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[01011001]

so yeah, let's see how far they can go with free 2 play games, so far didn't go that well

lemmy just quickly quote myself:

I was sitting on my PC, noticed I still have Hyper Scape installed... so I wondered what the game looks like these days so an update

so first the top played games:

all the usual suspects are here. GTA, Fortnite, Apex Legends etc.

_____________________________________________
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but then I scrolled down for a whole 30 seconds (Twitch loads in new games to the list as you scroll... this is very slow but still, 30sec scroll!)

and I found it:

there it is with 91 viewers, right behind Half Life... and before Mario Galaxy 2. the most watched channel has 15 viewers. I watched the stream and the lobby filled up to... DRUMM ROLL!

21 players... AFTER MINUTES OF WAITING in the start lobby.

just for the lols, I looked up a stream of H1Z1 on PS4, that lobby had 70 players in it... H1Z1 on PS4 has a more active player base than crossplay enabled Hyper Scape... I would bet Halo Custom Edition on PC has a more active playerbase.
the game is dead at this point.
what started as a concerning trend I saw on Twitch has now concluded in what I was expecting to see half a year or so later. dead game, and most likely won't get supported that much longer either.

kinda sad. the base idea was cool, I always thought the controls felt stiff (especially the sliding) and the abilities were too much focused on flying up into the air... but it was a good game overall :/

and... I literally had to google the fucking name again because I forgot it again, by going onto google and searching "failed ubisoft battle royale"

 

[radewagon]

 

[BusierDonkey]

Oh Ubisoft...

 

[Bombolone]

Haven't cared for Ubis' output for a long time.
This move fits their m.o perfectly imo.
Bland, by the numbers game design, chasing trends and knock-offs with money behind it.
Gotta always give them some respect for being so transparent and shameless about what they do as a company.

Sell the Splinter Cell I.P please.

 

[Pagusas]

How do they expect to grow their UBI Subscription service if they are releasing F2P games?

 

[TTOOLL]

Micro__________ are the present and future of games.

 

[Stuart360]

This might help them fork more budget for those as well, and afford more time given to them. I really like most of Ubisoft games, although most of them feel undercooked but they're still try new things and always bringing new experiences to the table.

At least half of my Top 10 games from last gen were taken up by Ubi games (i have no Playstation). I like them a lot, dont care how many people dont agree.

 

[Stuart360]

How do they expect to grow their UBI Subscription service if they are releasing F2P games?

Because they are still releasing both Premium and F2P games (read the press release).. The big sellers will probably remain premium, and the underperformers go F2P.
I could also see a situation where maybe they do both for some games, a full premium version, and a F2P version.

 

[Batiman]

Have to wonder how many other devs will now follow suit.

It’s only a matter of time

 

[BlackTron]

high value =/= free to play

 

[Derktron]

This is going to end very badly for Ubisoft where I think they will lose so much money. But then again I don't think anything morons spends $1000 on MTX on any Fifa game. So I won't be surprised if they don't fail too much.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Oh, this is bad news if legitimate. If that’s the case, then I’ll be sure to avoid these games. I already think we have too many GAAS and F2P games now and I see things getting worst from this point. If that becomes the industry standard and single player experiences with good budgets start to thin out, then this will be the worst generation ever and I’m going retro.

I understand why these companies do it, but always chasing trends instead of trying to create new, unique compelling software imo can hurt the industry as well. Every game can’t be as successful as Fortnite, COD, Genshin Impact and Apex.

 

[Metnut]

Anyone who pays a nickel to games as a service stuff is part of the problem here. Buy games to own. Only pay for “true expansion” DLC

 

[Phase]

Man, I've been letting out a lot of big sighs lately.

 

[CitizenZ]

Before it was more traditional AAA game release but now they going more of a Free to Play Model with more Live Service and more Microtransaction and more DLC because that where they make the most money. They have the data they see where the gaming trends is going both Ubisoft and EA and Activision and Take Two knows it and soon many others will follow it is what it is.

OK, but you know that is their job....to make money, right?

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

The entire Industry is headed this way folks.

Ubisoft isn't stupid.

 

[Phase]

The entire Industry is headed this way folks.

Ubisoft isn't stupid.

That may be true, but I can still call them

 

[ManaByte]

UbiSoft desperately wants their own Fortnite.

They will fail.

 

[wOs]

They're still going to make big AAA games. They literally say this in the release.

Nobody has time to read past the headline. Shame on you for thinking otherwise. /sarcasm

 

[junguler]

i don't have anything to say against ubisoft but they haven't been getting any purchases from me since they went epic only mode, if it's not on steam i'm not going to bother. as for the free to play games go 9 out of 10 games i have played in the past was shit and i'm going to guess ubisoft is not going to be on that 10% any time soon.

 

[Grumpy Toe Nail]

Does this mean Assassins Creed is finally dead? I'm liking this since ubisoft hasnt released a good singleplayer game other than maybe farcry. Gimme a new Rainbow Six Vegas already.

 

[Portugeezer]

I'm sure the shareholders are happy to hear this.

Sucks dick though.

 

[eyesabitdull]

Was hyped for the reveals of WATCH_DOGS, GR: Wildlands & The Division; and they all turned out dull and underwhelming. Then they robbed Assassin's Creed of all of its soul, charm, identity and atmosphere. I'm just indifferent to them at this point anyway. They used to be exciting and innovative, now they're just a breeding ground for perpetual disappointment.

Only modicum of hope I have is Far Cry 6 stepping up the game or one of the next two AC games going back to its roots with a rich next-gen experience. Aside from that, eh...

Same to be honest.

The last Ubi game I bought was AC Odyssey and even I haven't finished the darn game because it takes too long to finish.

Their games in the past 10 - 12 years are just so dull and soul-less despite coming up with some really great game concepts that it just blows my mind at how bored I get playing it.

I would hope they would improve, but this announcement sounds like a no.

 

[LordBlodgett]

That is truly disappointing to me. They may not make GOTY tier games, but I still have a pretty good time with the AC and Far Cry games. I enjoyed Watch Dogs 1 & 2 (Haven't played Legion). Plus I actually was super surprised by how good Immortals Fenyx Rising is. If they are moving to F2P grindy shit I won't be along for the ride.

 

[Shadowstar39]

So no splinter cell anytime soon
Or HOMM..

Don't these pubs see that chasing fortnite is pointless. I guess they don't remember anthem and lawbreakers. That f2p bs is oversaturated.

 

[akaFullmetal]

 

[Phase]

So no splinter cell anytime soon
Or HOMM..

Don't these pubs see that chasing fortnite is pointless. I guess they don't remember anthem and lawbreakers. That f2p bs is oversaturated.

I remember LawBreakers

 

[Shadowstar39]

Anyone who pays a nickel to games as a service stuff is part of the problem here. Buy games to own. Only pay for “true expansion” DLC

Yep. The sad thing is there are some cheap ass game to stream type multiplayer only people on this thread cheering this move on. Sad.

 

[ShaikhCroft]

I am sure there's a Division f2p title on the way! Joping for more f2p games from -

• The Crew
• Assassin's Creed
• Far Cry
• Splinter Cell
• For Honor

 

[Bluecondor]

I have been playing Vigor on the PS4 since January, which is F2P. I really like it. I like the idea of the The Division going to F2P, as I don't think that a third Division game would be very popular on its own. If the upcoming F2P version of the Division (Division: Heartland) recaptures some of the magic of the original game in the Dark Zone and Survival, I think this could work.

I'm open-minded about it anyway with The Division, because I just can't see the game continuing with the model they were trying to use in The Division 2, with minimal content updates.

 

[Bluecondor]

I am sure there's a Division f2p title on the way! Joping for more f2p games from -

• The Crew
• Assassin's Creed
• Far Cry
• Splinter Cell
• For Honor

Ya - they already announced the name of the F2P Division game - Division: Heartland:

Ubisoft announces new free-to-play game, The Division Heartland

A mobile Division game is coming, too

www.polygon.com

 

[Robb]

I get the reasoning, but it's still diasppointing.

 

[MrA]

high value =/= free to play

by high value you know they meant whale hunting

 

[harmny]

So no splinter cell anytime soon
Or HOMM..

Don't these pubs see that chasing fortnite is pointless. I guess they don't remember anthem and lawbreakers. That f2p bs is oversaturated.

Anthem and lawbreakers weren't f2p lol. In fact not being f2p was one of the things that contributed to their failure.

 

[ShadowDurza]

Does this mean no new 3D Rayman?

 

[harmny]

Does this mean no new 3D Rayman?

Didn't the creator and director left months ago because people hated him?

 

[JTCx]

Makes no difference. Free or not, their games are a pile of hot feces.

 

[ShadowDurza]

Makes no difference. Free or not, their games are a pile of hot feces.

In other words, their games are so bad that they can hardly give them away lol.

 

[wipeout364]

Well I guess hyperscape must have knocked it out of the park. I have to say that wasn’t my impression though.

Rainbow Six Siege has also been handled very poorly the last couple of years in my opinion.

I think Ubisoft may be surprised at the level of competition in the ftp arena.

 

[SinDelta]

I enjoy single player games.

Not liking where this is going.

There is that saying though. Nature does not like a vaccum.

If AAA developers will not make single player games, someone else will. Indie Devs may be what save single player games.

 

[sackings]

nothing of value lost, I havent played a first party game from them since AC1. they dont make fun games, period.

 

[Fredrik]

I haven’t payed a singie cent in a free to play game. So I don’t know what to think here. I’m not their target audience anymore I guess.

 

[cripterion]

Dunno what to say..

This feels like a long time coming considering all the shit they've put out.
I personally think all the latest Ubisoft titles are pure crap (The Division 2 had some good moments, the highlights being the ambient music just like in Valhalla) but a lot of people enjoy them so it is what it is... They'll go after that cheese.

 

[jakinov]

nothing of value lost, I havent played a first party game from them since AC1. they dont make fun games, period.

How would you know nothing of value was lost or that their games aren't fun if you claim to not have played any of the games in the last 13 years.

Also, AC1 is one of the worst Assassins Creed games.

 

[Phase]

I haven’t payed a singie cent in a free to play game. So I don’t know what to think here. I’m not their target audience anymore I guess.

The one and only time I gave developers money for a f2p game was Blacklight Retribution in 2012 (bought a $10 starter pack since I was having so much fun), then the devs killed the game... I felt my money was wasted as a result and that's always been in the back of my mind ever since.

Some devs make a really good model like Path of Exile where it doesn't even affect your ability to play through the whole game, but do I think Ubisoft can do that or would even want to? Not a chance.

 

[JusticeForAll]

Seems I'm also going to change my strategy and focus even less on Ubisoft games.

 

[GhostOfTsu]

This thread is so weird. Are people not able to read and they are just going by the tweets or something?

They are not saying they will stop making SP games. Like I don't even know how you all came to that conclusion?

Valhalla is the best selling AC in years. They will not stop making them lol

Division F2P is their version of Warzone. Activision didn't stop making COD because of it.

 

[Fredrik]

This thread is so weird. Are people not able to read and they are just going by the tweets or something?

They are not saying they will stop making SP games. Like I don't even know how you all came to that conclusion?

Valhalla is the best selling AC in years. They will not stop making them lol

Division F2P is their version of Warzone. Activision didn't stop making COD because of it.

This is my take.
If you shift your focus and use more resources for AAA free to play games then you’ll have less resources for regular AAA games, and since you want to sell stuff your regular release will most likely lack what’s available in the free to play release, so in the end the regular premium AAA release will very likely end up being a worse product.

 

[TheDreadLord]

Their games are filled with micro transactions anyaway... Not that different from a f2p game despite you needing to pay 70USD at release. I think this is actually a good thing. Also, perhaps an indication that they will put more focus on getting their games on subscription plans like Game Pass?

 

[TheAssist]

The industry had changing business models over decades, which is normal, but non of these models ever had as much of an impact on gameplay on this one. Everything needs to me made in a way that makes users want to spend money. Progression hurdles, cosmetics (even if they are ridiculous and out of place), gambling mechanics and so on.

Mobile shows that it is a viable model at least for this platform, but it also shows that there are hardly any "good" games on the platform. Commercial art will always depend on making money, but it is still an art (like music, movies, shows, books and of course games), but this business model leaves very little room for the actual art part of the game to breathe and pushes everything towards maximizing profits and manipulating customers into spending money.

I absolutely hate the term "free to play". While its not factually wrong, it gives a completely wrong picture of what the game is about.

Personally I dont like Ubisoft games, I find them very mediocre. But I know a lot of people who like them and for their sake I hope Ubisoft is not changing for the worse (though they've shown how greedy they are with their MTX EXP booster that changing gameplay for the worse to make more money is not beyond them)