270°

Larian CEO Explains Dangers of Subscription Monopoly

ESTNN writes: "'Direct from developer to players is the way', the Larian CEO stated."

Nyxus135d ago

"Whatever the future of games looks like, content will always be king. But it’s going to be a lot harder to get good content if subscription becomes the dominant model and a select group gets to decide what goes to market and what not. Direct from developer to players is the way."

Very true.

Bathyj135d ago (Edited 135d ago )

Good point. Hadn't thought of that. Let's say hypothetically Sony and Microsoft were subscription only and didn't sell games anymore. What if they didn't want to pay a developer to put their game in a subscription service. Does that mean they don't get to release their game?

theindiearmy135d ago (Edited 135d ago )

It's a valid point, but where does the concern come from? There is no precedent to create a cause for concern. Books, music, movies, TV, have all moved over to primarily digital subscription models and for the most part it's working just fine. Great content is still being created and made available to the masses. So why would anyone expect it to end up differently for games?

Bathyj135d ago

The difference is with games you are on a platform. If Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo all went sunscrption only and stopped selling games, you would have no choice but to do that or release on PC only in order to actually sell your game. Thats what wee talking about.

Thats impossible to do with books, music, movies etc. You would always have an outlet to still sell your content.

FinalFantasyFanatic134d ago

I imagine they would already pay a fee to get their games on the Sony/Microsoft stores, so does that mean Sony/Microsoft would make smaller developers pay to have their games on their? Or do they just have to find another avenue like releasing on Steam or Indie Gala or something?

@theindiearmy
I actually miss renting movies, some movies these days are not easy to find, especially if they're not on a subscription service like Netflix or Amazon, otherwise you just have to hope Youtube will rent it to you digitally. I guess that's only a problem if you really not interested in owning the movie for whatever reason.

Einhander1972135d ago

This is basically word for word what I have been saying for years.

I am glad that someone from inside the industry finally had the balls to come out and say it.

JEECE135d ago

Lol I do like that whenever a dev of a popular game says something about subscriptions (gamepass) that some of us have been saying on here for years, it gets treated as groundbreaking wisdom/insight. Don't get me wrong, it's great to have devs with credibility back you up, but some of these obvious issues shouldn't need that kind of support for people to accept them.

Zeref135d ago

He's stating the obvious. Nobody wants subscription services to be the only way you can play videogames.

But that's also a bit of fearmongering, because subscription services account for only 10 percent of the overall gaming market and it's been slowing down.

JEECE135d ago

Yes. But others have stated the obvious long before. It's like when gamepass started to ramp up and people on here (and elsewhere) pointed out the obvious fact that it would hua la carte game sales, and tons of people refused to believe it because MS claimed that Gamepass users actually spent more on games. Then when a dev/publisher/industry insider confirms the obvious truth that GP hurts sales, people treat it like new information, rather than a confirmation of the obvious. Or like when people pointed out the obvious pitfalls of the Series S and got called fanboys, but then when devs come out two years later and confirm those exact pitfalls, it's treated as an unexpected revelation.

Profchaos134d ago

Ubisoft just came out and said in a interview we want to get gamers used to not owning their stuff plus all digital consoles we are heading in the direction rapidly

BlaqMagiq1134d ago

"Nobody wants subscription services to be "the only way you can play videogames."

Ubisoft just came out and said that's EXACTLY what they want.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 134d ago
VincentCastle135d ago

This was more if him answering to what the Ubisoft dev said about us consumers needing to get comfortable with not owning our games. At least that's what another article mentioned about the same paragraph.

shinoff2183135d ago

I like this guy. They miffed on the physical release of bg3, then he came through for those of us that prefer that. He's spot on with this to

Deathdeliverer135d ago

Larian studios, creators of one of the best games I have played in ages, have said what should be obvious at this point. The gamespass model is bad for gaming as a whole. Creativity will drop (it cost money), budgets get a lot tighter, and development time will get shorter. Games that have been out for a while and then released on there when it’s had its run should mostly be fine. FOMO will prevent most people from simply waiting months/years to play games on the sub.

Tacoboto135d ago

Halo Infinite - longest dev cycle in franchise history
Forza Motorsport - same
Next Gears - same
Starfield - same for BGS as a studio
Hellblade 2 - same for Ninja Theory as a studio
id Software's next title is still not announced
Machine Games has been taking their time on Indiana Jones
State of Decay 3... The next Perfect Dark... The next Fable.

Lol name even one Xbox Studio where it's evident of either smaller budgets or shorter dev cycles. Even Compulsion has the allowance to take years on that South of Midnight title (their last release was 2018); Contraband by Avalanche is another grand example of a long dev cycle since it's never been shown off.

HiFi Rush existing speaks for itself and Ill remind you that Psychonauts 2 had an extended dev cycle because Microsoft gave Double Fine a bigger budget post-purchase.

History directly contradicts you.

shinoff2183135d ago

You can't do it all in one jump. Your gonna have to lower it over a period of time. Not saying it'll happen just pointing out that's how it would happen

Tacoboto135d ago

Oh ok so this is the anti-Xbox version of "wait till next E3" then?

Literally the opposite of everything the anti-Xbox crowd said would happen seems to be happening over this period of time. Call of Duty isn't being taken away, dev cycles are getting longer, new IP is fostering, and the more any executive at Microsoft talks, the more it seems Xbox will go third party.

FGHFGHFGH135d ago

Half of HALO infinite's dev team were contract workers. Non contract devs were supposedly paid below the standard.
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

skip to around 12 minutes where he talks about it

Tacoboto135d ago

@FGH

Rumors of a $500m budget, and the period between Halo 5 and Infinite was over 6 years (Fall 2015 - Winter 2021).

Over the course of just under 6 years, Bungie released Halo 1, 2, and 3 - and the most post-release content 2 and 3 got were bug fixes and new maps.

Are you trying to suggest that Infinite had a smaller team or a lesser budget than Bungie had in 2005? Ridiculous

Einhander1972135d ago

Provide evidence that any of those games paid for their development.

These games you listed are funded by Microsoft's finances outside of the xbox division. All the evidence that we have especially what we learned during their trials related to Activision show that their subscription has dramatically lowered sales not just of their games but game sales across the whole platform. (in 2023 PS4 sold more total games and more value worth of games than xbox)

Just because Microsoft is funding these games does not mean that their business model is profitable or sustainable.

Kaze88135d ago

Firstly half of those started development before gamepass was a thing and secondly they are backed by MS who has more money than anyone. On a third party standpoint the view is totally different to first party MS studios. Your argument is invalid.

Profchaos134d ago

Many of those examples didn't exactly excel or break new ground they are more content over quality I feel like if they weren't subscription games the quality and polish would of been there day 1

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 134d ago
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80°

Baldur's Gate 3's Side Quest Design is its Secret Weapon

With a game like Baldur's Gate 3, a number of factors make it successful—but perhaps none are as powerful as its side quest design.

Read Full Story >>
gamerant.com
Popsicle5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

Article makes a great point and I agree with it but is spoiler heavy. It should be marked. If you haven’t played through the game be warned as it even spoils parts of act 3.

Dirty_Lemons4d ago

Thanks for this dude, I am very interested in playing when I have time and am trying to avoid spoilers.

dakarli1d 9h ago

This game rocks, everything is quality, and I love the cutscenes, which remind me of Dragon Age Origin.

https://kodi.software/

80°

Baldur's Gate 3 PS5 Physical Deluxe Editions Delayed Due to Production Issues

While we were so hoping to not have to update owners of the console physical Deluxe Edition with any further news of delay, we’ve now run into more production issues which means that players who pre-ordered their PS5 North America copy that was expected to ship later this month, will now have to wait until July before they can get their hands on them.

shinoff21837d ago

Got that email like 2 weeks ago. Tbh I'm not tripping. I understand sht happens. I'm just glad they changed their minds on the physical release

Popsicle6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

I with you. I got the email is well. Happy to eventually own a physical copy and glad it’s not digital only.

60°

Nothing Can Scratch A New Gamer’s Itch For Another Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3 is so good it might actually be a bad place to start with RPGs.

Read Full Story >>
thegamer.com
Armaggedon6d ago

Baldurs Gate 3 was great, but I dont think it is as crazy as people make it out to be. I actually think Starfield is closer to being a crazy insane once in a lifetime game, but Im ready for the flak Im about to get.

AndrewM6d ago

If you think that then you either A never played Bg3 or B never watched anyone else play it, or C you don't know anything about the game, or D you played it and have no idea of the marvel it is in every single aspect of game design. It doesn't matter what game you compare it to, it doesn't hold a candle. Let alone starfield.

Armaggedon6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

A. Ive played it thrice
B. Played with others, so there are moments of watching
C. Know more than I would care to about the game
D.
Thats quite bold, seeing as there are an inumerable amount of games for it to contend with. I also know plenty of people with their own gripes with the game.

As someone that creates things, and has actively sought to gather intel and understanding, I would say Baldurs Gates very nature makes it so it would have a hard time sitting upon the lofty throne you have given it. Similar to a Bethesda game, it is a game with a very large number of permutations and variables to consider, despite being smaller in scale by direct comparison.

Exemplary mastery of design philosophy is more certain to appear in a game that is for confined. One of the reasons I see Starfield the way I do is simply Bethesedas approach of breaking the rules. Anyone should hopefully know that you just dont try to fit a Bethesda game into a space game, but they found a way to pull it off. Do to the nature of large scale open world games, whether it is efficient or not depends on the angle one is looking at.

Many people would tell me immediately that loading screens and empty planets prove that they failed to pull it off. If you play Starfield like a conventional game yes

Armaggedon6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

Part 2:
Many people would tell me immediately that loading screens and empty planets prove that they failed to pull it off. If you play Starfield like a conventional game yes, it will seem disjointed and lazy; however, to those who realize what Bethesda were going for, you will see that the game is severely underestimated. The idea of God is hated and loved by many, and there is much controversy. Starfield is closer to that idea than people even notice.