Rainbow Six Siege wont be going free-to-play – here's why (Pic: Ubisoft)
Ubisoft is open to rethinking the way Siege is monetised though free-to-play is currently off the table.
Video games that follow a live service model are becoming more and more common as publishers look to replicate success elsewhere within the industry, moving away from that traditional “make game, release game, next game” cycle.
Its a trend that has drawn a lot of criticism but also one that makes sense from the perspective of game makers. Creating a long tail of post-launch content and support is, in many cases, cheaper than starting development on a new project.
Not only that, it allows studios to turn potential disasters into triumphant victories. Such is the story surrounding Rainbow Six Siege, a game that stumbled out of the gate but is now one of the globes top online shooters.
Several years into their lifespan its not uncommon to see publishers dramatically reshape the way their games are monetised. Just about every MMORPG has a free-to-play option, onboarding new players without them needing to pay a penny. Publishers then hope these newcomers will spend cash on a subscription, cosmetics, or other types of content.
However, with Rainbow Six Siege, the team at Ubisoft Montreal wont be offering a free-to-play option for its landmark shooter.
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“We are absolutely open to any way we can make the game somehow more accessible and available,” explains Rainbow Six Brand Director, Alexandre Remy.
“I have no problem with this whatsoever. Today youll find the price of [Siege] is very low and with the content that has been updated, theres definitely value. In our mind we keep a certain pricing of the game there for different reasons.”
“One of them being: a free-to-play game automatically attracts a huge influx of population, not all of them playing the game for sake of winning. Sometimes they play just because its free and so they get in and that can lead to potential toxicity.”
Since launch, Rainbow Six Siege has continued to have a problem with its player community. As with any online game, there will always be trolls and those looking to ruin the enjoyment of others but in a hugely tense and tactical game like Siege, the negative effects of such behaviour is certainly amplified. That said, Ubisoft Montreal has continued to fight back, one of its big features of Year 4 being a smart new system to counter friendly fire.
Remy believes that, in being a paid-for title, this also helps weed out some unwanted toxicity.
(Pic: Ubisoft)
“Even having a small price helps create a barrier of entry where, as a player, you ask yourseRead More – Source
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