Ubisoft interested in EA Access like program, thinks it's good for publisher brands

[Landguy]

kupomogli said:

Landguy said:

I Sub to Netflix.  I also sub to Amazon.

Lots of the same content on each.  Also, lots of different content.

THis isn't about preferences.  This is about reality.  Content creators get screwed by closed systems.  The money goes to a middle man(Sony/M$).  I would rather that the content creator gets the $$$.

Don't let M$ and Sony fool you, they want you to think that it is better for you.  In reality, it is better for them.  It locks you into their system.  In 5-10 years, you will have invested so much money into their system, you will have a hard time walking away even if there is a better system out there.  

Also, in 5-10 years, there will not be a need for a specefic console brand.  You will just buy the content and use whatever hardware you want.  That is why Sony is against this.  They are playing the long term value, not the short term.  They were doing that with the PS3 and the cell processor, but it didn't go the way they wanted.  Now, with development being done on the X86 platform, they will have no control long term without controlling the interface.  M$ wants this too, that is why they wanted the DRM.  Their system has been a dissapointment for them, so they have to do whatever to keep people in the Xbox universe(better to give up some things than give it all up).

Even if EA Access, Ubisoft Upay, etc, sells you a service, it'll still be on Microsoft and Sony's system.  They're still going to have to pay the same percentages of revenue each access sale, or each sale from the access program.  The service is basically a subscription to let the player play demos and select older games from the companies backlog. 

This concept is actually really good for gamers, but if all publishers start doing it, it's actually really bad  for  the industry, including those publishers that are taking advantage of the concept.  You've got gamers that pay for EA Access and Ubisoft Upay for $60 a year, they've got games all year long to play and no reason to purchase newer titles.  That's not including everyone, but there are probably a lot of people who may not bother with anything else if they're satisfied with content being added as time progresses.  Dragon Age Inquisition?  No reason for me to buy it when it'll be on EA Access.  Ubisoft Unity?  I'll wait until it comes to Upay.  Sales may be lost to both bigger published games as well as smaller niche developers who may have received from sales from people who want to focus on owning just these access programs.        

In short though.  The EA Access program is a great service for gamers, but if all publishers start to do it, it'll give less incentive for people to buy new games and overall hurt the industry.

*edit*

Or like other people have been saying.  In game content could start being locked behind this paywall, maybe even online.  So let's say you have PS+ or XBL Gold to play online and it works for other games, but if you want to play the EA or Ubisoft games online, you have to pay for their service.  If you only play EA and Ubisoft games you no longer need PS+, so that works, but to someone who actually plays a lot of games, then it's not a good thing at all.

I know that EA or whoever will still pay Sony or M$ for a share of the sub service.  But, I still believe that down the line they will allow that service to work as a universal subscription to their "EA network".  Kind of like mini versions of Steam.

We seem to agree in most part.  If someone is a gaming fanatic, these systems would be somewhat punitive.  But, if I get to pick what works for me, the a la cart idea would be the best.  If someone wants to be pig, they will have to pay for it. 

As far as content being behind a paywall goes, I think that peoples fears will come true.  I think that most content will be behind paywalls at some point.  The difference is that if you are a big fan of a game or franchise, you will see value in the access program for that game.  If you don't see the value, then you won't buy it.