this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2023
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PS Plus price hike: We'll all pay for a subscription-based future | Opinion (www.gamesindustry.biz)
submitted 2 years ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 34 points 2 years ago (3 children)

We'll all pay for a subscription-based future

Not me - the moment when buying a game outright is no longer an option is the moment when I stop paying for video games. I already have a large library on Steam (1,700+), GoG (400+), and I'm not planning on buying any Playstation or Xbox products. I've never paid for Xbox game pass, or PS plus, nor do I plan to. They can scheme all day long, hike the prices every week, I already buy games only if they're on a really deep discount or in a bundle. Never paid more than 30 bucks for a game, and I could count on one of my hands how many I paid more than 20 bucks for.

I do, of course, realize that I'm in the minority, but hopefully more people will realize how big of a scam these subscription services are.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 years ago

the moment when buying a game outright is no longer an option is the moment when I stop paying for video games.

That moment will not come. That would mean that every single indie developer had come under the umbrella of such subscription services and not one bigger actor would want to try to differentiate from the competition.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Gamepass isn’t a scam right now in my view. I’m able to get 50 day passes for 7 bucks right now. Once gamepass starts being more expensive than buying the games I want I’ll just go back to doing that.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Once game pass starts being more expensive than buying the games I want, I'll just go back to doing that

You may not have that option. The business model here is to burn cash, get consumers used to gamepass, then get games onto gamepass exclusively (likely in exchange for higher payouts from the service). Once we are at that point, which may be years away, prices will rise and there won't be another avenue to play most games.

This is the model right now for shows, and some movies, they are produced for streaming services and are only available on those services.

Most games already don't get physical releases. All that needs to happen to eliminate choice is that gamepass makes publishers a better offer than Steam - then there isn't a digital release either.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago

They are playing with fire... most games don't require computer level graphics/cpu power. If they aren't careful they will lose their shirt to mobile gaming and console gaming will turn into an unpopular niche thing of the past.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

I think that kind of action is what would get regulators on Microsoft’s back which is why they started selling games on third-party platforms like Steam. Could be wrong though.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I don't know, I don't think the PS Plus one is a scam. I subscribed to the mid tier one when it was cheaper for a whole year than to buy a game I wanted to play that was included with it. I've played a good half dozen to dozen games in the year I've had it. I feel like I've definitely got my money's worth out of it.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I was mostly referring to the last part of the article where the author explains the entire long-term plan behind the subscription services - first they offer a large variety of games for a low price, then they squeeze the customers for every single penny after they've cornered the market.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

See how Netflix work out their hike etc? I don't think it would continue to work in their favor to meet the profit/sub count projection to make their stocker holder happy.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 years ago

I'm fine with corporations/ companies earning less or even going out of business. Fuck this subscription nonsense.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 years ago

Subscription plans don't make much sense to me unless it's dirt cheap. I don't have much time to play games so when I do, I'd like to work on games I like instead of some random games.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 years ago (2 children)

i reduced my plan because of the price hike. Fuck that noise. If the basic plan goes up too much more ill cancel that too. Online isn't worth too much more than what they have it set at now.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago

I already not going to continue my sub because it doesn't make sense anymore. I can use that money to buy full games on sale.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

Not sure if this is how it's supposed to work, but someone bought me premium and I downloaded like all the good games I could fit on my drives. Now I can seemingly play them all without a membership, as it ran out months ago... so that's neat. Seems like a loophole they might close though.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Most I paid for a game subscription was the $1 3 month game pass. I don't see myself paying for a regular priced month subscription like $10/month. I'd rather spend that buying a month of Humble monthly or a discounted game.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I’m not buying digital versions (although I have netflix) of the movies I love, so I’m not gonna start buying digital versions of the games I love.

I have a ps plus basic subscription, but I’ll not subscribe anymore if it gets more expensive. I haven’t received any email about a price hike for now though..

Maybe it’s only in some countries for now.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago

But how long will this last? I am not so sure that the next generation they could not get away with just digital versions not taking discs (or equivalent). The no discs versions of this generation, not just are for having a cheaper version is also a test to see how feasible could be in the future.

I mean that already is a thing on PC, although there are other reasons for it like the low adoption of bluray / DRMs / etc. Physical is non-existent except some really rare case. Even when some games are sold DRM free on GoG they aren't sold in discs or USBs or similar.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

This article is talking about how Sony's service is "only a year old"?? What are they talking about? I thought this was about PS plus, which I'm pretty sure I had bought many years ago, not 1 year ago.