ShadyAcshuns
Member
No huh? Then it be time to sail the seven seas matey!
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In a move of desperation, which company will be the first to release a game exclusively onto their subscription service without an option to purchase?
DownLikeBCPowder
Member
StereoVsn
Gold Member
I don’t see EA limiting one of their big titles to sub services. They depend on as wide distribution as possible for those sweet MTX revenues. It makes 0 sense for them to go sub route.
Nintendo has already talked about, but I am going to assume the conversation is about putting a big “pillar” title on sub only. So big 3D Zelda or Mario and I don’t see Nintendo doing that.
Doubt Sony would go that route either.
Maybe Take 2… which won’t do it either for GTA VI or Basketball. Latter needs as many purchasers as possible (see EA) and GTA they will also want to distribute, grab that $1+ nil of sales and then get people onto their GTA online.
So, we have MS. And I can see them doing a swing with next gen title like say mainline Gears, Halo or a Bethesda game. Basically have GamePass only release. Danger is of course folks will sub, play through within a month and bail.
Nintendo has already talked about, but I am going to assume the conversation is about putting a big “pillar” title on sub only. So big 3D Zelda or Mario and I don’t see Nintendo doing that.
Doubt Sony would go that route either.
Maybe Take 2… which won’t do it either for GTA VI or Basketball. Latter needs as many purchasers as possible (see EA) and GTA they will also want to distribute, grab that $1+ nil of sales and then get people onto their GTA online.
So, we have MS. And I can see them doing a swing with next gen title like say mainline Gears, Halo or a Bethesda game. Basically have GamePass only release. Danger is of course folks will sub, play through within a month and bail.
StereoVsn
Gold Member
Well, yeah, MS as a whole obviously can carry Xbox for the next 20 years and not break a sweat. However, say a division President, who wants a career defining moment, and whose bonus depends on Xbox performance, might give it a good old swing out of the Park on the hope it will drive more subs.
It’s a mystery who is that man, certainly.
StereoVsn
Gold Member
People started going outside, spend money at other places, traveling, etc…
Say you are going to Italy and spending crazy money on a vacation there. Well, you might pull back on your gaming habits.
Loomy
Thinks Microaggressions are Real
That is exactly what happened. Partly why the tech industry is in such a mess right now. Everyone (CEOs) assumed the spending and time spent online would carry through once everything opened back up, and they all over-hired. Turns out people like going outside.
Daneel Elijah
Member
I voted other with Netflix in mind. But if we are talking big AAA, no one would want to do it unless the feel they have to. If we look far enough, let's say 20 years or more in the future, I think that all would have tried it by then. And there is maybe a case where doing so would be the only way to have your game available to customers?
Like if China make selling games that can be played offline impossible for whatever reason?
And if they continue to have 2 process for accepting games, one for the game and one for the monetisation of the game, maybe having a service like Gamepass be the way to put games in chinese hands?
Like if China make selling games that can be played offline impossible for whatever reason?
And if they continue to have 2 process for accepting games, one for the game and one for the monetisation of the game, maybe having a service like Gamepass be the way to put games in chinese hands?
Heimdall_Xtreme
Hermen Hulst Fanclub's #1 Member
I doubt that will happen, Stadia did something similar with Gylt, I can't stand it much and the company is begging for someone to buy its game 
existensmaximum
Member
Sega Channel: The thread?
a multicultural team of v
Member
Contrarian option: the entire entertainment industry will realize that streaming is not a viable business plan before video games get to the point where they are exclusive to subscriptions.
MacReady13
Member
Microsoft all the way. I mean really, if you buy a Samsung tv and have no intention of buying a PC/Console, you technically cannot buy the game. And with the way Microsoft wants their future direction to go, this is what they hope all us gamers will do- buy their shithouse subscription service and never own any of the games on the rental service.
S0ULZB0URNE
Member
It's a shitty move so MS/Gamepass.
Gameplay Gods Bless
Member
Nintendo was the first and second and third to do that.In recent weeks there have been clear comments and signals suggesting gaming subscription service adoption has stagnated, which will no doubt be a worry to the executives who are dreaming of an all subscription future.
We've had Tom Warren state the following regarding Gamepass:
PS Plus growth has slowed:
Consumer Spending Growth on Subscriptions Like PS Plus Is Slowing
Maybe not the future after allwww.pushsquare.com
Nintendo's growth was only 2 million users Yoy (36 million to 38 million) :
Nintendo Switch Online has 38 million subscribers
Nintendo's online service has seen an increase of subscribers, with the Big N recording 38 million as of September.www.shacknews.com
Ubisoft's director of Subscriptions is hoping for customers attitudes and habits to change.
Ubisoft subscription boss says consumers are still used to owning games | VGC
Consumers were faster to embrace the model of not owning CDs and DVDs…www.videogameschronicle.com
Mat from NPD had the following to say earlier this year (commentary on subscriptions across the industry in general):
I stated a few years back that subscription service growth is not linear and tends to be front loaded. During that front loaded period it's easy for companies to get carried away and believe in their own hype (thinking growth will continue that way for the foreseeable future). We've already seen some top level executives take the decision to no longer have their bonuses tied to gaming subscription growth, the next stage is that we will begin to see which companies have overstretched themselves over the last couple of years.
If these companies want their sub services to continue to grow then they will need to make some changes. There have been talks of cheaper ad based tiers for some of these services, but ultimately it is content that drives subscription adoption and we've seen "subscription only" content become prevalent across a number of entertainment mediums.
So the question is, who jumps first and takes the inevitable drastic (and desperate) move to make a game exclusive to subscribers of their service at the time of release?
And secondary to that, what do you anticipate the market's reaction to be?
Personally I think a better question is who will be the first to do a “streaming only game”, which would also inevitably also be a subscription only game. This would mean it is playable anywhere (with decent internet) and is not shackled by weak hardware. If the seriesS and Microsoft’s belief that ‘generations’ are a thing of the past remains an albatross around their neck, and the neck of third party devs, and third party games continue to sell 80/20 to ps5 over Xbox it feels like the only way around not losing increasingly more games to Sony in exclusive deals would be streaming only.
PeteBull
Member
Voted other and here im gonna specify- for publishers restricting their game to one specific market has to have really big benefit, otherwise they will absolutely not do it coz the more budget game had/the more potential sales on other market it would make- the bigger potential loss restricting that game is- aka- never ever gonna happen- ever, simple as that 
tommib
Gold Member
We’re talking about new, exclusive games, not games you can buy on your local CEX.
Why? I don't see anything like this in the original post.
tommib
Gold Member
Let’s read the op again:
A game exclusive to subscribers AT THE TIME OF RELEASE, meaning a game you can’t buy anywhere else when it is released, like you have on Apple Arcade. Everything on PlayStation Plus Premium can be bought in some way or another. Worst case scenario would be on eBay for 100 USD. Or for free via emulation on pc.
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ZoukGalaxy
Member
Experiment™
Microsoft would sell its mother if they had one and if it would increase profits and even not desperate
Microsoft would sell its mother if they had one and if it would increase profits and even not desperate
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GHG
Member
Im not referring to classic games that have been (or are) available to purchase at the time of release.
The question is regarding games that are brand new to the market.
I will update the OP to make this clear. Classic games should be disregarded.
Considering the amount and breadth of information presented in the OP you might need to ask yourself how you've come to that conclusion.
The question is regarding games that are brand new to the market.
I will update the OP to make this clear. Classic games should be disregarded.
Considering the amount and breadth of information presented in the OP you might need to ask yourself how you've come to that conclusion.
Calverz
Member
PlayStation. We already know digital adoption for PlayStation is still lagging and the vast majority of users are still subscribing to the basic psn. We also know PlayStation are desperate to get a successful GAAS game as part of their library. We also know that they are worried their pillars are outdated. All the blocks are moving into place for them.
Madjaba
Member
Clearly the only two that could need that kind of strategy re Microsoft and Ubi.
Microsoft for obvious reasons including switching more and more on a subscription based economic model.
Ubi because they need to grow their attachement rate drastically.
Nintendo is in the clear because of their fanbase.
EA is on thin ice but FIFA is printing money for them.
Sony could be in danger if they maintain their focus on GaaS and Marvel this Marvel that.
Microsoft for obvious reasons including switching more and more on a subscription based economic model.
Ubi because they need to grow their attachement rate drastically.
Nintendo is in the clear because of their fanbase.
EA is on thin ice but FIFA is printing money for them.
Sony could be in danger if they maintain their focus on GaaS and Marvel this Marvel that.
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kungfuian
Member
It seems more likely we will see timed exclusives before we see full exclusives. I could easily see Microsoft, for example, releasing games with a 'play it first on game pass' tactic, to incentivize subs. With purchase options for non subscribers available after some random amount of time. For example subscribers getting to play the next COD a month early.
GHG
Member
I actually think what you described is the most likely scenario (maybe up to 3 months of being exclusive to a sub service under the guise of "early access" and then being available to purchase later).
Astray
Member
Definitely Ubisoft.
Microsoft seems like it's slowly realizing the limitations of Gamepass as it is rn and is adapting accordingly thru various moves.
Sony is only really doing sub services to counter Microsoft.
EA always had a 3 month barrier before a game goes on Play.
But Ubisoft.. They clearly think of themselves as "risk-takers" (despite their games not being risky in the least), and their situation can easilu get desperate enough to make them try something like this.
Microsoft seems like it's slowly realizing the limitations of Gamepass as it is rn and is adapting accordingly thru various moves.
Sony is only really doing sub services to counter Microsoft.
EA always had a 3 month barrier before a game goes on Play.
But Ubisoft.. They clearly think of themselves as "risk-takers" (despite their games not being risky in the least), and their situation can easilu get desperate enough to make them try something like this.
Hudo
Member
As people have already pointed out: Apple are doing this already (Apple Arcade). And Nintendo are doing this with their retro-stuff.
I can see Ubisoft trying this and failing (because they are retards). I can also see Microsoft doing a "exclusively on GamePass" push, to be more aggressive in that respect.
I can see Ubisoft trying this and failing (because they are retards). I can also see Microsoft doing a "exclusively on GamePass" push, to be more aggressive in that respect.
Rocco Schiavone
Member
It's good that I belong to the brotherhood of physical game buyers and that we don't support such rubbish as a matter of principle.
Putonahappyface
Member
Mr Hyde
Member
If we're talking new games I feel Microsoft will be the first to test the waters. Game pass is the corner stone of their business model, they put it front and center in their ads with day 1 releases, and since Xbox users are already heavily skewed towards both digital downloads and subscribing to GP, making games exclusive to the sub service won't put off fans as much as it would if it were Sony or Ninty doing it.
StereoVsn
Gold Member
I think for PS1 & 2 games it depends if you bought the “classic” on PS3 or the PS4 updated version. If you bought the latter you can play the games and don’t have to rebuy.
For PS3 titles you can’t locally play them since there is no BC so have to stream or download to a PS3. Don’t think there is a game exclusive to the sub thet you can’t buy, but of course I could be wrong there.
Evil Calvin
Afraid of Boobs
Nintendo is already doing that with NSO
Should have clarified it being a NEW game.
Should have clarified it being a NEW game.
Evil Calvin
Afraid of Boobs
I can see MS doing it with a smaller profile game like HiFi Rush. Not a big AAA game like ES 6
Heisenberg007
Gold Journalism
I think Kojima's Overdose could be that big first title.
It'll make its way to nearly every platform and screen - PS, Mobile, Netflix, Nintendo, etc. - but I reckon for a while it'll be a subscription exclusive.
It'll make its way to nearly every platform and screen - PS, Mobile, Netflix, Nintendo, etc. - but I reckon for a while it'll be a subscription exclusive.
And why on earth would anybody do that?
It's pretty clear that in current market there is huge portion of players who does not want to subscribe to gaming service. So making game "exclusive" would be shooting yourself to the foot.
Maybe in future when subscriptions will be more widely adopted? But not in current climate.
It's pretty clear that in current market there is huge portion of players who does not want to subscribe to gaming service. So making game "exclusive" would be shooting yourself to the foot.
Maybe in future when subscriptions will be more widely adopted? But not in current climate.
yurinka
Member
I'd say none of them because it doesn't make business sense and would be a suicide for that game unless it's a very, very small project, as happened with F-Zero99 or Tetris99.
Even if subscriptions revenue is growing a bit, it represents a small portion of the total revenue. Addons revenue is growing faster and represents the biggest chunk followed by game sames revenue. Subscriptions revenue is the third one.
You may think: it would be good for Microsoft to put there some of their AAA GaaS to get extra revenue for their sub and also give the game a larger audience to milk it via addons/IAP/DLCs/passes. But the reality is that if they are ready to lose most game sales revenue for that game, it would be better to make that game F2P and multiplatform, because by doing that they'd reach a way bigger audience.
In all cases, the subscribed users represent a small portion of the total userbase, even for a specific platform/console.
Even if subscriptions revenue is growing a bit, it represents a small portion of the total revenue. Addons revenue is growing faster and represents the biggest chunk followed by game sames revenue. Subscriptions revenue is the third one.
You may think: it would be good for Microsoft to put there some of their AAA GaaS to get extra revenue for their sub and also give the game a larger audience to milk it via addons/IAP/DLCs/passes. But the reality is that if they are ready to lose most game sales revenue for that game, it would be better to make that game F2P and multiplatform, because by doing that they'd reach a way bigger audience.
In all cases, the subscribed users represent a small portion of the total userbase, even for a specific platform/console.
Why they would do it when they sell over 20M copies of their main games and their sub should have only a few million subs? It wouldn't be worth it for them.
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simpatico
Member
Why? At this point physical releases are to encourage impulse buying. I don’t think Rockstar wants to give let GameStop sell 5 million copies of a game they didn’t make with no portion of the sale going back to Take2.The price is debatable, but it's definitely getting a physical release.
Putonahappyface
Member
Why? Because I don't buy digital media and I'm not annomily.
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diffusionx
Gold Member
Game subscription services have a fundamental flaw that movie/TV does not, and it is the fact that people like to plah games for long periods of time. Really if you think about it, the services only really favor the hardcore types that post on forums like this, people that want to play/try a LOT of different games. But you know, if you love Age of Empires, it makes NO sense to subscribe to GamePass when you can just buy Age of Empires and play it all you want.
So, what does this mean, well, it means that if a company really does want to push a subscription service for some reason, it does make more sense to release a game exclusively on to that service.
So, what does this mean, well, it means that if a company really does want to push a subscription service for some reason, it does make more sense to release a game exclusively on to that service.
GHG
Member
There's a chicken and egg problem for those who want to drive further subscription adoption.
How do you create a scenario that reignites subscription growth after a long period of stagnation?
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
simpatico
Member
I’d advise that you at least rent it. Probably gonna be fun.