Video game preservation is a common topic, one that has been written about here on more than a handful of occasions. As subscription services become more ubiquitous and video game publishers and developers flirt more with digital distribution, a lot of the populace sees a grey future for the medium. *Ubisoft enters the chat*

According to an article from GamesIndustry.biz, Ubisoft has repackaged its games streaming service Ubisoft+ to Ubisoft+ Premium. Premium will feature all-new releases, such as Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, which is available early for subscribers. Along with that, there's Ubisoft+ Classics, containing a back catalog of titles like Rainbow Six: Seige, Watchdogs Legions, and Assassin's Creed for $7.99US a month. Director of subscriptions Philippe Tremblay spoke about how the shift of subscription services will play a part in making fans and customers comfortable about not feeling the need to own their video games.

"I don't have a crystal ball, but when you look at the different subscription services that are out there, we've had a rapid expansion over the last couple of years, but it's still relatively small compared to the other models," Tremblay spoke.

"We're seeing expansion on console as the likes of PlayStation and Xbox bring new people in. On PC, from a Ubisoft standpoint, it's already been great, but we are looking to reach out more on PC, so we see opportunity there.

"One of the things we saw is that gamers are used to, a little bit like DVD, having and owning their games. That's the consumer shift that needs to happen. They got comfortable not owning their CD collection or DVD collection. That's a transformation that's been a bit slower to happen [in games]. As gamers grow comfortable in that aspect… you don't lose your progress. If you resume your game at another time, your progress file is still there. That's not been deleted. You don't lose what you've built in the game or your engagement with the game. So it's about feeling comfortable with not owning your game.

"I still have two boxes of DVDs. I definitely understand the gamers perspective with that. But as people embrace that model, they will see that these games will exist, the service will continue, and you'll be able to access them when you feel like. That's reassuring.

In a sense, he isn't entirely wrong. What stands out is how "comfortable" many representatives are with essentially saying the quiet part out loud. This also lights a fire under the #PhysicalForever crowd, who wishes to maintain proper ownership of games. Something else to consider, even if subscription services like Game Pass and EA Access become the norm, what assurance do consumers have that these offerings will be available indefinitely? Video games can be decommissioned and can run the risk of never being preserved or purchased if there's a corporate buyout. 

Execs can be at ease with counting the dollars, but this is still a grey area for consumers, who can still dictate how to spend their entertainment dollar.

SOURCE: GamesIndustry.biz