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[IbizaPocholo]

Paradox trialling subscription model to address DLC criticism

Paradox Interactive is experimenting with a new model that will enable players to subscribe for full access to the add-…

www.gamesindustry.biz

Paradox Interactive is experimenting with a new model that will enable players to subscribe for full access to the add-on content for one of its key titles.

A limited group of people are being given the option of subscribing to Europa Universalis 4. The aim is to look at a way of "reducing the threshold for new players to access the full EU4 experience."

The initiative is a response to ongoing criticism of the publisher's DLC strategy. Many of its titles have so much add-on content that it can deter or confuse new or potential players -- Crusader Kings, for example, has more than $300 worth of DLC.

Paradox is keeping relatively tight-lipped about the details in order to avoid interfering with the test. In a post on the firm's official forums, community manager Björn Blomberg explained the company is "approaching this in a data-driven way," which means it "cannot fully disclose exactly how it will look."

Project marketing manger Pontus Rundqvist added that the final price of such a service would be decided based on the results of the experiment, and emphasised that this model "may not be aimed at [our long-time fans]."

In fact, much of the post was dedicated to assuring established Paradox players that neither these experiments nor any resultant subscription model will affect them.

The subscription, and even the offer to the selected testers, will be optional. All expansions and DLC, both past and future releases, will be available for purchase individually for those who prefer it. No user will have their content removed, and no future content will be exclusive to subscribers.

"We have heard for years from existing and potential new players that the cost of getting the game and all expansions all at once is quite expensive (and might be discouraging for completely new EU4 fans) -- it's been supported for almost seven years, after all," Rundqvist wrote.

"A subscription model has been suggested to us on many occasions, so we thought we'd run a test to see how popular such a service would be."

He added: "We are not replacing the current model or changing how anything works now. We are simply adding another option."

 

[Neofire]

Oh boy, here we go. As is the over priced DLC isn't enough, let's charge a subscription so that we keep milking you forever. They have a game out that has over 300 dollars in DLC? What in the entire hell

 

[yet_another_alt]

Wow, that's even worse than DLC. Congrats Paradox.

 

[DeltaPolarBear]

Normally the DLC is suppose to get cheaper over time, and you are suppose to sell a "gold edition" at some point with all the DLCs packed in at a discount.
The fact that this wasn't done is a problem they created themselves.

 

[Dargor]

Oh boy, here we go. As is the over priced DLC isn't enough, let's charge a subscription so that we keep milking you forever. They have a game out that has over 300 dollars in DLC? What in the entire hell

Not gonna lie, Crusader Kings 2, I own most of, if not all the dlc they launched for it. But almost 900 hours of playing it later and still not tired, it was worth it .

Having said that, Paradox knows their DLC model is awful. In a game like Crusader Kings they can get away with it cuz the game is that good, but on other games, sheesh, I ain't so sure.

 

[Neofire]

Not gonna lie, Crusader Kings 2, I own most of, if not all the dlc they launched for it. But almost 900 hours of playing it later and still not tired, it was worth it .

Having said that, Paradox knows their DLC model is awful. In a game like Crusader Kings they can get away with it cuz the game is that good, but on other games, sheesh, I ain't so sure.

Don't get me wrong i think add on content is good but not at the price of 5x of the original game for example like that Bungie does with Destiny 2.

 

[Woo-Fu]

Don't get me wrong i think add on content is good but not at the price of 5x of the original game for example like that Bungie does with Destiny 2.

So what do you want them to do, a new title every 2 years instead of expansion/dlc content?

They're crafting fairly complex games for a niche audience. There aren't a lot of ways to pay the bills.

A subscription model for that content could be good for their hardcore players. If you're somebody who is going to put 300+ hours into one of their games and buy most/all of the DLC while doing it a subscription model might be an attractive alternative, giving appropriate pricing.

 

[Neofire]

So what do you want them to do, a new title every 2 years instead of expansion/dlc content?

They're crafting fairly complex games for a niche audience. There aren't a lot of ways to pay the bills.

A subscription model for that content could be good for their hardcore players. If you're somebody who is going to put 300+ hours into one of their games and buy most/all of the DLC while doing it a subscription model might be an attractive alternative, giving appropriate pricing.

I don't mind paying for dlc, the people have to be paid for their work but to the point to where is clearly a robbery without a gun? Hell no. If you can own the base game you should be able to own the dlc to the game. With a subscription you do not own anything, you don't pay you can't play. How do we not know that the content wasn't cut from the original design of the game?

Yes I do not like the games as a service model.

 

[Hari Seldon]

I don’t think they are dumping the option to purchase the dlc, just adding this for latecomers.

 

[Dargor]

Don't get me wrong i think add on content is good but not at the price of 5x of the original game for example like that Bungie does with Destiny 2.

Sorry for taking so long to answer you!

Now, I'm the type of people that doesnt like dlc, but I also have to say that it all depends, too. The most important thing is the quality of the dlc. If its really good, price will still matter, but surely if you enjoy it enough it will be worth it.

I got burned really hard by Destiny, so I have no fond thing to say about it. The closest thing is saying how much potential got squandered.

Hope they can actually deliver the game they promised on Destiny 3.

 

[Heebie Jeebies]

Expansions, DLCs, season passes, subscriptions. Seems like a natural progression in dangling a carrot in front of players while they pay up.