill is good. Wish I could achieve it but even the CBD gummies, non-HTC variety, I'm eating ain't helping much these days. HTC variety is next. 😜
@mariomaster96 that's it
@nomither6 i'm sure those server farms, of which all digital platforms rely on, aren't burning through excessive amounts of electricity to function
well, he is right in the sense that we have no choice over the future of gaming and what it brings. it is already headed in one direction and nothing can be done to stop it as the majority of the market has already voted and is fully onboard with the digital ecosystem (according to the data). the big retailers are pulling out of physical media. the big 3 of the gaming industry have been colluding with publishers to make the digital-only future a reality in order to benefit their bottom lines and have full control over game prices and availability. it would surprise me if the ps6 has physical media for it all things considered. for the record, i don't like this future but it is an inevitability. you will have to take matters into your own hands if you care about game preservation (via emulation or modding consoles). i'm good up until the ps4 era on that front.
@rjejr
I had a buddy who made gummy‘s. I ended up at the bottom of the stairs …
In the 70s I love that stuff today I wanna be in control! 😂
@somnambulance I get what you mean, but I've lost digital films that I have bought. For example when ultraviolet was sold off to Google I lost five films which I can no longer get
Sorry man, but I'll never be comfortable with it. But I can be easy comfortable with not buying any of Ubisoft games
I've come to accept digital media. But not to the point I'd turn away from disc based media. Some games I want to own. Some I want to trade. Some I want to buy second hand. This gives us more freedom.
Going all digital means they have the power to shift things around as they please. Hard pass.
The comparison with movies and music is lazy.
The quality of movies in particular is superior on disc compared to streaming where the provider is constantly looking to shave some data off to save bandwidth.
A digital version of a game is identical to the physical version.
If anything he's harming his own argument by drawing the comparison to areas where the physical version is of a higher quality.
Edit: Assuming by DVD, they are referring to disc based movies as a whole (blu-ray, hd-dvd).
I always buy physical but I do purchase games digitally when they hit a sale price I'm comfortable with. I just like to have something physical to show for my hard earned cash even if its only an activation code on a disc. I thought I was one of the older gamers on here being 51 but there's a few older farts on here which puts a big grin on my face. I don't like the idea of a digital only gaming future but I can understand why some people do like the idea. As I've gotten older and more cynical in my world views I have a tendency to cut out anything I don't have the time for and find myself prioritising my hobbies (golf,bass guitar and gaming) around my wife's increasingly busy art business and that little wooley monster that invaded my life 6 years ago. So long as I can still play the games I love I'm happy but I'm not looking forwards to being beholdent to a subscription service outside of my psn account. The day that happens is when I hang up my game pad. Shout out to all the old gamers 👍
@koverby sorry, I do 🤷🏻♂️ I do stream music, but also occasionally buy CDs, like The Beatles remasters I mentioned.
I stream movies, TV and anime and buy the Blu-Ray of those I love. Games could be similar but there are some differences to how they are sold / distributed: ie. digital only at first before physical.
@Moonmonkey That’s the problem with digital only. You’d think that these companies could figure out a failsafe to prevent this from happening. If they could preserve the licensing, that would give many the security they need for a digital age.
@DestructionAllstars
I like your analogy comparing food to video games, very apt and accurate...
Why do I even come do this ffs, I get a headache every time I visit a gaming sites comment section
That’s fine. I’ll get more comfortable pirating or not buying their games
EA told us that we dont need single - player games , now this . . .
F..k U EA and Ubi !
Honestly I'm not gonna be surprised if this guy gets swatted not that I condone it
Ubisoft plus is like $18 a month and the catalog is... 20 assassins creed games and 3 rayman games.
Removed - flaming/arguing
Ubisoft should get comfortable with not getting my money.
Gonna get physical as long as it’s an option
@TrickyDicky99
"I don't quite get the "got comfortable not owing their dvd collection" bit, my collection of hundreds of discs is 100% mine."
Yes, you're absolutely right.
@TrickyDicky99 You overestimated my intelligence? Poor trickydicky. Whatever helps you sleep at night. By all means, keep embarrassing yourself.
@Nakatomi_Uk Mercenaries I loved that game a remaster from that would be awsome.
They destroyed the franchise with the second game.
@zeppray57 " today I wanna be in control "
I want to be in control too, but the realization that I'm not in control, whether it's my debt stricken college age kids unable to find a job, my doctors office not returning my calls, my house plumbing costing me thousands, well, I need something to help me deal with not being in control. There's only so much I can drink. 😂
Ubi games are just giant, repetitive maps with little do inspire. Poorly tested mechanics and horrible AI.
I only play them on PS plus. I would never give that company my actually money.
Bravo Tremblay, what an amazing job! Alienating gamers and ensuring many people (me included) won't be spending their hard-earned money on Ubisoft products. Congratulations!
@CharlieChooChoo True, but fact is that even if you own your games on disc (the way I personally prefer) you still need internet connection to download the patches since day 1 games are mostly a mess. Fun times indeed.
@JbumiSandra Same, I'm a collector, heck I still have all my C64 games still!
Looks like Ubisoft can get comfortable with losing sales if this is to be their stance. I don't support companies that take on this mentality and I'm likely not alone in that. I actually like owning what I buy rather than having some company dictate for me...so sorry Ubisoft, looks like the digital licence giving you access to my wallet just got removed from service, guess you can't have my money now!
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...