Ubisoft's UPlay+ Goes Live, September Month Free

[btarunr]

Ubisoft's games SaaS (software as a service) subscription platform, UPlay+, has gone live in select markets, such as the UK. The month of September is completely free, and is charged £12.99 per month thereafter. Unlike Origin Access, UPlay+ isn't tiered, and you get full access to over 100 AAA titles from Ubisoft, including their premium editions and DLCs. UPlay+ subscribers also become eligible to early-access beta access to upcoming games. You also get SaaS essentials such as the ability to cancel your subscription at any time, and renew it later (along with your data intact). There's a catch to the September FFA - you need to provide your credit card details upfront, which UPlay authenticates with a £1 reversible charge. On October 1, the first charge for £12.99 takes place, and your subscription rolls on. Reddit members have reported teething troubles with the payment gateway such as failed credit card charges.



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[Roph]

In the UK, no it isn't live.

 

[birdie]

Isn't it amazing? 20 years from now most if not all SaaS/Online/Cloud Based games will be unplayable and completely lost to humanity.

FU UbiSoft, FU EA, FU all the publishers who insist on games not being a final product but being an online only service which is only rendered using your PC.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Isn't it amazing? 20 years from now most if not all SaaS/Online/Cloud Based games will be unplayable and completely lost to humanity.

FU UbiSoft, FU EA, FU all the publishers who insist on games not being a final product but being an online only service which is only rendered using your PC.

Everything seems to be moving towards SaaS. It's horrible, as you technically own nothing and as soon as a company fall on hard times, the servers goes down and your product is useless. Or they push an unwanted update that either changes the UI to make it horrid, or removes features you like, or something equally silly.
You also have no control over costs, as they can increase the cost at will and you have zero say in the matter, at least not if you need/want to continue to use the product.

 

[Dave65]

And people will flock to it in droves

 

[Dragonsmonk]

Everything seems to be moving towards SaaS. It's horrible, as you technically own nothing and as soon as a company fall on hard times, the servers goes down and your product is useless. Or they push an unwanted update that either changes the UI to make it horrid, or removes features you like, or something equally silly.
You also have no control over costs, as they can increase the cost at will and you have zero say in the matter, at least not if you need/want to continue to use the product.

Very true - hence GOG exists as well

 

[rtwjunkie]

Isn't it amazing? 20 years from now most if not all SaaS/Online/Cloud Based games will be unplayable and completely lost to humanity.

FU UbiSoft, FU EA, FU all the publishers who insist on games not being a final product but being an online only service which is only rendered using your PC.

Relax. Paying full price for games that aren’t a subscription doesn’t go away. It hasn’t gone away at EA, nor does Ubi have any plans to do this. What this does is open PC gaming to more people who might not make the jump if they can only afford to buy one or two games a year. This allows them to play many games.

 

[bug]

Relax. Paying full price for games that aren’t a subscription doesn’t go away. It hasn’t gone away at EA, nor does Ubi have any plans to do this. What this does is open PC gaming to more people who might not make the jump if they can only afford to buy one or two games a year. This allows them to play many games.

Ha, nice story you have there.

The publishers are taking a page out of Hollywood: control the distribution and you control the price.
They have every intention of doing just that, they just can't state it outright for now. (Remember, some years ago they were publicly complaining about how not getting a cut from second-hand game sells hurts the industry as a whole?)
And I can assure you if you're strapped on cash, instead of the asking monthly price, you can get two games on GOG that you can keep forever, with change to spare.

 

[Wyverex]

I could see myself paying for a single month to play a game or two I'm interested at that exact time, instead of paying full price for the games themselves (akin to renting the games).
But I simply can't see myself ever being permanently subscribed for any such service.

 

[Deleted member 158293]

All these subscription services seem like a throwback to the MMO subscription dark ages where developers either struggled for non-popular sections or slowly released new content of their most popular sections at a snail's pace to keep subscriber numbers high. Interesting to see if this will be any different.

Either way it guarantees steady cashflow in the quite months versus the ups & downs of title releases.

 

[bug]

All these subscription services seem like a throwback to the MMO subscription dark ages where developers either struggled for non-popular sections or slowly released new content of their most popular sections at a snail's pace to keep subscriber numbers high. Interesting to see if this will be any different.

Either way it guarantees steady cashflow in the quite months versus the ups & downs of title releases.

One major annoyance to me is you're billed whether you use the service or not.
I fully understand that just storing my data can't be done for free, but it can't cost the full subscription price either.

 

[Deleted member 158293]

One major annoyance to me is you're billed whether you use the service or not.
I fully understand that just storing my data can't be done for free, but it can't cost the full subscription price either.

On top of potentially eliminating the reseller and pocketing their former commissions, that's how these subscription business models make money...

IMO it will probably lead to even smaller initial game releases and also smaller but more constant DLC to better fit the subscription business model. Inline with old MMO way of doing things.

Don't have to like it, but that's looks to be the way the gaming industry has been going.... Again.

Also curious if GOTY editions on games ending active development will still be a thing or if those will disappear.

 

[rtwjunkie]

And I can assure you if you're strapped on cash, instead of the asking monthly price, you can get two games on GOG that you can keep forever, with change to spare.

So you made my point for me. Those cash strapped people want to be able to play more than two games and be stuck with just those two games for 6 months.

 

[Deleted member 177333]

I don't see myself ever subscribing to such a service.

 

[rtwjunkie]

I don't see myself ever subscribing to such a service.

Neither do I.

 

[Vayra86]

I am NOT subbing this even for the free month. They wont be inflating their user base with my number.

Cloud based gaming is not coming in. G T F O

 

[kings]

Personally, I welcome this, you can join and cancel at any time, opening the door to a whole range of games. The price of an AAA game is enough for several months of service to play a lot of games.

I currently have the Xbox Game Pass for PC and for 3.99€ I've already played games worth over 150€ if I went to buy them!

Of course it will never be the ideal solution for everyone, but people who don't want these subscription services, still have the option to buy the games as usual!

 

[Vayra86]

Personally, I welcome this, you can join and cancel at any time, opening the door to a whole range of games. The price of an AAA game is enough for several months of service to play a lot of games.

I currently have the Xbox Game Pass for PC and for 3.99€ I've played games worth over 150€ if I went to buy them!

Of course it will never be the ideal solution for everyone, but people who don't want these subscription services, still have the option to buy the games as usual!

Correct, lets hope it stays that way. One thing however is certain: publishers will try to push us to more sub based services and the inevitable outcome is paid and bought gaming will become less attractive: inflated price, content spoonfeeding and all that other good stuff. It already happened a littlw bit with MTX, DLC and season pass schemes. That will be getting worse.

Cloud/SaaS is at odds with ownership and buying a permanent license and that is a BAD thing to support. Long term this will damage gaming. I hope you will realize that sooner rather than later. You are giving away a big part of your consumer power by subbing into essentially one time purchases. You lose choice, independence.

Also, the idea that it is cheaper is a fallacy. Time works against you - the longer you sub, the more you spend and no spending is no gaming. Also, you are tied to one publisher, so you probably will sub more things. Bottom line is owning nothing but being tied to spending nonetheless to acquire entertainment.

 

[kings]

I hardly ever play a game more than once, except for one or two specific multiplayer game that I play with friends/family, but those I always buy.

For example, in a week Gears 5 comes out, I play the campaign and never touch it again. With XGP this month I can play it, otherwise I had to spend 60€. Also, XGP is not limited to one publisher, it has several.

I'm not saying that they are services to keep the 12 months of the year, only when there are games that justify it and I really want to play early!

 

[Cheeseball]

Also, the idea that it is cheaper is a fallacy. Time works against you - the longer you sub, the more you spend and no spending is no gaming. Also, you are tied to one publisher, so you probably will sub more things. Bottom line is owning nothing but being tied to spending nonetheless to acquire entertainment.

If you know you're not going to use the subscription for a month or more, then it would be best to unsubscribe.

 

[bug]

So you made my point for me. Those cash strapped people want to be able to play more than two games and be stuck with just those two games for 6 months.

No, you're just too hung up on your point to get mine. That's ok with me.

 

[Paganstomp]

The door, it's unlocked. Enjoy the great outdoors.

 

[rtwjunkie]

No, you're just too hung up on your point to get mine. That's ok with me.

No, that is you, hearing only yourself and unable to see the benefit for the little guy. It’s not for me. I can afford all the games I want.

I however, am not so hung up on my income as to not be able to see that this could be a really good way for those with more modest earnings to play many games.

See, that is me understanding a point of view that is not my own, and accepting it has a place, even though I will not partake in it.

 

[Vayra86]

If you know you're not going to use the subscription for a month or more, then it would be best to unsubscribe.

But that is not how it usually works, for many...