With next-generation consoles launching next year, E3 2019 has been a fairly muted affairs with no major surprises. A common theme, however, has been the move to subscription models, Microsoft’s Game Pass for PC, EA Access, and now Uplay Plus making an appearance.
With Ubisoft’s subscription, players will get access to the publisher’s extensive library of over a hundred titles. Like Game Pass, it lets players download an unlimited number of games and play them so long as their subscription is active.
Unlike Game Pass for PC, it’s quite pricey. Microsoft’s offering can currently be had for $4.99 a month at its introductory price, and $9.99 thereafter. EA Access is $4.99 for 50+ titles. Uplay+ comes in at $14.99, which will be an instant turn-off for many users.
DLC Included
The difference in Ubisoft’s offering is the version of the game’s presented. Unlike Game Pass and EA Access, which often present base versions, Uplay Plus will give users the ultimate editions. They’ll also get 3 days- early access, beta access, and store discounts.
Of course, it would only be the die-hard Ubisoft fans who would buy each game and all of its content anyway. Ubisoft has a wide variety of content, from Assassin’s Creed to Just Dance and Rayman. The value of service in the long-term depends on how many franchises the user is interested in.
Still, it’s worth noting that players will also be able to cut out the hardware cost when it comes to Ubisoft games. The publisher says Uplay Plus will be launching on Google Stadia next year, a competitor to xCloud.
So far, it doesn’t appear that xCloud has a similar partnership, so this could end up one selling point of Stadia. It will be interesting to see if Google will offer competitive pricing by bundling with its Pro subscription.