The Future of Gaming: Subscription Services and Game Pass

For new players, the evolution of gaming can be surprising, as it went from hardware to digital pretty quickly. However, this transition has been brewing since the 1990s and those who lived it on PC can testify.

Right now, we only hear about game passes and subscription services as if they were the most evil thing ever happening to gaming. Yet, is it that bad, or is it simply the future of a pioneering industry?

Exploring the Shareware Model

If someone is asked to mention the biggest games of the 1990s, chances are names like Doom, Duke Nukem, or Quake. Each of these games used the shareware model. It was possible to download the first chapter of these titles for free, and if players found it interesting, they could pay to enjoy the entire game.

In today’s world, we could compare it to an open beta or to when someone decides to play Aviator game in demo mode before switching to real money mode to enjoy it fully. Regardless of the example, players get a taste of the game and can then decide to spend more money and time on it.

What was a new approach back then turned into demo discs offered with a new console or magazine, and later into digital demos downloadable from an online store. Yet, the gaming landscape has evolved, and this model isn’t relevant any more. Although it traced the blueprint for what was coming next.

Why Editors Push Digital Formats

The Game Pass or the PS Plus have been heavily marketed as a better alternative to buying discs to run the latest games, and there are several reasons for that.

• Physical Limitations

When the industry switched from cartridges to laser discs at the end of the 1990s, it became possible to run games with ease. Developers got more data room, which allowed for better-looking games and more content. Then, there was a “war” between Blu-ray and HDVD, which Blu-ray won thanks to the PlayStation 3’s success.

However, since then, there hasn’t been any new physical format update, apart from multi-layered Blu-rays. Yet, games keep getting larger. For example, the Call of Duty games get bigger every year, with Black Ops 6 reaching over 300 GB. A Blu-ray can hold up to 25 GB, and if it’s double-layered, it can store 50 GB. That’s why modern games only have an installer on the disc and require an internet connection to install it.

Creating a game running on modern hardware with current expectations is now beyond the limitations of the physical format, so going fully digital makes more sense.

• Production Cost

Physical releases imply creating a box design, printing discs and shipping them to stores globally to ensure everyone can get a copy. Regardless of what PRs say about ecology, it’s really about money.

This whole process costs a lot of money, and even a game sold at full price must sell millions of copies to cover production costs. Digital format will make games more affordable in Ghana as the 5G network develops.

• Making The Back Catalog Profitable

Over the years, editors have accumulated thousands of high-profile games. These games cease to be profitable once they’re removed from store shelves. On the other hand, indie games struggle to get the exposure they deserve.

Monthly subscriptions have allowed editors to make these games more profitable in the long run. Subscribers pay a monthly fee, and can play all of these titles as they wish, without tracking down a copy. It can also serve as a promotional tool. 

For example, when the new Gears of War comes out on the Game Pass, it’s likely that the previous games will be made available on the Game Pass. Players get reminded of the story and build up anticipation, while the editor can ensure the brand name stays in their heads until the release of the latest sequel. 

Is Subscription Set To Become The New Standard?

Despite the intensive marketing around subscription services, it’s unlikely that it’ll become the new standard. Market trends clearly show that these services aren’t taking over. Players are still attached to owning their games and want to be able to play them even years later.

Gamers like what the Game Pass and other services can offer, but it’s not enough to satisfy them, and they still buy the latest game when it’s not provided in the subscription.