A senior employee at Ubisoft says that players should get used to not owning their games – just as it is with music and films.
Subscription services like PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass are becoming increasingly present in gaming. More and more companies are offering their own services, but the various subscriptions have not yet fully resonated with many players.
Now, a representative from Ubisoft has revealed what is necessary for subscription services to take an even larger share in the gaming industry.
Players should not lose anything when using subscription services
What exactly does the Ubisoft representative say? Philippe Tremblay-Gauthier is a senior employee at Ubisoft and is responsible for the subscription service “Ubisoft +”. In an interview with gamesindustry.biz, which took place during the transition of Ubisoft’s in-house subscription, Tremblay-Gauthier spoke about how players perceive subscription services.
The question was what needed to happen for subscriptions to take a larger share in the gaming industry. Tremblay-Gauthier explained that players are used to owning their games and that this mindset needs to change – similar to what happened some time ago with CDs and DVDs.
However, according to him, this change is happening more slowly in gaming. One possible factor could be players’ concern about losing their game progress should they end their subscription. However, Tremblay-Gauthier emphasizes that this should not be the case:
We have noticed, among other things, that players are used to owning their games – similar to DVDs. That is the change that needs to happen for players. They have gotten used to not owning their CD or DVD collections. This is a change that is happening [in games] somewhat more slowly. Once players get used to this aspect… they will not lose their progress. When you continue your game at a later time, the save file is still there. It has not been deleted. You do not lose what you have built in the game or your engagement with the game. So it is about getting used to not owning the game.
Philippe Tremblay-Gauthier via gamesindustry.biz
You only own a license, not the game
Do players really own their games? Tremblay-Gauthier states in the interview that players must first get used to not owning their games. However, he overlooks the fact that they often do not own the games themselves – regardless of whether they bought, rented, or received them through a subscription.
Ubisoft itself states in the terms of use for the Ubisoft services:
1.3: A license is granted to you for the services and content; they are not sold to you. We grant you a personal, limited, non-transferable, and revocable right and the corresponding license to use the services and access the content for your entertainment and non-commercial use, subject to your compliance with these terms.
Terms of use of the Ubisoft services via legal.ubi.com
This means: If you buy, for example, Assassin’s Creed, you do not own the game, but you own a limited license to use the game.
This is particularly important for titles that require an online connection to play. Because if the servers are shut down, you can no longer play the game. This was recently the case with Ubisoft’s racing game The Crew. As of March 31, 2024, it will no longer be playable: “Revolutionary MMO racing game” is disappearing from Steam, angering fans: “Not playable even with disc anymore”
