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[SliceSabre]

Jeeze that really sucks for the UK. Uplay is such an annoying thing to have I refuse to play the Might and Magic game I have because Uplay is such a hassle to deal with.

Hopefully they learn a lesson from this.

 

[Nokterian]

Uplay is far worse than Steam or Origin, just a shitty client.
Looks like i won't be buying Ubisoft games on PC anymore.

GFWL slowly dies out and Uplay takes it place..yeah it's a horrible piece of software.

 

[The Cowboy]

I'm wondering, are the people saying this sucks for the UK because Uplay sucks not realising that all the Steam versions will launch Uplay anyway?, if you get any of these new games on Steam - they will still require Uplay (you click your Steam version and it will launch Uplay to start he game).

 

[Seanspeed]

It's the very same concept on a different scale, actually.
The very idea that selling your product in the most popular stores is bad because otherwise you would have to pay them a share is completely idiotic.

That's not idiotic at all, not when that share is a massive 30%. The point is to maximize profit margins on the products you produce *and* built interest and draw to your store.

Now, JaseC has a valid point that this might not be what is happening, but in general, trying to sell your products with your own store is not some ridiculous idea. EA is proof that it can be done successfully. Origin didn't start out a massively successful store, either. You need to create traffic and draw to it, and providing big-name products exclusively at your store can help build that.

 

[JaseC]

seems like a temporary thing... again, i would care if RRP mattered to me but it doesnt. £27 for unity gold edition

Well, the odd thing this time around is that the games still aren't available whereas in the past they appeared in time for UK users to pre-order. We're now only a week away from Unity's PAL Land release date and it's still absent.

 

[Zaph]

Well, it kinda does. They see that console buyers shell out £50 for their games and they seem to think that PC buyers should be doing the same. They probably also look at Origin and see that EA can sell their big games for £50 and wonder why they cant do the same. That isn't altogether unreasonable in my eyes, but its short-sighted and naïve at the same time.

Basically, they see PC buyers as more stingy and less profitable, which is probably true to an extent, but snuffing that market isn't going to do them any favors, either.

But that's not what's happening. There have been, and will continue to be, £50 games on the Steam UK store. Ubisoft are being intentionally misleading with that statement.

It's one (or a combination) of the following:
Ubisoft UK tried to negotiate a more favourable profit split with Valve and failed.
Ubisoft UK think their market is in a position to be pushed to Uplay (similar to EA Origin)
Or a UK retailer cut a deal to keep the games off Steam for a limited time (unlikely as very few retailers care about PC games, but it did happen in the past with THQ UK)

 

[Ozium]

I'm wondering, are the people saying this sucks for the UK because Uplay sucks not realising that all the Steam versions will launch Uplay anyway?, if if you get any of these new games on Steam - they will still require Uplay.

I'm sure everyone knows that, but people would rather have it tied to steam than uplay because steam will be around in ten years and uplay won't be

 

[Knurek]

I'm wondering, are the people saying this sucks for the UK because Uplay sucks not realising that all the Steam versions will launch Uplay anyway?, if you get any of these new games on Steam - they will still require Uplay (you click your Steam version and it will launch Uplay to start he game).

They will have Steam's patching though, instead of the horrible, horrible way Uplay native titles handle it.

 

[King_Moc]

Imagine how overpriced you'd need to be for even Steam to turn you down? Wow.

 

[elelunicy]

They see that console buyers shell out £50 for their games and they seem to think that PC buyers should be doing the same. They probably also look at Origin and see that EA can sell their big games for £50 and wonder why they cant do the same. That isn't altogether unreasonable in my eyes, but its short-sighted and naïve at the same time.

Yeah cause publishers like Square Enix who sell their AAA releases $2.49 on PC is raking in profit and those that keep their price high like Activision is nearly bankrupted.

It's incredibly short-slighted to sell AAA games so cheap on PC. If they keep doing this eventually no one would buy a game unless it's like $5.

 

[Sentenza]

That's not idiotic at all, not when that share is a massive 30%.

Let me insist on this. It is COMPLETELY idiotic. A "massive" 30% cut is pretty much the standard reseller's cut for almost anything.
And it's typically accepted because people taking that 30% for you aren't going to rob you, they are being paid for all the exposure/promotion they are doing for you.
Selling 50,000 additional copies at 70% is far better than not selling them at all, especially when we are talking about a digital good that comes at virtually no upfront cost and can be indefinitely replicated.

 

[patapuf]

Well, it kinda does. They see that console buyers shell out £50 for their games and they seem to think that PC buyers should be doing the same. They probably also look at Origin and see that EA can sell their big games for £50 and wonder why they cant do the same. That isn't altogether unreasonable in my eyes, but its short-sighted and naïve at the same time.

Basically, they see PC buyers as more stingy and less profitable, which is probably true to an extent, but snuffing that market isn't going to do them any favors, either.

Don't forget that the reason PC games are often 10$/€ cheaper is that there are no licensing fees on PC.

If they charge the same as for console games they get higher margins on PC,

 

[Messofanego]

£50 for a digital PC game? You're having a laugh, mate.

 

[Seanspeed]

But that's not what's happening. There have been, and will continue to be, £50 games on the Steam UK store. Ubisoft are being intentionally misleading with that statement.

It's one (or a combination) of the following:
Ubisoft UK tried to negotiate a more favourable profit split with Valve and failed.
Ubisoft UK think their market is in a position to be pushed to Uplay (similar to EA Origin)
Or a UK retailer cut a deal to keep the games off Steam for a limited time (unlikely as very few retailers care about PC games, but it did happen in the past with THQ UK)

I think you're getting the context of my post there confused.

 

[Dryk]

I'm sure that buy the time they get down to a price they would actually see sales on Steam it'll make its way on there

 

[Dr Dogg]

Well, the odd thing this time around is that the games still aren't available whereas in the past they appeared in time for UK users to pre-order. We're now only a week away from Unity's PAL Land release date and it's still absent.

Only Watch Dogs, which turned up about a month before release. Both Far Cry 3 and AC III were only available after the release date (just look at the date of the Eurogamer article you linked to). I can't remember about Black Flag as I had a Uplay key from my GPU but I know it was absent as well.

 

[UnrealEck]

£50 for a digital PC game is extortionate. I remember games were £30 and obviously that'll change as currency values inflate but £35 is a more reasonable RRP I suspect. EA's Origin prices are the same.
I can't imagine many people buy games from either Uplay or Origin though. I don't even buy from Steam because you can get it cheaper elsewhere.

 

[iNvid02]

Well, the odd thing this time around is that the games still aren't available whereas in the past they appeared in time for UK users to pre-order. We're now only a week away from Unity's PAL Land release date and it's still absent.

hmm. i still think they will make their new releases uplay only eventually, but to do it out of the blue on the eve of their biggest game's launch, and in one territory doesnt seem right.

will be interesting to see when they go back up for preorder, if at all

 

[JaseC]

Only Watch Dogs, which turned up about a month before release. Both Far Cry 3 and AC III were only available after the release date (just look at the date of the Eurogamer article you linked to). I can't remember about Black Flag as I had a Uplay key from my GPU but I know it was absent as well.

Ah, you're right. I may have been thinking of Black Flag.

 

[Xando]

I guess Ubisoft thinks they should adjust PC digital to the horrible Console digital prices.

 

[Zaph]

I think you're getting the context of my post there confused.

No, I don't think so. You responded to someone staying the decision was a mistake and would harm themselves with an argument based on Ubisoft wanting £50 for their games - implying they couldn't price at £50 on Steam.

If you meant something else by it you certainly didn't phrase it that way.

 

[derExperte]

EA is proof that it can be done successfully.

We will never know as nobody will ever admit it but I'd bet my Origin account (oh no) that EA is regretting their move. I mean look at the frequency of EA sales on Steam or the feature-roadmap they had for Origin years ago.

 

[Seanspeed]

Let me insist on this. It is COMPLETELY idiotic. A "massive" 30% cut is pretty much the standard reseller's cut for almost anything.
And it's typically accepted because people taking that 30% for you aren't going to rob you, they are being paid for all the exposure/promotion they are doing for you.
Selling 50,000 additional copies at 70% is far better than not selling them at all, especially when we are talking about a digital good that comes at virtually no upfront cost and can be indefinitely replicated.

You're pulling numbers out of your ass there, though. I can pull different numbers out of mine that would justify doing it.

EA is *proof* that this can work. Insist all you want, its not a ridiculous concept and it does happen in the real world. You will sometimes come across products that can only be bought at the producer of that item's store/site. Like I said, its not always the best business decision, but it is not *always* a bad decision, either.

 

[JaseC]

hmm. i still think they will make their new releases uplay only eventually, but to do it out of the blue on the eve of their biggest game's launch, and in one territory doesnt seem right.

will be interesting to see when they go back up for preorder, if at all

Well, Ubi's already experimented with Steam avoidance (King Kong and Tintin), but I think it's pretty telling that they're the only exceptions to the rule. Hell, I even -- by some ridiculous miracle -- convinced Ubi to patch the Steam version of Anno 1404, that had been left to rot for more than three years.

 

[Seanspeed]

No, I don't think so. You responded to someone staying the decision was a mistake and would harm themselves with an argument based on Ubisoft wanting £50 for their games - implying they couldn't price at £50 on Steam.

If you meant something else by it you certainly didn't phrase it that way.

Yea, I never said or even implied that they couldn't sell it for £50 on Steam. I specifically said so in the very first post of the thread, actually.

 

[daninthemix]

Like I said, its not always the best business decision, but it is not *always* a bad decision, either.

Can we agree that it IS always bad for the consumer, though?

Some of us simply don't give enough of a crap about Ubi's games to look for them beyond Steam, though as you've said whether that contingent offsets the 30% cut is debatable.

 

[Wulfram]

Wouldn't the game require UPlay even if you bought it from Steam? At least that's how AC2 worked

So not much loss, really?

 

[Acinixys]

The best part is Valve is laughing and rolling in their pool of $100 bills

The loser here is Ubi 100%

I bet sales of these games will SKYROCKET as they hit Steam

 

[Dr Dogg]

Ah, you're right. I may have been thinking of Black Flag.

It wasn't long, about a week after general release.

The whole GAME thing does look a bit fishy though. While they do have exclusive editions from other publishers on Steam, namely Bethesda and Sega. they all provide Steam keys with their retail copies and GAME are more often than not cheaper than the store price on Steam. Where as all the Ubisoft titles that they stock offer a Uplay key which is sullied in the minds of most (regardless of having to use the Uplay client with a Steam copy anyway) so this seems like the best for both Ubisoft and GAME. Ubi get more traffic to Uplay where as GAME get an exclusive edition to peddle. Though I can't imagine this is the best financial outcome for either.

 

[daninthemix]

It wasn't long, about a week after general release.

The whole GAME thing does look a bit fishy though. While they do have exclusive editions from other publishers on Steam, namely Bethesda and Sega. they all provide Steam keys with their retail copies and GAME are more often than not cheaper than the store price on Steam. Where as all the Ubisoft titles that they stock offer a Uplay key which is sullied in the minds of most (regardless of having to use the Uplay client with a Steam copy anyway) so this seems like the best for both Ubisoft and GAME. Ubi get more traffic to Uplay where as GAME get an exclusive edition to peddle. Though I can't imagine this is the best financial outcome for either.

If this is the reason then all I can say is it's a pity GAME didn't go fully bankrupt.

 

[Sentenza]

You're pulling numbers out of your ass

I'm not "pulling numbers", I'm making an abstract example. Is that so hard to grasp?
Not to mention I would actually expect the numbers to be far greater for the most popular games.

EA is *proof* that this can work.

Actually EA is just proof that it could be somewhat sustainable for some games. Not necessarily the ideal way to do thing.
We should be able to compare how their games would perform on Steam before concluding they got more or less money out of sustaining Origin.

My personal bet? I would guess that EA is leaving money on the table as well.
A lot of people will swallow the bitter and tolerate Origin for something that they really, REALLY want, like Battlefield or Inquisition, but anecdotally I know plenty of other people who don't even consider a purchase on Origin for anything that isn't at very the top of their wishlist.
A tentative, exploratory, compulsive" buy isn't something that people tend to do, on services they don't like to use.
Anyway, this is completely OT and far from the original point, now.
Origin is irrelevant and Uplay surely isn't up to Origin.

 

[RK9039]

Well it's a good thing Ubisoft doesn't make PC games.

 

[KiDdYoNe]

Uplay is far worse than Steam or Origin, just a shitty client.
Looks like i won't be buying Ubisoft games on PC anymore.

Welcome to the club. Buying their new games only for PS3/PS4 for 4 years now.

The only game i got from Ubisoft on my PC was Watch_Dogs. Because i got it for $1,50.

 

[Seanspeed]

Can we agree that it IS always bad for the consumer, though?

In a sense, yea. I mean, it means we will typically pay more for these products.

That's bad if the increased price is based on greed. Increased pricing based on sustainability is different, though. And before somebody else jumps in, I'm just talking in general here, I'm not making any comments either way in which I believe this current situation would be(especially as it sounds like it might be a different story altogether as JaseC pointed out).

 

[Xando]

I'm not "pulling numbers", I'm making an abstract example. Is that so hard to grasp?
Not to mention I would actually expect the numbers to be far greater for the most popular games.


Actually EA is just proof that it could be somewhat sustainable for some games. Not necessarily the ideal way to do thing.
We should be able to compare how their games would perform on Steam before concluding they got more or less money out of sustaining Origin.

My personal bet? I would guess that EA is leaving money on the table as well.
A lot of people will swallow the bitter and tolerate Origin for something that they really, REALLY want, like Battlefield or Inquisition, but anecdotally I know plenty of other people who don't even consider a purchase on Origin for anything that isn't at very the top of their wishlist.
A tentative, exploratory, compulsive" buy isn't something that people tend to do, on services they don't like to use.
Anyway, this is completely OT and far from the original point, now.
Origin is irrelevant and Uplay surely isn't up to Origin.

I wouldn't compare Origin to Uplay.
While i mostly use Steam Origin made quite a turnaround and is actually a decent plattform (except for the prices) i mean i can even get a refund on Origin without having to write 10 support tickets.

 

[Seanspeed]

I'm not "pulling numbers", I'm making an abstract example. Is that so hard to grasp?

Different words meaning the same thing.

I could make an 'abstract example' that would justify doing it.

My personal bet? I would guess that EA is leaving money on the table as well.

That is entirely possible, I suppose. But as you are only guessing, it is probably beyond you to say whether or not it is a financially sound business model or not. I realize that this applies to me as well, but I'm also not the one insisting and condemning it as an 'idiotic' decision based on a gut feeling rather than *real* figures.

 

[RulkezX]

The difference with EA is, like Steam, I can find other retailers selling keys for Origin at competitive prices.

From what I can see with the 3 games in the OP that's not really possible as the game is available from Uplay and 1or 2 retailers selling at RRP.

If EA forced everyone to buy their games for the ridiculous process they charge direct on Origin I'd imagine it'd be in a bad a state as Uplay.

 

[Adry9]

Ubisoft is on a roll. Every two weeks there's news of them saying/doing stupid shit.

 

[Messofanego]

Ubisoft is on a roll. Every two weeks there's news of them saying/doing stupid shit.

There should be an official Ubisoft fuckup thread. It's hard to keep up.

 

[dex3108]

The difference with EA is, like Steam, I can find other retailers selling keys for Origin at competitive prices.

From what I can see with the 3 games in the OP that's not really possible as the game is available from Uplay and 1or 2 retailers selling at RRP.

If EA forced everyone to buy their games for the ridiculous process they charge direct on Origin I'd imagine it'd be in a bad a state as Uplay.

Right now you can buy AC Unity Gold and Far Cry 4 Gold for 64$ or even less. Those are complete editions and they cost 90$ per game usually. If that is not competitive price i don't know what it is.

 

[Dr Dogg]

Didn't Valve say they were open to EA coming back to Steam and Origin was cool to run as a second client? I might be dreaming that of course but I'd imagine the real reason is that 100% of the share seems more attractive than 70% to EA.

 

[Seanspeed]

The difference with EA is, like Steam, I can find other retailers selling keys for Origin at competitive prices.

From what I can see with the 3 games in the OP that's not really possible as the game is available from Uplay and 1or 2 retailers selling at RRP.

If EA forced everyone to buy their games for the ridiculous process they charge direct on Origin I'd imagine it'd be in a bad a state as Uplay.

You'll be very hard pressed to find an Origin game at a reduced price outside Origin on Day 1. Maybe at some key re-seller or something, but not from reputable stores.

 

[dex3108]

Didn't Valve say they were open to EA coming back to Steam and Origin was cool to run as a second client? I might be dreaming that of course but I'd imagine the real reason is that 100% of the share seems more attractive than 70% to EA.

I think that main issue with EA were DLCs and that Valve wanted 30% from DLC sales too. ME and DA DLCs are priced in Bioware points that users are buying from EA.

 

[Tizoc]

Jim Sterling lives in the US right?
Prob. won't stop him from making an ep. about it though :V

 

[Evilmaus]

I wasn't actually planning on buying any of these games in the first place, unless I got them for ridiculously cheap in the Winter Sale.

Still, an extremely poor move in my opinion. Uplay is terrible, and I intentionally skip games to avoid it.

 

[Skyzard]

Not buying any till 50%+ off.

 

[impact]

ubisoft hates gamers

Fixed

 

[gragy10]

This plus Ubi's track record (AC3, AC4) of shitty first day PC ports basically confirms next week as MCC week for me.
No issue for me if I pay £20 next spring for a version of AC: U that stands a good chance of being tightened up significantly over release day

 

[Skyzard]

Same, £20 seems about right for these sequels...although a year later not sure. £12-15.


Someone needs to make a good game library manager that works with Steam Origin and Uplay and looks fucking snazzy and is useful.

Never paying that much. Not even for retail, digital? Lol.

 

[Human_me]

Well, now that Ubisoft has confirmed the games won't be coming to Steam in the UK.
They have certainly lost all sale from me.