The CEO of Larian Studios, Swen Vincke, has said that the developer has no intention to bring its titles to subscription services.
17.01.2024 - 19:55 / gamerant.com / Swen Vincke / Jos / Philippe Tremblay / Ubisoft
The Baldur's Gate 3 creative director, Swen Vincke, stated that acquiring good video game content might be more challenging if subscriptions become the dominant model in the industry. The Baldur's Gate 3 creative director's comments were in response to recent statements from a Ubisoft executive who suggested that gamers may need to adjust to not owning their games as video game subscriptions gain popularity.
In recent statements from Ubisoft's director of subscriptions, Philippe Tremblay, he acknowledged the growth of subscription services in gaming but noted a slower shift away from owning physical copies. Tremblay emphasized the importance of gamers becoming «comfortable» with not owning their games and anticipated that embracing subscription models would ensure continued access to games. Additionally, he highlighted the flexibility of streaming in conjunction with subscription services, allowing users to pay only when needed.
In response to Tremblay's statements, the creative director of the award-winning Baldur’s Gate 3 emphasized the enduring importance of content in the gaming industry. He stated that while content remains king, the dominance of subscription models could pose challenges. Vincke expressed concern that subscription dominance might grant too much power to a select group in deciding which games make it to market. He stressed the value of a direct connection between developers and players, suggesting that bypassing a board's approval allows for creative idealism to thrive. Vincke wrote, «It’s going to be a lot harder to get good content if subscription becomes the dominant model and a select group gets to decide what goes to market and what not.»
Vincke also acknowledged he’s not opposed to the subscription business model in terms of cost/benefits. However, given the current situation where developers are all dependent on a select group of digital distribution platforms and discoverability, he believes that this could lead to a monopoly of subscription services. Vincke pointed out that one of the issues with subscription services is that they might end up deciding which games get made and which ones don't.
It’s going to be a lot harder to get good content if subscription becomes the dominant model and a select group gets to decide what goes to market and what not.
Responding to a user's disagreement, Vincke highlighted that discoverability has always been an issue, but in a subscription-dominated world, convincing subscription service management becomes a barrier. He argued that full-priced game releases give developers a fighting chance, allowing them to connect directly with players instead of navigating the complexities of subscription service preferences.
Another player also raised
The CEO of Larian Studios, Swen Vincke, has said that the developer has no intention to bring its titles to subscription services.
Earlier this week, Philippe Tremblay, Ubisoft’s director of subscriptions, made a comment in an interview stating how video game fans would need to get comfortable with not owning their games. Today, Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian Studios’ CEO responded, calmly explaining his opinion that “direct from developer” is best.
The makers of Baldur’s Gate 3 have made it pretty clear that the game won’t be coming to subscription services like Xbox Game Pass any time soon, saying they believe the amount they charge for the game is fair. Now in a new statement responding to Ubisoft saying we should get used to no longer owning games, Larian boss Swen Vincke has gone a step further.
Over the last decade or so, the entertainment industry has seen many rises and falls across all brands. These changes have affected music, TV, movies, and even video games. Things “for sure never going to fail” started to fail. Then, things that “could never work” have done well and made many wonder if things could go further down that path. One such path is that of the “game subscription service,” which was punctuated by the Xbox Game Pass, which has done wonders for Microsoft. However, Larian Studios isn’t on board with this notion, nor with notions of such services made by fellow game developers.
The director of Baldur's Gate 3 has discussed the possibility of their games heading to subscription services, sharing: "Direct from developer to players is the way."
Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke has said that the studio's games won't ever be found on a subscription service because he wants «to make sure the other ecosystem doesn’t die.»
With the debate around the future of video game subscriptions heating up, one high-profile developer has come out strongly on the side of the traditional method of selling games.
A senior Ubisoft official suggested that gamers need to get comfortable not owning their games. The executive's perspective on the subject of game ownership, or lack thereof, arrived amid his company's latest digital push that saw Ubisoft make big changes to its subscription service.
Ubisoft's director of subscriptions Philippe Tremblay has said that for all the growth of videogame subscription services in the past few years, players are still accustomed to "having and owning their games". Accordingly, he feels his task is to help you grow "comfortable" with the idea that the game you're playing might be taken offline as part of the release schedule, with Tremblay pointing out that you can still resume your save file when the game is next available.
Digital media has seen massive growth over the last decade or so, and that’s something we’ve seen in the games industry as well. But even as digital purchases, subscription services, and streaming become increasingly popular, many have wondered what repercussions that’s going to have on game preservation- and the fact that we see all too many examples of games being delisted and made completely unavailable for sale (and at times, even for playing for those who’ve bought them) has only made those questions more pertinent.
An executive at Assassin’s Creed maker Ubisoft has said gamers will need to get “comfortable” not owning their games before video game subscriptions truly take off.
Ubisoft has revealed their interest in getting more people to subscribe to Ubisoft +. It may surprise you to learn how well they understand what they’re up against.