Ubisoft Commits To Not Selling DLC Required For The ‘Full Experience’

We’re either all living in a dream, or Ubisoft has actually just committed to a couple of incredible changes in its game development going forward. You might want to sit down for this.

In talking to GamesIndustry, Ubisoft’s VR of Live Operations Anne Blondel-Jouin said that her company has been thinking a lot about how microtransactions are implemented in games, and has decided that selling DLC that’s required for the “full experience” is no longer ideal. Thus, that’s going to change going forward. The DLC/microtransactions that remain afterwards would be of the cosmetic sort or at least not game-changing (think Dota 2 and Team Fortress 2).

Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs 2

That’s big. About a decade ago, some game developers decided to begin locking off content in their games, which rightfully enraged many people. No one liked having to shell out an additional $10 or more to prolong what might have been a 10-hour game (I am looking at you, Mafia II). Fortunately, it looks like this kind of implementation will go the way of the Dodo with Ubisoft.

That’s not all that’s noteworthy here. Blondel-Jouin also said that Ubisoft plans to support its multiplayer games between 5~10 years. Again, this is huge, because all too often, the plugs are pulled on multiplayer games way before they really should be. It’d be great to purchase an Ubisoft game and be guaranteed at least 5-years access to its multiplayer. The only thing better would be Ubisoft committing to dedicated servers in every single one of its games that supports multiplayer (at least non-MMO, as that might be a pipe dream).

Ubisoft has gained a bad rap over the years for various reasons – whether it be unpolished launch titles, Uplay, or some other form of DRM – but if it commits to these promises, then people are likely to view the company much differently. It’d be great if other game developers / publishers committed to the same.