Another E3 briefing, another Game Streaming Service, or so it seems. One of the big Ubisoft reveals of the evening was their new service called Uplay+ giving you access to hundreds of great Ubisoft games, classics, and DLC packs. But is it really worth it? Is this what we were waiting for?
What is Uplay+
Uplay+ is the new subscription model that Ubisoft revealed during their E3 Briefing. On paper, it’s a great idea, giving you access to a growing Ubisoft library for a ‘mere’ amount of 14,99 each month. As for now, it’s announced for PC and later on Google Stadia with the promise to give you constant access to their impressive line-up of games, including tons of their classics like Beyond Good & Evil, Prince of Persia, and more. Now the biggest problem here is the question if this is even worth the money? Is 15 each month too much for an extra streaming service? I think it is, to be honest.
If we do the math, it means that you would have to spend your money on at least three triple-A Ubisoft games every year. Now with franchises like Ghost Recon, Far Cry, Assassin’s Creed, Rainbow Six, and more this isn’t such a weird thing but it’s not for everybody. It still is a lot of money to play games online. Of course, Ubisoft will do everything in their power to convince you to keep your subscription but Classics and DLC expansions won’t seal the deal for the gamers. It’s cheaper to just get the Ubisoft games you want for a fair price in stores or even better, during promotions. In my opinion, this Uplay+ subscription is a step in the wrong direction as it’s simply too expensive.
What about the Google Stadia deal
But what if we combine it with Google Stadia, Ubisoft already confirmed the support on Google’s service but is it for the better good? It’s unclear how this will work but I’m guessing you’ll need both the Stadia Pro and Uplay+ subscriptions in order to enjoy this expierence, which makes it incredibly expensive to enjoy your Ubisoft games. Again, it seems like it’s not really worth it at this time.
Conclusion
In my opinion, this new service is a step in the wrong direction. Game companies should just stick to their digital/physical releases in stores instead of pushing extra services on the gamers. Certainly, 15 each month doesn’t sound like a lot of money but in the end, it’s a lot every year in exchange for Ubisoft-only games. Combine this with the fact that other companies will most-likely launch similar services in the future and you understand why this isn’t a good idea at all. Gamers should be able to choose the games they want to own in stores rather than to choose between premium memberships where they don’t even own the game when they stop paying.
