Would you want subscription based sports games?

[Hammettf2b]

You would be losing out if you ever felt inclined to buy the new edition. After that and you don't want to subscribe, would you be okay with completely losing out on the ability to play that game? Or would you be willing to spend hundreds of dollars to keep a game "live" over a multiple year span?

I don't know when I will buy another NHL game (maybe 18 once there is a sale since there were custom teams added), but when I do, I will not be willing to play it on a subscription based package.

First of all, nobody knows how any of this would work but lets say it does work the way you say. Whats the difference of buying a game and only playing it for 2 months (which I have done plenty of times and Im sure others have as well) and buying the "New Edition" and don't want to subscribe after a while? As for spending hundreds of dollars to keep a game "live", again, we don't know how the pricing structure would work but as of today, you are paying $120 minimum (assuming you buy the game new on release) for that 2 year span. At least with the subscription you can cancel during the months you wouldn't be playing. If you happen to play the game all year 'round, I would think that paying for the subscription would be worth it to that person who is enjoying the game 12 months out of the year.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

First of all, nobody knows how any of this would work but lets say it does work the way you say. Whats the difference of buying a game and only playing it for 2 months (which I have done plenty of times and Im sure others have as well) and buying the "New Edition" and don't want to subscribe after a while?

A marked difference is the inability to sell it to someone else or keep it for as long as you want for no additional price. The nice thing about owning a game is you get to play it whenever you want for any length of time you want. I have a decent backlog of games. Sometimes I want to play a certain game, sometimes I want to play a different game. Some years I will pay for an NHL game, and some I won't. I will keep the said game for a little bit, maybe sell it off later, or just play a game or two if I am feeling up to it. A subscription completely alienates me as a casual consumer.

As for spending hundreds of dollars to keep a game "live", again, we don't know how the pricing structure would work but as of today, you are paying $120 minimum (assuming you buy the game new on release) for that 2 year span.

At least with the subscription you can cancel during the months you wouldn't be playing. If you happen to play the game all year 'round, I would think that paying for the subscription would be worth it to that person who is enjoying the game 12 months out of the year.

Theoretically, but without knowing the price it is hard to say how much you would save on a per month basis (if at all). And if you do feel on a random month you want to play the game, I would have to resubscribe and pay a fee to play it for whatever amount of time I am wanting. So what if I have friends over after some time of not being subscribed to the game and we want to play a few NHL games? I have to pay a fee to play my game again? There is no allure in that for me.

If the subscription is less per year, then it may be worth it to hardcore players who get it every year, but they were getting the game every year any way.

 

[Hammettf2b]

A marked difference is the inability to sell it to someone else or keep it for as long as you want for no additional price. The nice thing about owning a game is you get to play it whenever you want for any length of time you want. I have a decent backlog of games. Sometimes I want to play a certain game, sometimes I want to play a different game. Some years I will pay for an NHL game, and some I won't. I will keep the said game for a little bit, maybe sell it off later, or just play a game or two if I am feeling up to it. A subscription completely alienates me as a casual consumer.



Theoretically, but without knowing the price it is hard to say how much you would save on a per month basis (if at all). And if you do feel on a random month you want to play the game, I would have to resubscribe and pay a fee to play it for whatever amount of time I am wanting. So what if I have friends over after some time of not being subscribed to the game and we want to play a few NHL games? I have to pay a fee to play my game again? There is no allure in that for me.

If the subscription is less per year, then it may be worth it to hardcore players who get it every year, but they were getting the game every year any way.

again, we know nothing about how it would work. Who's to say that the subscription isn't just for updated content and you would still be able to play the older content without a subscription?

 

[ArGarBarGar]

again, we know nothing about how it would work. Who's to say that the subscription isn't just for updated content and you would still be able to play the older content without a subscription?

But then again if I came in two years late and wanted to buy the game, would I buy the base game from two years ago (with earlier rosters) and then be required to pay extra for the current rosters or new content? And then if I stopped subscribing I would lose that new content and be stuck with old rosters/content until I paid up for the subscription?

Nothing that has been brought up as a hypothetical has made me at all interested in buying the game more often or paying more than I already had. I don't see the point of it from a consumer's perspective, and it seems like a way to try and milk more money off some section of its consumers.

 

[Hammettf2b]

But then again if I came in two years late and wanted to buy the game, would I buy the base game from two years ago (with earlier rosters) and then be required to pay extra for the current rosters or new content? And then if I stopped subscribing I would lose that new content and be stuck with old rosters/content until I paid up for the subscription?

Nothing that has been brought up as a hypothetical has made me at all interested in buying the game more often or paying more than I already had. I don't see the point of it from a consumer's perspective, and it seems like a way to try and milk more money off some section of its consumers.

I would assume you would buy whatever the newest version was. As for needing the subscription in order for new rosters, its basically the same as needing to buy the new game. If you had the old game but wanted the updated stuff, you would need to buy the new game. How is it any different?

 

[GuitarGuy]

Nope, that just sounds stupid. This is definitely another way for them trying to make more money and not caring about their customers.