Ubisoft: Gamer Resistance To Digital Decreasing

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This interview with Ubisoft's VP of digital publishing is rather interesting. While the topic is mainly about the demand for digital products, other things such as microtransactions, pay-to-win and day one DLC are also discussed.

The key, Early said, is to make sure it's perceived positively by the players. They should feel like their purchases enhance the game rather than fill in the gaps for an incomplete experience. "Where it hurts is when you feel like you're forced, or you're at a disadvantage or can't do it unless you [pay money]. That's kind of a remorseful feeling, and nobody likes that."
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To me it seems as if there is less resistance, and just more options that cater to the gamer. Sure many of them really just mimic each other, but now gamers no longer feel locked into just one service.

Now if only they would find a way to stop using the Digital Distro as a form of DRM they would probably find way more acceptance of digital purchases.
 
Two actions which work for me :

1) wait for the GOTY editions at 5$

2) don't bother looking at uplay-tied games.


Backlog is sooooooo big....
 
When you don't have a hard copy, you really have nothing but the grace of the vendor. Loss of hard product is akin to cashless economy. If humans were angelic and incapable of sin it might work to the positive.
 
Kitebasher said:
To me it seems as if there is less resistance, and just more options that cater to the gamer. Sure many of them really just mimic each other, but now gamers no longer feel locked into just one service.

Now if only they would find a way to stop using the Digital Distro as a form of DRM they would probably find way more acceptance of digital purchases.
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I don't think there is much resistance to digital on the PC side ... I would guess that well over half (maybe significantly higher than that) of all purchases are digital now ... convenience, price, and availability all make this the preferred method of purchase now ... console is probably much different though

The only thing I really miss from physical purchases is the collateral stuff you used to get (manuals, maps, etc) but since those have been long gone (except for the more expensive CE versions) it wasn't a big shift to digital for me
 
My interest in MMOs seems to have waned at just about the same time that "F2P" and pay to win became ubiquitous. I think it was mostly burn out, but it also annoyed the crap out of me to be nickled and dimed and that somebody willing to drop hundreds of dollars in the game could have an unfair advantage. If a game is worth playing, I don't mind paying $12-15/mo in a subscription. If that helps insure that people earn their weapons, armor, and abilities in game, even better.
 
ir0nw0lf said:
Add to that "Day one xxGB Uber Patch" :mad:
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Being old enough I can remember the pre-internet days of patching (you received floppies or you grabbed them off the disc of some of the big computer magazines ... both of which took weeks or months after launch) I will take a Day one patch over bugs any day (especially since where physical releases are occurring they still have to release the gold master 2-4 weeks ahead of launch) ... although a big patch can be inconvenient, some of the more catastrophic launch bugs can be worse ... I won't fault a company for patching their product
 
Less resistence because if you want to play a game with any production value behind it, you have to do it their way which means Day One DLC, etc.
 
My resistance to digital may be decreasing (it wasn't very high to begin with, at least not through Steam), but my resistance to Ubisoft is *increasing*. The chances of me buying their products in the future is low.
 
kbrickley said:
I don't think there is much resistance to digital on the PC side ... I would guess that well over half (maybe significantly higher than that) of all purchases are digital now ... convenience, price, and availability all make this the preferred method of purchase now ... console is probably much different though
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I'd guess that it's significantly higher than half on the PC side. All things being equal (convenience, price, et al) and I had a choice between physical and digital, I'd take digital every time. You can still make backups if you'd like, but not having to store boxes or worry about scratched CD's and/or lost media alone makes it worth while IMO. (this is with Steam, whom I trust, though... I might have a different opinion of other digital distributors who've screwed paying customers in the past)

On consoles though, I have a tough time justifying digital content. As with the original XBOX live, you have to imagine the 360's 'shelf life' is numbered (along with the PS3). So if you don't own that physical media, and your system dies after it stops being supported, you're SOL. And since consoles aren't backwards compatible you can't play an old game on a new console unless it's re-released and pay for it all over again.

In contrast, I have games on my newest gaming rig that were originally released in the early 00's, in my steam account, and they play just fine. No issues what-so-ever.
 
virtualheretic said:
"Day one DLC" makes my blood boil
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me too, the only day one DLC that is acceptable is the free kind. Anything else is just a big middle finger to the customer.

DesertCat said:
My interest in MMOs seems to have waned at just about the same time that "F2P" and pay to win became ubiquitous. I think it was mostly burn out, but it also annoyed the crap out of me to be nickled and dimed and that somebody willing to drop hundreds of dollars in the game could have an unfair advantage. If a game is worth playing, I don't mind paying $12-15/mo in a subscription. If that helps insure that people earn their weapons, armor, and abilities in game, even better.
Click to expand...

I hate that people just accept that this is the way games are these days. Its complete garbage. Imagine if major league baseball decided to let teams pay extra to use metal bats instead of wood or if in soccer you could pay a small fee to be able to use your hands x amount of times. Sure people would pay but not because its better for the game. They pay because they are hurting themselves if they don't.

I really miss being able to just pay the monthly and get everything in the game.



As far going digital though, I see it as convenience and have never had any issues or problems with it. DRM is annoying especially when companies force an internet connection for a single player game. I just stay away from those games, there is far too many out there with out the DRM so why settle on crap. In my eyes DRM and going digital are two different things as you can have either one with out the other.
 
c@Nc3r said:
me too, the only day one DLC that is acceptable is the free kind. Anything else is just a big middle finger to the customer.



I hate that people just accept that this is the way games are these days. Its complete garbage. Imagine if major league baseball decided to let teams pay extra to use metal bats instead of wood or if in soccer you could pay a small fee to be able to use your hands x amount of times. Sure people would pay but not because its better for the game. They pay because they are hurting themselves if they don't.

I really miss being able to just pay the monthly and get everything in the game.

As far going digital though, I see it as convenience and have never had any issues or problems with it. DRM is annoying especially when companies force an internet connection for a single player game. I just stay away from those games, there is far too many out there with out the DRM so why settle on crap. In my eyes DRM and going digital are two different things as you can have either one with out the other.
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This is a great summation of things regarding Ubi and DRM. Been there, swore a alot, ended up getting the no-cd / modified .exe so I could actually play, found the game to be complete crap, and won't do it again.

Again, this is for me only. There is no reason to have a physical connection to maintain DRM on single player. What if your internet cuts out (points finger towards Comcast)? It's OK to not be able to play at all, even though you purchased the right to play that game? (Don't get me started on the issue of physical ownership when you purchase it, but that's just how things are now-a-days).
 
All while interest in titles from Ubisoft decreases. They need to do less preaching and educate themselves on what gamers really want.
 
jpm100 said:
Less resistence because if you want to play a game with any production value behind it, you have to do it their way which means Day One DLC, etc.
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just wait for the gold edition or game of the year edition that comes with all the content they cut out to sell separately and the odd piece of dlc that was actually created as an addition to the game. that attitude is bad for the video game business, i know, but it's just a reaction to what actually ruins it: which is nickel and diming consumers and piecemealing the games as much as possible so the 60 bucks game costs 90.
 
mwallek said:
When you don't have a hard copy, you really have nothing but the grace of the vendor. Loss of hard product is akin to cashless economy. If humans were angelic and incapable of sin it might work to the positive.
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Good thing Steam lets you back up your library to disc (though that's going to be a LOT of DVD-R's for some people) :p

That said, hard copies have their own problems. I've already lost multiple discs to oxidation (dark spots start appearing in the foil backing), and I've already lost one to thermal cycling (played enough times in a warm DVD-player that the disc became brittle and cracked).
 
I've already got this distinct fear in my gut that Steam might be going away in ~5 years, for some reason. Already planning on getting a drive array to back my library up. Maybe even have a tape backup for good measure :cool:.
 
Unknown-One said:
Good thing Steam lets you back up your library to disc (though that's going to be a LOT of DVD-R's for some people) :p

That said, hard copies have their own problems. I've already lost multiple discs to oxidation (dark spots start appearing in the foil backing), and I've already lost one to thermal cycling (played enough times in a warm DVD-player that the disc became brittle and cracked).
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This makes me think of the old Commodore days and x86 days with Floppies. Some of the old floppies have stopped working as they have lost magnetism over the years haha

c@Nc3r said:
me too, the only day one DLC that is acceptable is the free kind. Anything else is just a big middle finger to the customer.

I hate that people just accept that this is the way games are these days. Its complete garbage. Imagine if major league baseball decided to let teams pay extra to use metal bats instead of wood or if in soccer you could pay a small fee to be able to use your hands x amount of times. Sure people would pay but not because its better for the game. They pay because they are hurting themselves if they don't.

I really miss being able to just pay the monthly and get everything in the game.

As far going digital though, I see it as convenience and have never had any issues or problems with it. DRM is annoying especially when companies force an internet connection for a single player game. I just stay away from those games, there is far too many out there with out the DRM so why settle on crap. In my eyes DRM and going digital are two different things as you can have either one with out the other.
Click to expand...
This is why I refust to purchase most games new and wait for uber Steam sales and snag games for 30-70% off +all DLC packs.
I <3 Steam, and god knows I have enough digital content to keep me occupied until the next big thing goes on sale. Plus patience has saved me from spending hundreds of dollars on overhyped shitty games *cough* rage *cough* *wolfenstein* *cough* *sim city*

P.S. I really hope Doom4 doesnt suck

ir0nw0lf said:
Add to that "Day one xxGB Uber Patch" :mad:
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I blame hard deadlines and unrealistic goals. If you work in the software industry you know shit happens and I for one am more than willing to wait an extra month to get a finished product rather than have to patch 24572457 times before I get a solid product.
 
I don't think there was ever much resistance to "digital", but rather a resistance to draconian DRM, day-one DLC, and other anti-consumer practices in general.
 
I won't buy Ubisoft, even when their games are on sale through Steam because Steam itself is already DRM, and we have to force Uplay down our throates too? Its just like is EA sold their games on Steam that required you to still launch through Origin.
 
Yeah, up theirs. I will never buy a "license" to play something over an intrusive and totally unnecessary third-party middleman like Origin or Steam. I buy something to own it, not to be constantly babysat by a third party who could, at any time, choose to limit or deny my access to my purchase.

I'll continue to buy games that avoid such idiocy, and pirate the shit out of games that don't.
 
Madoc said:
My resistance to digital may be decreasing (it wasn't very high to begin with, at least not through Steam), but my resistance to Ubisoft is *increasing*. The chances of me buying their products in the future is low.
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I have zero resistance to "digital" as a concept.

I have 100% resistance to "release half-finished game, sell the fixes as DLC, and leave out half the story for more DLC."
 
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