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WHAT IF...: A "Steam Pass" for $199/ year to download and play Everything!

BlackTron

Member
What if this impossible thing happened?

Steam has fifty thousand games. Every single one will somehow get covered by a new contract that every publisher will be on board with?

Even if they managed to do it (which they can't), the sub wouldn't even cover that burden for the legal department.
 
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Arsic

Gold Member
No matter the price I would do it instantly depending on how big the catalog would be initially and if it would take in all major releases day one.

I primarily buy my games on steam, so if this happened I’d likely save hundreds a year .
 

MacReady13

Member
Pro:
  1. Download and play any games in the steam store for $199/a year ($17/month)
  2. Discount on single purchased games with pass.
  3. Cloud save
Con:
  1. The games in your library wont start if the subscription is canceled. Must re-subscribe or buy the game individually to play.
hypothetically speaking i think Valve would cut themselves short given their PC dominance. they could probably ask for $299/year with better perks i cant really think of right now.
How about this- purchase whatever game you like and play it whenever you feel like?! That way you don’t have to rent these games to play them.
 

Tams

Gold Member
How about this- purchase whatever game you like and play it whenever you feel like?! That way you don’t have to rent these games to play them.

bbc two versailles GIF by BBC
 

nikos

Member
As someone who often has more fun trying new games rather than actually playing through them, that would save me a shit ton of money.
 

DaGwaphics

Member
How about this- purchase whatever game you like and play it whenever you feel like?! That way you don’t have to rent these games to play them.

You can already do that and would always be able to. Not much point in "speculating" about that.

On the flip side, rental game subscriptions are a real thing and already exist as products that console players are getting value from. Why would the major PC storefronts not follow suit? Therefore, speculating about what those offers might be makes sense.
 

Graciaus

Member
The price is way to cheap for what is available. They make a ton of money doing nothing I don't see any incentive for them to change that. But I would 100% buy that.

I think it would be more realistic to tie GP into the store than that.
 
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Griffon

Member
no man GIF


No matter who it comes from, those rent systems are horrible grifts (on both sides, players and devs get fucked by it, to the sole benefit of the subscription service owner).

Currently I barely spend 100€ per year on PC games and I already have a backlog that's impossible to finish (and I know my money goes to the devs who deserve it on the games I want to play).
 
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Paasei

Member
No, we do not need and should not want subscription models for gaming. That will only (slowly) lead to the downfall of buying a game. I do not want to pay an amount every month for a million games I don’t play only to play those few hundred.
 

Griffon

Member
As someone who often has more fun trying new games rather than actually playing through them, that would save me a shit ton of money.
Steam has thousands of demos, and also guaranteed instant refund if you play less than 2 hours of a game you bought.

You can try everything already.
 
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Fredrik

Member
I doubt it’ll happen but it’s the dream I hope I’ll be alive to see come true. They can keep selling collector’s editions the normal way but otherwise I hope the whole entertainment industry switch over to subscriptions.
 

DaGwaphics

Member
I doubt it’ll happen but it’s the dream I hope I’ll be alive to see come true. They can keep selling collector’s editions the normal way but otherwise I hope the whole entertainment industry switch over to subscriptions.

It basically already is, haha. I think digital purchases will remain a relevant consumption method for the foreseeable future (hopefully forever). The subscriptions just provide a great value for those interested in them but can be completely ignored if someone wasn't interested.
 

Fredrik

Member
It basically already is, haha. I think digital purchases will remain a relevant consumption method for the foreseeable future (hopefully forever). The subscriptions just provide a great value for those interested in them but can be completely ignored if someone wasn't interested.
Not yet. The game industry still have a long way to go to reach the TV, movie and music industry. I hope they get there eventually though, not having to make individual purchases is obviously great for the wallet but for me it makes me try out content outside of my comfort zone as well. I’m certainly not longing for the days when I bought expensive TV Show boxes and neither do I miss paying $60 for a game I’m not really sure I’m going to like.
 

DaGwaphics

Member
Not yet. The game industry still have a long way to go to reach the TV, movie and music industry. I hope they get there eventually though, not having to make individual purchases is obviously great for the wallet but for me it makes me try out content outside of my comfort zone as well. I’m certainly not longing for the days when I bought expensive TV Show boxes and neither do I miss paying $60 for a game I’m not really sure I’m going to like.

I love the subscriptions too, but I like the idea that I can buy something outside the sub if I need it. If gaming goes full Netflix you'll have that situation like with TV/Movie streaming where you either maintain a bunch of subscriptions or miss some content. I like the idea of maintaining a subscription or two that I feel is valuable and still being able to purchase the games I want outside of that. I think the digital purchases will stay around so long as no single sub includes all available content (which they won't since the licensing/publishing is quite a bit different in comparison to music).
 
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SSfox

Member
Impossible, too much money bleeding, that even somebody like MS can't afford
 
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Fredrik

Member
I love the subscriptions too, but I like the idea that I can buy something outside the sub if I need it. If gaming goes full Netflix you'll have that situation like with TV/Movie streaming where you either maintain a bunch of subscriptions or miss some content. I like the idea of maintaining a subscription or two that I feel is valuable and still being able to purchase the games I want outside of that. I think the digital purchases will stay around so long as no single sub includes all available content (which they won't since the licensing/publishing is quite a bit different in comparison to music).
Yeah I agree.

I have Netflix, Disney+, HBO for TV Show and movies and I sometimes buy movies on ITunes and occasionally on disc for big movies where I want the best picture and audio.

Would love it if I could have a similar scenario for games. But right now the subscription libraries are too small. Far too many games aren’t there or arrive late. Like where is Hogwarts Legacy? Seems like it’ll be the first game I buy on Xbox this gen, unless I buy it on PC or PS5. Still trying to decide where to buy it. And Sony is stubbornly sitting on their 1st party library far too long even though they have their Gamepass service now.
 
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